Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Tea Board of India Compliant

Assam Chai Pro — Operations & Role-Wise Workflow Guide

A comprehensive, easy-to-understand operational guide detailing daily routines, step-by-step procedures, business rules, and screen walkthroughs for every stakeholder across garden and factory operations.

Visual Pipeline Flow Role-Wise SOPs Screen Directory (25+ Screens)
Active Licensing Plan FMS ONLY

The ERP supports 3 modular deployment modes. Use the navbar switcher or settings to test each mode.

Garden (GMS): Inactive
Factory (FMS): Active
Estate Bridge: Inactive
Quick Switch Role: Owner Factory Mgr Weighbridge Supervisor Auditor

1. The 3 Modular Deployment Modes

Bought Leaf Factory (BLF) FMS Only
For Pure Processing Tea Factories

Factories that do not own land and purchase 100% of their green leaf from external Small Tea Growers (STGs), agents, and hired commercial transport.

Key Operational Modules:
  • Weighbridge Gate Receipt & Live Serial Weight
  • Quality Inspection (Fine Leaf % & Water Deduction)
  • Processing Logs (CTC, Withering, Firing)
  • Sorting, Binstock & Daily Packing Register
  • Sample Offers, Broker Letters & Courier Stickers
  • Dispatches, GST Invoices & PSF Settlement
Standalone Tea Estate GMS Only
For Gardens & Large Plantations

Estates that grow and harvest tea across sections but do not own a processing factory. They sell green leaf directly to local commercial BLFs.

Key Operational Modules:
  • Section Master & Bush Inventory Tracking
  • Labour Master & Biometric Muster Roll
  • Field Plucking Sessions (Weighments 1, 2, 3)
  • Offline Plucking Cache with Auto Sync
  • PPC Chemical Spray Diary & Pest Logs
  • Fortnightly Labour Wage Payroll & Payslips
Integrated Enterprise Estate GMS + FMS + Bridge
For Historic Composite Tea Estates

Traditional tea estates that own both agricultural garden divisions and an on-site manufacturing tea factory. Includes the automated Estate Bridge.

Key Operational Modules:
  • All Garden Management (GMS) Features
  • All Factory Manufacturing (FMS) Features
  • Automated Transit Reconciliation: Compares garden dispatch weight against factory gate receipt
  • Moisture Shrinkage Variance: Flags transit loss exceeding the 1.5% normal tolerance threshold
2. The 6-Stage End-to-End Tea Lifecycle Pipeline
Hover or click any stage to see which role executes it and link directly to the operational screen.
Stage 1
Plucking & Muster
Garden Sections
Supervisor Open Plucking
Stage 2
Gate & Weighment
Factory Inward Gate
Weighbridge Op Open Gate
Stage 3
Withering & CTC
Processing Floor
Factory Mgr Open Logs
Stage 4
Sorting & Binstock
Grading Room
Factory Mgr Open Grading
Stage 5
QC & Sampling
Tasting & Brokers
QC / Manager Open Tasting
Stage 6
Dispatch & Invoice
GST Tax Invoice
Owner / Mgr Open Invoices
3. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by User Role
Select any role tab below to read their daily schedule, step-by-step actions, sample inputs, and key business formulas.
VS
Vikram Singhania — Estate Owner / Director
Role: SUPER_ADMIN | Username: owner | Password: admin123
Primary Objective: Financial oversight, operational cost per kg control, receivables realization, grower payout governance.
Log in as Owner
Morning Routine (08:30 AM)
  • Open Dashboard to review yesterday's total leaf intake and made tea production.
  • Review the Daily Comparison Report for recovery outturn % (ensure it is above 22.5%).
  • Check pending grower payouts from yesterday's gate receipts.
Mid-Day Review (01:30 PM)
  • Open Cost Sheet (₹/kg) to benchmark power, coal, diesel, and green leaf cost.
  • Check Commercial Receivables for overdue payments from tea brokers or blenders.
  • Review sample offers dispatched to Kolkata/Guwahati auction houses.
Evening Wrap-Up (06:30 PM)
  • Review final dispatch invoices and ensure E-Way bills are generated.
  • If operating in Integrated mode, check Transit Reconciliation for field shrinkage variance.
  • Check System Audit Trail for any critical configuration changes.
Step-by-Step Operating Workflow for Owner:

Go to Daily Comparison Report. This is the holy grail for tea estate owners in Assam.

