WIP (work in process)

WIP has two meanings in a shop and both matter. Operationally, it's what's on the floor right now: which jobs are at which machine, which are waiting, and which are out at a vendor for plating or heat treat. Financially, it's the value of material and labor already sunk into unfinished jobs, which ties up cash until the job ships and gets invoiced.

Too much WIP usually shows up as long lead times and expedites, because everything is started and nothing is finished. Small shops often track it on a whiteboard, and keeping that board current costs the lead real time every day.

In Traveler, job status is designed to update itself from floor scans: released, in progress, at vendor, inspection, ready to ship, shipped. A what's-late and what's-next view replaces the whiteboard, and a WIP report is part of the planned report set.