Activity Tab

Time The time required to perform the activity. A Distribution Builder icon is provided for specifying a time distribution. Time units can be specified to be seconds, minutes, hours, days, or weeks. Leaving this field blank will result in no wait time during simulation. However, if you create a scenario parameter using this field, the Time value will be changed to 0.
Resource Select the resource, if any, required to perform this activity. The resource will be captured by the entity for the activity Time, and then freed. If you want to use or select from multiple resources, you may leave this field set to None, and then define resource logic in the Logic field.
Keep When checked the resource will not be freed from the entity when the activity time is complete. If left unchecked, the entity will release the resource when the activity time is complete.
Priority Enter the priority (0-10 or interrupt) for getting this resource. The higher the value, the higher the priority. An interrupt priority means that the current entity will interrupt whatever activity the resource is currently performing.
Availability Enter the percentage of time that the activity is available to complete processing. If the percent is less than 100, interruptions will occur randomly with an average duration of five minutes each.
Logic Opens the logic builder, which is used for defining the logic to be executed for each entity upon entering the activity. Logic entered will be executed after the activity resource is captured, but before the activity Time starts.
Calendar Opens a dialog shown next for defining and assigning a shift calendar to this activity. If a shift is assigned, the activity will only be available during the time defined in the Calendar Editor. Clicking the Calendar button on the Activity dialog launches the Calendar Selection dialog.

File   The name of the calendar file to apply to this activity.

Browse   Displays a list of directories and files for selecting an existing calendar (.pmcal) file (old shift (.sft) files may also be selected).

Editor   Opens the Calendar Editor dialog. If a file is already present in this field, clicking on this button will launch the Calendar Editor and load the file.

Interrupt to go off shift or on break   Check this option to interrupt the resource from its current task when it is time to go on break or off shift.

Hourly Cost The cost (dollars, pounds, etc.) per hour added to the entity based on the time the entity is at the activity.
Collect Stats Check this box to collect statistics for the activity.
Use Submodel This option is used in conjunction with hierarchical modeling. When checked, this activity will use a submodel to define the process at the activity, and ignore any processing defined in the activity dialog.
Activity Capacity The maximum number of entities (or entity batches) that can be processed concurrently at this activity.
In buffer capacity The maximum number of entities that can be waiting in the input buffer prior to this activity. Enter 0 if there is no input buffer. If the capacity is greater than 0, entities routing to the activity will route to the input buffer first.
Out buffer capacity The maximum number of entities that can be waiting in the output buffer for this activity. Enter 0 if there is no output buffer. If the capacity is greater than 0, entities will route to the output buffer before being routed to the next activity.
Batching Opens the dialog shown below for defining entity-batching options for this activity. These options are only available if the capacity of either the input or output buffer is greater than 0.

Before Activity Batching options cause entities to be either grouped into a single entity or ungrouped into multiple entities in the input buffer. This determines whether entities entering the activity are processed individually or as a group.

None   No batching of entities occurs prior to entering the activity.

Batch   Entities entering the input buffer are grouped into a batch prior to entering the activity. If this option is selected, a batch size must be entered and capacity for an Input Buffer must be defined.

Unbatch   Entities entering the input buffer as a batch are unbatched prior to entering the activity.

Rebatch   Entities entering the input buffer that were previously part of a batch are rebatched into their original batch size prior to entering the activity. If this option is selected an Input Buffer for the activity must be given capacity sufficient to hold the maximum rebatching quantity of the entities that will enter the activity.

After Activity Batching options cause entities to be either grouped into a single entity or ungrouped into multiple entities in the output buffer of the activity. This determines whether entities route to the next activity individually or as a group.

None   No batching of entities occurs in the output buffer of the activity.

Batch   Entities entering the input buffer that were previously part of a batch or already batched entities are rebatched into their original batch size prior to entering the activity. If this option is selected, a batch size must be entered and capacity for an Output Buffer must be defined.

Unbatch   Entities entering the output buffer as a batch are unbatched prior to routing to the next activity.

Rebatch   Batches or entities entering the input buffer that were previously part of a batch are rebatched into their original batch size prior to entering the activity. If this option is selected an Output Buffer for the activity must be given capacity sufficient to hold the maximum rebatching quantity of the entities that will leave the activity.

Warning: If you select the Unbatch option, and have not previously Batched entities, the Unbatch command will Detach any Attached entities at the activity.