  • Key Column 1: Today Recovery % — Standard CTC outturn in Assam ranges between 22.0% and 23.5%. If recovery drops below 21.0%, investigate whether coarse leaf is being accepted at the gate or if moisture in the withering trough was excessive.
  • Key Column 2: To-Date Made Tea (kg) — Cumulative production against the seasonal target.
  • Key Column 3: Awaiting Stock (kg) — Tea already sorted and packed into sacks waiting for dispatch. If this number exceeds 30,000 kg, expedite private sales or broker auction cataloging to free up warehouse space and working capital.

Navigate to Cost Sheet (₹/kg).

Here you review the exact cost composition required to manufacture 1 kg of Made Tea:

Cost Component Normal Assam Industry Benchmark What Owner Should Check
Green Leaf (GL) Cost ₹110.00 – ₹130.00 per kg tea Calculated based on GL purchase rate divided by Outturn Recovery (e.g. ₹26/kg GL × 4.45 = ₹115.70/kg).
Electricity & Coal ₹18.00 – ₹24.00 per kg tea Monitor coal burn rate in boiler (target ~0.7 kg coal/kg tea). High DG diesel cost indicates power grid instability.
Factory Labour ₹8.00 – ₹12.00 per kg tea Review sorting and packing labor utilization against daily output.
Net Manufacturing Cost ₹145.00 – ₹175.00 per kg tea Compare directly against Average Made Tea Realization (target sale price ₹190.00 – ₹230.00/kg).

Go to Commercial Receivables.

  • Tea auction payments (Prompt Date) are legally governed by the Tea Board of India (usually 14 days from sale).
  • Private buyers (Tata Tea, Wagh Bakri, local wholesalers) have negotiated payment terms (typically 21 to 30 days).
  • Sort the table by Overdue Days. Any buyer with overdue exceeding 45 days should be put on credit hold prior to releasing new dispatch lots.

Open PSF Grower Settlement.

The Price Sharing Formula is a statutory mandate under the Tea Marketing Control Order (TMCO). In Assam, the typical formula mandates sharing 65% of the net made tea sales realization with the Small Tea Growers (STGs) while the factory retains 35% to cover manufacturing costs and profit. The Owner ensures all monthly PSF payouts are generated, balanced, and filed with the Tea Board.

DB
Debojit Barua — Chief Tea Maker & Factory Manager
Role: FACTORY_MANAGER | Username: factory_mgr | Password: admin123
Primary Objective: Withering control, CTC cut quality, fermentation, drying/firing, sorting into grades, sample dispatch, and GST billing.
Log in as Factory Manager
Morning Shift (06:00 AM – 10:00 AM)
  • Inspect withering troughs loaded overnight; check leaf moisture and physical feel.
  • Verify boiler coal stock and start hot water / air generation for Fluidized Bed Dryer (FBD).
  • Calibrate CTC roller sharpenings and gap tolerances.
Manufacturing Run (10:00 AM – 04:00 PM)
  • Record processing log entries: CTC cut, fermentation time, dryer inlet temp (125-135°C).
  • Monitor sorting & grading sifters (BOP, BP, PF, OF, Dust).
  • Log bulk tea quantities into storage bins in the Binstock Register.
Afternoon / Evening (04:00 PM – 08:00 PM)
  • Conduct afternoon QC Cupping / Tasting and score each invoice grade.
  • Prepare Sample Offer Letters for tea brokers with thermal courier stickers.
  • Execute Daily Packing into multi-wall paper sacks and prepare GST tax invoices for outbound trucks.
Step-by-Step Operational Workflow:

Go to Processing Logs → New Entry.

