Q. What are batch tags and should I be using them?

A. Batch tags give you a way to label your QS-Pro batches principally so that you find them more easily.  It's obviously easier for an operator to find the batch he needs next if he has to choose only from a list of his own batches rather than a list of every batch in the database.  If you used Cadar Variables' Route Menu system you can think of batch tags as fulfilling the same function.  You can tag batches according to any criteria you like: eg. when they were collected, who or where the parts were destined for, which machine made them etc etc.

Whereas data tags label the data within a batch, letting you look at subdivisions of a batch, batch tags label whole batches and effectively let you collect groups of batches together.

Decide how you want to tag your batches, choose Tools - Configure Batch Tags and create appropriate tag types, eg. customer, machine, week or month, and then create tag values - one for each customer (eg, Ford, Rover, Vauxhall), for each machine etc.  When you next search for a batch using any of the batch dialogs (batch open, batch delete etc.) you can select a batch tag, or combination of tags, eg. Auto Lathe and January, and then choose a batch from a list of only those that were tagged Machine=Auto Lathe and Month=January.