Families
Know what an item family is, which ones the presets bring and what a family changes today.
Updated 23 September 2026
- Why
- A saw blade and a knife set are measured differently, so one form for both asks the wrong questions.
- What
- A family is a class of item with its own fields: what the item is, entered once, and what is measured at every service.
- How
- A service centre preset installs the families for its trade, each with its three sets of fields.
Three sets of fields
| Set | Filled in | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Stock fields | Once, when the item is first described. | Diameter, bore, teeth. |
| Condition fields | At every inspection. | Teeth to replace, run out. |
| Final check fields | A short subset, checked before the item goes back. | Diameter after grind. |
The families the presets bring
| Family | Measured each service |
|---|---|
| Circular saw blades | teeth broken, teeth to replace, diameter after grind, kerf after grind, run out, cracks and resharpen area left |
| Bore cutters and hoggers | teeth broken, teeth to replace, width after grind and run out |
| Shank tools | diameter after grind, length after grind, chipped edges and run out |
| Planer and profile knives | width after grind, profile wear and weight matched |
| Reversible inserts | edges usable and chipped edges |
| Bandsaws | width after grind, set after service and weld condition |
| Chains | cutters remaining, stretch and damaged links |
| Coated batches | weight, surface area, pieces and masking required |
A trade no seeded family describes honestly, such as gauges for calibration, installs none and the preset says so rather than borrowing the nearest shape.
What a family changes today
A preset installs its families switched off, and the workspace has no screen to edit a family, switch one on or give an item its family. So the inspection form asks for the service's own parameters, and the family choices in the Rules and Costing views are empty.
Switching the preset off keeps its families, with their history.
Related
- Service models and workflow typesSet up a service that prices itself, and know which workflow type your work follows.
- The work list and inspectionSee what needs doing first, reprice an item on what was found and ask the customer when the price moves.
- Cost against timeSet the rates and standard minutes that turn workshop time into cost, and read the reports.