Fill in the manufacturing parameters:

  • Batch / Lot Reference: e.g. LOT-2026-SEP-04
  • Green Leaf Input (kg): e.g. 12,500 kg
  • Withering Loss %: Normal is 30% – 32% (leaf moisture reduces from 78% to 68%).
  • Dryer Temperature (°C): Inlet 130°C, Exhaust 52°C.
  • Dryer Moisture %: Must be tested using moisture meter (must be 2.5% to 3.0%; above 3.5% causes bacterial fungal spoilage in storage).

Open Grading → Record Output.

Tea coming out of the dryer is unsorted bulk. As it passes through the Andrew sifter, vibro screens, and electrostatic fiber extractors, allocate the made tea into recognized grades:

Brokens (Primary) BOP, BOPSM, BP, BP1
Fannings (High Demand) PF, OF
Dust (Quick Brewing) PD, D, CD

After grading, tea is directed into designated storage bins (Binstock Register) before packing.

Go to Daily Packing → New Packing Run.

  • Select Grade (e.g. BP, PF).
  • Standard sack weight: typically 35.0 kg net for Brokens/Fannings, or 40.0 kg for Dust grades.
  • Specify bag type from Bag Stock (Multi-wall paper sack with aluminium foil lining).
  • Packed bags immediately appear in Packed Awaiting Stock with unique package serial numbers.

Go to QC & Cupping and Sample Offers.

  • Perform professional tea tasting in standard white tasting bowls (2.83 grams tea steeped for 5 minutes).
  • Score dry leaf appearance, liquor colour, briskness, and creaming factor (scale 1 to 10).
  • Set internal base valuation (e.g. ₹225.00/kg).
  • Create a Sample Offer for registered brokers (J Thomas, Contemporary Brokers, Parcon) and generate official Offer Letters and Thermal Courier Stickers with 1-click printing!

Go to Dispatches → Create Invoice.

  • Select buyer / broker consignee and transport vehicle.
  • Select lots from Awaiting Stock.
  • System automatically calculates GST @ 5% (HSN Code 0902 — CGST 2.5% + SGST 2.5% or IGST 5%).
  • Generate and print the official commercial Tax Invoice and delivery gate pass for the truck driver.
RS
Ramesh Saikia — Weighbridge & Leaf Inward Officer
Role: WEIGHBRIDGE_OPERATOR | Username: weighbridge | Password: admin123
Primary Objective: Rapid, tamper-proof inward vehicle weighment, quality leaf inspection (moisture & fine leaf count), tare recording, and thermal slip printing.
Log in as Weighbridge Op
The 6-Step Inward Weighment Standard Operating Procedure:
1
Vehicle Inward & Master Search

When a leaf vehicle (DI pickup, Tata Ace, tractor) drives onto the weighbridge platform, open New Gate Entry.

Type the vehicle plate number (e.g. AS-06-BC-1234). The built-in autocomplete automatically searches Vehicle Master, fills the driver name, phone number, and retrieves historical tare weight.

2
Supplier / Grower Identification

Select the leaf source from the dropdown:

  • Small Tea Grower (STG): e.g. Biren Moran (STG-042) — system automatically pulls their contract rate card (e.g. ₹26.50/kg).
  • Garden Division / Own Estate: Used in Integrated mode to reconcile against field plucking dispatch.
3
Capturing Gross Weight (Live IoT Agent)

The weighbridge platform is connected via RS-232 serial cable to the computer running the Tea Factory Weighbridge Agent.

When weight stabilizes on the digital indicator, click the green "Capture Weight" button to pull the live serial reading into the form without manual typing errors.

4
Physical Leaf Quality Assessment

Take 5 representative grab samples (100 grams total) across bags:

  • Fine Leaf Count (FLC %): Target is 45% to 60% (two leaves and a bud). If below 40%, quality penalty rate is triggered.
  • Water Deduction %: Rain-soaked leaf holds surface moisture. Enter water deduction % (e.g. 5% to 15% during heavy monsoon rain).
  • Bag Tare Deduction: Standard deduction of 1.0 kg per nylon net bag.
5
Tare Weighment Upon Exit

The vehicle unloads green leaf onto the withering troughs / leaf shed and returns to the platform.

