Quality control plan line targets
Line targets define the acceptable range for a question's answer during a quality check. You can set a target value, warning thresholds, and hard limits — each contributing to whether the question result passes, passes with a warning, or fails.
Targets are available for Integer, Decimal, Option, and numeric Lot Attribute question types. The target page is accessed by selecting the Target field on a plan line — it cannot be opened directly from search. All fields are optional; you can set only the values relevant to your process.
Targets are read-only when the plan's Status is Certified. Set the status to New or Inactive to make changes.
Fields
General
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Target | Specifies the ideal value for this question. If set, it must fall strictly between the Lower Limit and Upper Limit, and within both warning thresholds. |
Warning
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Lower Warning | Specifies the lower boundary of the acceptable range. Answers at or above this value and at or below the Target pass. Answers below this value but at or above the Lower Limit pass with a warning. |
| Upper Warning | Specifies the upper boundary of the acceptable range. Answers at or below this value and at or above the Target pass. Answers above this value but at or below the Upper Limit pass with a warning. |
Limit
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Lower Limit | Specifies the minimum acceptable value. Answers below this value fail. |
| Upper Limit | Specifies the maximum acceptable value. Answers above this value fail. |
Result zones
When limits and warnings are configured, answers fall into one of three zones:
| Zone | Condition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Fail | Below Lower Limit or above Upper Limit | Fail |
| Warning | Between Lower Limit and Lower Warning, or between Upper Warning and Upper Limit | Pass with warning |
| Pass | Between Lower Warning and Upper Warning (inclusive) | Pass |
Ordering rules
The system validates that all entered values maintain the following order. Saving is blocked if any value violates this sequence:
Lower Limit ≤ Lower Warning ≤ Target ≤ Upper Warning ≤ Upper Limit
Three pairs within this sequence are strictly ordered — equal values are not allowed:
- Lower Limit must be strictly less than Target (when both are set)
- Target must be strictly less than Upper Limit (when both are set)
- Lower Warning must be strictly less than Upper Warning (when both are set)
All other adjacent pairs allow equal values. For example, Lower Warning can equal Lower Limit, and Upper Warning can equal Upper Limit.
You do not need to set all five values. The system only validates the ordering of the values that are actually entered.
Question type behavior
- Decimal — values are entered as typed.
- Integer — values are rounded down to the nearest whole number automatically.
- Option — values are selected from the option list via lookup. The sequence number of the selected option determines ordering.
- Lot Attribute — limit values are validated against the minimum and maximum values defined on the linked lot attribute.
Temperature check (decimal question)
For example, the following target configuration applies to a temperature check:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Lower Limit | 32 |
| Lower Warning | 36 |
| Target | 42 |
| Upper Warning | 50 |
| Upper Limit | 54 |
With this configuration, answers fall into the following zones:
| Answer | Result |
|---|---|
| Below 32 | Fail |
| 32–35.99 | Pass with warning |
| 36–50 | Pass |
| 50.01–54 | Pass with warning |
| Above 54 | Fail |
Tomato color check (option question)
For example, consider a tomato color check with the following options defined on the Quality Control Options page:
| Sequence | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Green |
| 2 | Breakers |
| 3 | Turning |
| 4 | Pink |
| 5 | Light Red |
| 6 | Red |
Targets configured:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Lower Limit | 2 (Breakers) |
| Lower Warning | 3 (Turning) |
| Target | 4 (Pink) |
| Answer | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 (Green) | Fail |
| 2 (Breakers) | Pass with warning |
| 3 (Turning) | Pass with warning |
| 4 (Pink) or above | Pass |
Self-describing option list
For example, some option lists are designed so that the option description directly states the intended result — like PASS, PASS (WARN), and FAIL. The target configuration must be set so that each option produces exactly the result its name implies.
In this case the options are ordered from best to worst result, so lower sequence numbers are better:
| Sequence | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | PASS |
| 2 | PASS (WARN) |
| 3 | FAIL |
Targets configured:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Target | 1 (PASS) |
| Upper Warning | 1 (PASS) |
| Upper Limit | 2 (PASS WARN) |
| Answer | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 (PASS) | Pass |
| 2 (PASS WARN) | Pass with warning |
| 3 (FAIL) | Fail |
Target and Upper Warning are both set to 1 (PASS). This is valid because the ordering rule allows them to be equal (Target ≤ Upper Warning). Any answer at or below the Upper Warning falls in the pass zone. Any answer above the Upper Warning but at or below the Upper Limit falls in the warning zone. Any answer above the Upper Limit fails.
The sequence order of your options determines which answers pass and which fail. In this example, lower sequences are better. If your option list is ordered the other way — with FAIL at sequence 1 and PASS at the highest sequence — use Lower Limit and Lower Warning instead, as shown in the tomato color example above.