Exception Types
*PACKAGE NOTE:
Exceptions are available to customers who subscribe to the Tempo Digital, Tempo Core, or Tempo Pro package as part of their Tempo Manufacturing Cloud system. The set of exception types your organization can configure expands with each tier — review the Exception types by package tier section for details.
An exception is a record automatically captured during execution whenever a run deviates from the expected path — a recorded value falls outside its acceptance condition, an operator overrides sequencing, a material is substituted, or an external system reports an event. Every exception is classified by an exception type, which identifies exactly what happened so that reviewers can find, assess, and close it during batch or procedure review.
Each exception type belongs to a group, carries a configurable severity, and can be set to require signatures, block execution, trigger notifications, or sync to an external quality management system (QMS). This article catalogs every exception type, organized by group, along with a plain-language description of when each one is raised.
This article is composed of the following topics:
- Exception groups
- Severity levels
- Process Notes
- Process Exceptions
- Critical Values
- External Exceptions
- DeltaV Exceptions
- Value Exceptions
- Resource Exceptions
- Exception types by package tier
- Exception types are captured automatically during execution when their triggering condition occurs — operators do not select an exception type by hand.
- Each exception type's severity, required signatures, execution blocking, and notification behavior are set by an administrator under Organization > Configuration > Exceptions & Quality Data. Editing a group cascades the change to every type within it.
- Exceptions can be reviewed from the global Exceptions list, from a batch run or procedure run exceptions tab, and from dashboard widgets that surface open exceptions.
Exception groups
Every exception type is classified into one of six groups. Groups drive how exceptions are configured, filtered, and blocked during execution.
| Group | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Process Notes | Annotation notes logged as process notes during execution. |
| Process Exceptions | Deviations in how a process was executed — overrides, manual interventions, and steps completed out of order or marked not applicable. |
| Critical Values | Recorded values flagged for review as a Critical Process Parameter, Critical Quality Attribute, or other reviewable value. |
| External Exceptions | Events ingested from external systems such as Emerson DeltaV or a connected quality management system. |
| Value Exceptions | Recorded values that failed their acceptance condition (formulas, parameters, checkboxes, dropdowns, timestamps, and property reads/writes). |
| Resource Exceptions | Deviations involving materials, equipment, kits, samples, locations, arrays, and weighing operations. |
Severity levels
Each exception type is assigned a severity, which helps reviewers prioritize their work. Severity is configured per exception type (or set for an entire group at once).
| Severity | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Critical | Highest priority — requires immediate attention. |
| High | Significant deviation that warrants prompt review. |
| Moderate | Notable deviation requiring standard review. |
| Low | Minor deviation. |
| Info | Informational record, no action typically required. |
| Mixed | Displayed at the group level when the types within the group carry different severities. |
Process Notes
Annotation ("A-Note") content recorded as a process note during execution.
| Exception type | When it is raised |
|---|---|
| A-Note Process Note | An annotation note is logged as a process note during execution. |
Process Exceptions
Deviations in how a process was carried out.
| Exception type | When it is raised |
|---|---|
| A-Note Non-Conformance | An annotation note is flagged as a non-conformance. |
| A-Note Observation | An annotation note is flagged as an observation. |
| Abnormal Step Completion | A step is completed in an abnormal or non-standard way. |
| Conditional Navigation Override | An operator overrides conditional navigation branching logic. |
| Integration Connection Failure | An external integration connection fails during execution. |
| Manual Intervention | An operator manually intervenes where automation was expected — for example, entering a value by hand. |
| Marked as Not Applicable | An operator marks a step, action, or value as not applicable (N/A). |
| Override | A generic override is performed during execution. |
| Process Action Sequentiality Override | Process actions are executed out of their required sequence. |
| Redlined Addition | A redline (an in-execution content addition) is made to the running record. |
| Reopened Run | A completed run is reopened. |
| Step Sequentiality Override | Steps are executed out of their required sequence. |
| Default value used — Dynamic Parameter source skipped or marked N/A (New in 8.0) | A dynamic parameter's source step is skipped or marked N/A, so the configured default value is used instead. |
Critical Values
Recorded values explicitly flagged for quality review.
| Exception type | When it is raised |
|---|---|
| Critical Process Parameter (CPP) | A recorded value is flagged as a Critical Process Parameter for review. |
| Critical Quality Attribute (CQA) | A recorded value is flagged as a Critical Quality Attribute for review. |
| Other Reviewable Value | A recorded value is marked as reviewable for a reason other than CPP or CQA. |
External Exceptions
Records raised from a connected external quality management system (QMS). Along with the DeltaV exceptions below, these belong to the External Exceptions group.
| Exception type | When it is raised |
|---|---|
| Change Control | A change-control record is raised from an external quality management system. |
| Deviation | A deviation is raised from an external quality management system. |
| Out Of Specification (OOS) | An out-of-specification record is raised from an external quality management system. |
Change Control, Deviation, and Out Of Specification (OOS) can be created or generated externally through the Public API Exception endpoint, allowing a connected quality management system to raise these records against a run programmatically.