Record the empty Tare Weight. The system instantly computes:
Net Leaf = Gross Weight − Tare Weight − Bag Weight − Moisture Deduction.

6
Printing Thermal Weighment Slip

Immediately click "Print Weighment Slip".

The system renders a compact 58mm / 80mm thermal slip containing Receipt ID, vehicle no., grower name, gross, tare, net kg, rate, total amount payable, and a QR code. Hand one copy to the driver/grower.

PG
Pranjal Gogoi — Garden Field Supervisor
Role: GARDEN_SUPERVISOR | Username: supervisor | Password: admin123
Primary Objective: Labour muster roll, offline plucking weighment (weighment 1, 2, 3), PPC spray diary compliance, and fortnightly payroll run.
Log in as Supervisor
06:30 AM — Morning Muster Roll

Assemble plucking gangs and field workers at the garden line. Open Attendance and mark Present, Absent, Sick, or Half-Day for all permanent and casual labourers.

11:00 AM, 02:00 PM, 05:00 PM — Plucking Sessions

Carry hanging scale to section plucking weighment point. Record plucking baskets for each labourer across 3 daily sessions in Plucking Entries. Works completely offline!

05:30 PM — Dispatch to Factory

Count leaf bags loaded onto the garden tractor/truck. Generate a Garden Dispatch Note with bag count and departure gross kg.

Offline Mobile Plucking Cache (Zero Signal)

Many remote garden sections in Tinsukia/Dibrugarh have zero cellular data connectivity. The system is engineered with an Offline First architecture:

  • When offline, the top navbar indicator turns yellow: Network: Offline (Cached).
  • Plucking entries are instantly stored in encrypted browser localStorage.
  • As soon as the supervisor walks into range of the garden office Wi-Fi or cellular network, the browser automatically flushes and syncs all pending records to MySQL via api/v1/plucking/sync.
PPC Chemical Spray Diary (Tea Board Mandate)

Go to Field Operations & Spray Diary.

  • Every chemical or biological spray application must be logged to comply with the Plant Protection Code (PPC).
  • Record chemical brand, active ingredient (e.g. Azadirachtin, Hexaconazole), targeted pest (Helopeltis, Red Spider Mite, Looper), dose per hectare, and water volume.
  • Track Pre-Harvest Interval (PHI Days): plucking is strictly locked out until the chemical withholding period has safely expired.
Fortnightly Labour Wage Payroll & Payslips

Open Labour Wage Payroll.

Under the Assam Plantation Labour Act, wages are settled on a weekly or fortnightly cycle. The system automates this complex calculation:

Total Wage = (Attendance Days × Daily Statutory Wage) + (Over-Kilo Plucked × Over-Kilo Incentive Rate) − PF Deduction (12%) − Ration Advance

Click "Execute Payroll Run" to generate the summary muster sheet and individual printable Payslips for all plantation workers.

AS
Alok Sen — Tea Board Inspector & Financial Auditor
Role: AUDITOR | Username: auditor | Password: admin123
Primary Objective: Statutory compliance verification, Tea Board Form E inspection, TMCO Price Sharing Formula audit, lot traceability chain, and security audit logs.
Log in as Auditor
Statutory Inspection & Audit Checklist:
1. Tea Board Form E Monthly Return

Go to Tea Board Form E Return.

Mandated under the Tea Marketing Control Order 2003. The Auditor verifies:

  • Total Green Leaf purchased from Small Growers vs. harvested from Own Estate.
  • Total Made Tea manufactured across primary and secondary grades.
  • Overall seasonal Outturn Recovery % (must match physical factory logs).
  • Quantity sold via Public Auctions vs. Direct Private Sales.
2. Price Sharing Formula (PSF) Audit

Open PSF Grower Settlement.

Verify that small tea growers were paid their statutory share based on the Tea Board's District Level Committee (DLC) benchmark price for green leaf, cross-checked against average auction tea realization.

3. Bush-to-Cup Lot Traceability Chain

Go to Lot Traceability Chain.

Pick any invoice or lot number (e.g. LOT-2026-SEP-01) and click "Trace". The system produces an unbroken provenance chain:

STG Supplier Gate Weighment → Withering Trough → CTC Cut Log → FBD Dryer → Sifter Grade → Packing Bag → GST Tax Invoice
4. System Audit Trail & Data Integrity

Open System Audit Trail.

Audit every create, update, delete, and license switch event logged with immutable timestamps, user IDs, and client IP addresses to ensure zero data tampering.

4. Complete Application Screen Directory (25+ Screens)
Quick-reference index of every URL, operating role, and action in the system.
Quick Links
Module Screen Name Primary Role Direct URL Core Operational Purpose
Core Factory Dashboard Owner / Manager /dashboard Executive overview of today's leaf intake, made tea, recovery %, awaiting stock, and receivables.
Factory (FMS) Weighbridge Gate Entry Weighbridge Op /factory/gate-entry Record vehicle gross/tare weights, fine leaf count %, moisture deduction, and print thermal slips.
Factory (FMS) Vehicle Master Weighbridge Op /factory/vehicles Manage leaf transport trucks, pickups, and tractors with driver phone and tare weight history.
Factory (FMS) Leaf Suppliers & STGs Factory Manager /factory/sources Database of Small Tea Growers (STGs), village clusters, registration IDs, and rate cards.
Factory (FMS) Processing Logs (CTC/Dryer) Factory Manager /factory/production Log withering loss, CTC cutting batches, CFM fermentation, and dryer inlet/exhaust firing temps.
Factory (FMS) Sorting & Grading Output Factory Manager /factory/grading Classify made tea into standard commercial grades (BOP, BOPSM, BP, PF, OF, Dust, etc.).
Factory (FMS) Bulk Binstock Register Factory Manager /factory/binstock Monitor tea stored in numbered bulk bins (Bin 01 to Bin 12) before blending and bagging.
Factory (FMS) Daily Packing Report Factory Manager /factory/packing Record daily packing into 35kg/40kg paper sacks with package serial numbers.
Factory (FMS) Packed Awaiting Stock Factory Manager /factory/awaiting-stock Warehouse inventory of ready tea sacks categorized by grade, awaiting sales dispatch.
Factory (FMS) Packaging & Bag Stock Factory Manager /factory/bag-stock Track paper sacks and HDPE bags received, consumed in packing, and current inventory.
Factory (FMS) Fuel, Spares & Stores Factory Manager /factory/inventory Boiler coal stock, generator diesel, lubricant oils, and factory maintenance spares.
Factory (FMS) Dispatches & GST Invoices Owner / Manager /factory/dispatches Generate commercial GST tax invoices (HSN 0902 @ 5%), gate passes, and LR delivery notes.
Factory (FMS) Commercial Receivables Owner / Accountant /factory/receivables Track sales invoice payment statuses, prompt dates, and overdue ageing (0-30, 31-60, 61-90, 90+ days).
Factory (FMS) Cost Sheet (₹/kg Analysis) Owner / Director /factory/cost-sheet Deep unit-cost breakdown (leaf, coal, electricity, labor, packaging) benchmarked against sale price.
Factory (FMS) PSF Grower Settlement Owner / Auditor /factory/psf Statutory Price Sharing Formula payout calculation under Tea Marketing Control Order (TMCO).
Factory (FMS) QC & Cupping Tasting Factory Manager /factory/qc Tasting scores for dry leaf, liquor colour, briskness, and internal broker valuation (₹/kg).
Factory (FMS) Sample Offers & Labels Factory Manager /factory/samples/offers Create broker sample packets, generate official Offer Letters, and print thermal courier stickers.
Factory (FMS) Daily Comparison Report Owner / Manager /factory/daily-comparison Standard daily register of made tea manufactured, daily/to-date recovery %, and unsorted leaf.
Factory (FMS) Monthwise Performance Owner / Director /factory/monthwise Monthly production totals, average green leaf price, average recovery %, and total revenue.
Factory (FMS) DG & Energy Efficiency Factory Manager /factory/energy-log Log grid electricity units (kWh) and diesel generator running hours / fuel consumption.