DeltaV Exceptions
DeltaV exceptions are generated automatically by the DeltaV A&E (Alarms & Events) integration, which ingests alarm and event records from an Emerson DeltaV system during execution. They are part of the External Exceptions group and are configured alongside the other external exception types.
| Exception type | When it is raised |
|---|---|
| DeltaV Alarm | An alarm event is ingested through the DeltaV A&E integration. |
| DeltaV Change | A change event is ingested through the DeltaV A&E integration. |
| DeltaV Download | A download event is ingested through the DeltaV A&E integration. |
| DeltaV Event | A general event is ingested through the DeltaV A&E integration. |
| DeltaV Other | A DeltaV A&E event that does not fall into the other DeltaV categories. |
| DeltaV Status | A status event is ingested through the DeltaV A&E integration. |
Value Exceptions
Recorded values that failed their acceptance condition.
| Exception type | When it is raised |
|---|---|
| Process Action Condition Failed | A value entered for a process action fails its acceptance condition. |
| Automation Feedback Condition Failed | A value returned by automation feedback fails its condition. |
| Checkbox Process Action Condition Failed | A checkbox process action value fails its condition. |
| Dropdown Process Action Condition Failed | A dropdown selection fails its condition. |
| Formula Condition Failed | A computed formula result fails its condition. |
| Measure Process Action Condition Failed | A measure process action fails its condition. |
| Parameter Condition Failed | A parameter value fails its condition. |
| Read Property Condition Failed | A property read back from an integration fails its condition. |
| Table Formula Condition Failed | A formula in a table cell fails its condition. |
| Time Formula Condition Failed | A time-based formula fails its condition. |
| Time Capture Condition Failed | A captured timestamp fails its condition. |
| Write Property Condition Failed | A property written to an integration fails its condition. |
Resource Exceptions
Deviations involving materials, equipment, kits, samples, locations, arrays, and weighing operations.
| Exception type | When it is raised |
|---|---|
| Array Process Action Condition Failed | An array (plate or rack) process action fails its condition. |
| Unload Plate Zone | An override is performed related to unloading an array or plate zone. |
| Equipment Process Action Condition Failed | An equipment selection process action fails its condition. |
| Equipment Parameter Condition Failed | An equipment parameter fails its condition. |
| Kit Parameter Condition Failed | A kit parameter fails its condition. |
| Location Process Action Condition Failed | A location process action fails its condition. |
| Material Process Action Condition Failed | A material process action fails its condition. |
| Material Parameter Condition Failed | A material parameter fails its condition. |
| Material Partial Consumption Shortage (New in 8.0) | Cumulative material consumption falls short of the target quantity. |
| Material Sublot Quantity Discrepancy | A sublot quantity does not match the expected quantity. |
| Sample Process Action Condition Failed | A sample process action fails its condition. |
| Scrapped Material | Material is scrapped during execution. |
| Substituted Material | A material is substituted for the one originally specified. |
| Weigh Consume Condition Failed | A weigh-consume value fails its condition. |
| Weigh Consume Returned Material | Material is returned during a weigh-consume operation. |
| Weigh Consume Switch To Manual | An operator switches a weigh-consume operation to manual mode. |
| Weigh Dispense Condition Failed | A weigh-dispense value fails its condition. |
| Weigh Dispense Switch To Manual | An operator switches a weigh-dispense operation to manual mode. |
| Weigh Output Adjusted Material Quantity | An output quantity is adjusted during a weighing operation. |
| Weigh Output Condition Failed | A weigh-output value fails its condition. |
| Weigh Output Manual Intervention | An operator manually intervenes during a weigh-output operation. |
| Weigh Output Switch To Manual | An operator switches a weigh-output operation to manual mode. |
Exception types by package tier
The exception types available for your organization to configure depend on your Tempo package. Each tier includes all of the exception types from the tier below it.
- Tempo Digital provides the base set, covering process notes, the common process exceptions (Manual Intervention, Marked as Not Applicable, overrides, step and process-action sequentiality overrides, Abnormal Step Completion, Redlined Addition, Reopened Run), critical values (CPP, CQA, Other), external exceptions (DeltaV and external QMS), and the core value exceptions (Process Action, Measure, Parameter, Formula, Time Formula, and Time Capture conditions).
- Tempo Core adds the resource-oriented exceptions — most material, weighing, equipment, and sublot types — along with additional value exceptions such as the Dropdown Process Action condition failure.
- Tempo Pro adds the remaining specialized types: Array Process Action Condition Failed, Unload Plate Zone, Conditional Navigation Override, Kit Parameter Condition Failed, Read Property Condition Failed, Sample Process Action Condition Failed, Table Formula Condition Failed, and Write Property Condition Failed.
Exceptions functionality can be disabled system-wide. When it is disabled, no exception types are captured or configurable.