Factory (FMS) Tea Board Form E Return Auditor / Manager /factory/reports Monthly statutory return mandated by the Tea Board of India summarizing manufacture and sales.
Factory (FMS) Lot Traceability Chain Auditor / Manager /factory/lots Unbroken digital provenance trail from harvested bush / grower lot to finished tea dispatch invoice.
Garden (GMS) Sections & Bush Master Garden Supervisor /garden/sections Estate section boundaries, area in hectares, bush counts, clone varieties, and pruning cycles.
Garden (GMS) Labourers Master Garden Supervisor /garden/labourers Permanent and casual plantation workers database with worker ID, PF account, and bank details.
Garden (GMS) Daily Muster Attendance Garden Supervisor /garden/attendance Morning roll call marking Present, Absent, Sick, or Half-day for the field workforce.
Garden (GMS) Field Plucking Sessions Garden Supervisor /garden/plucking Record weighments 1, 2, 3 in field sections with automatic offline caching and over-kilo calculation.
Garden (GMS) Field Operations & Spray Diary Garden Supervisor /garden/field-operations Log chemical & biological sprays, targeted pests, dosage, and enforce Tea Board Pre-Harvest Intervals (PHI).
Garden (GMS) Garden Leaf Dispatches Garden Supervisor /garden/dispatches Dispatch harvested green leaf bags from garden loading point to factory weighbridge.
Garden (GMS) Labour Wage Payroll Supervisor / Owner /garden/payroll Process fortnightly plantation wages with statutory base pay, over-kilo incentives, PF, and payslips.
Garden (GMS) Agro-Inputs Inventory Garden Supervisor /garden/inventory Fertilizers (NPK, Urea), agro-chemicals, and spraying equipment stock issuance.
Estate Bridge Transit Reconciliation Owner / Manager /bridge/transit-reconciliation Reconcile garden dispatch weight against factory gate receipt to catch transit theft and leakage.
Estate Bridge Shrinkage & Variance Analysis Owner / Auditor /bridge/variance-analysis Analyze transit shrinkage patterns and flag vehicles exceeding the 1.5% moisture loss threshold.
System License & Module Deployment Owner / Admin /settings/license Switch active operational plan between BLF Only, Garden Only, and Integrated Enterprise Estate.
System System Audit Trail Auditor / Admin /settings/audit-logs Comprehensive audit log of all system activities with IP addresses and timestamps.
Assam Tea Operational Pro-Tips
  • Heavy Monsoon Water Deduction: During peak Assam monsoon (June – August), harvested green leaf carries up to 10-18% free surface water. Always record accurate moisture deduction at the weighbridge to prevent distorted outturn recovery rates.
  • Dryer Firing Temperature Control: Keep Fluidized Bed Dryer (FBD) inlet air temperature strictly between 125°C and 135°C. Firing above 140°C bakes the leaf core and produces a burnt stewy cup, which reduces auction valuation.
  • Binstock Turnover: Never keep sorted Made Tea in storage bins for longer than 72 hours without bagging, as high Assam humidity causes rapid moisture re-absorption and loss of briskness.
  • Plantation Labour Compliance: Ensure all plucking over-kilo incentives are calculated transparently to avoid industrial friction during weekly wage disbursements.
Common System FAQs & Troubleshooting
  • Weighbridge Serial Disconnection: If the green "Live Ready" badge on the navbar disconnects, check that the desktop Weighbridge Agent script is running and that the COM/USB serial cable is firmly plugged into the weighing indicator.
  • Plucking Data Not Syncing: Check the browser network indicator. If it shows "Offline (Cached)", connect the smartphone or tablet to any Wi-Fi hotspot; the system will automatically upload all pending plucking weighments without data loss.
  • Switching Operating Units: The company operates multiple factories (e.g. Damayanti Tea and Phulampur Tea). Use the Unit Switcher in the top navbar to seamlessly toggle between operating units.
  • Testing Garden vs Factory Modules: Use the top navbar License Modal to switch between "Bought Leaf Factory (FMS Only)", "Standalone Estate (GMS Only)", and "Integrated Estate".