Restrict SIMATIC BATCH Test Recipes to Engineering Users

Yes. In SIMATIC BATCH V9.0 SP1, testing and production recipe releases can have different user permissions and validation routines. Assign engineers and operators to distinct SIMATIC Logon roles, configure the permitted functions and computer/unit scope in BatchCC Permission Management, and verify the policy with separate accounts. This lets engineers work with recipes released for testing and production while limiting operators to production workflows, provided the role and validation design is configured and tested correctly.

How testing and production releases differ

The SIMATIC BATCH V9.0 SP1 manual defines “Released for testing” recipes as suitable for creating test batches and “Released for production” recipes as tested for normal production. It states that the two recipe releases can use different permissions and different validation routines. Testing-release recipes can support a test regime—for example, a configured validation routine can constrain test material—while production release is the separate state for normal production.

Configure separate engineer and operator roles

Create distinct Windows groups for the engineering and operator populations, and assign each population to its intended SIMATIC BATCH role in SIMATIC Logon role management. Keep membership distinct so an operator does not also inherit the engineer group's role.
In BatchCC, sign in as a user with the Super user role. Siemens documents that only a Super user can define or change SIMATIC BATCH user rights.
Open Options > Permission management. In the Individual permissions tab, configure the available functions for the engineering and operator roles to match the intended test/production workflow. The manual notes that permissions are selected by user role/function and can support different permissions for testing and production releases.
In the Computers and units tab, specify which roles are permitted on the relevant computers and process units. Save the configuration with OK.
If recipe validation routines are used to distinguish test from production conditions, configure and validate those separately as part of the recipe release design. Role permissions alone do not make a test recipe safe for production.

Match recipe status to intended use

For test execution, the master recipe or library operation must be released for testing. For normal production, use the production-release path. In the documented V9.0 SP1 workflow, select a recipe in BatchCC and use Edit > Release for Testing or Edit > Release for production; the selected release automatically triggers validation. A recipe with validation errors stays in progress, and is not released.

Verification with role-specific accounts

Test the configured policy with representative accounts that belong only to their intended Windows groups. Confirm that engineering users can execute the allowed testing and production workflows, while operator accounts can execute production workflows and are denied the testing-specific actions. Also check each account against the intended computer and process unit because SIMATIC BATCH permissions can be scoped to both. Record the effective permissions and recipe status as part of the site's access-control review.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

This guidance is for SIMATIC BATCH V9.0 SP1; the source reports BCC V9.0 SP1 Update 3. Confirm menu labels and available permission functions in the installed Update 3 help/readme. The article does not prescribe specific validation plug-ins or claim that the two release states alone enforce process safety. Recipe permissions, recipe validation conditions, Windows group membership, computer/unit scope and site procedures all need to align. Test authorization changes with non-production accounts and approved test recipes before relying on them operationally.

Verification

Check the Individual permissions and Computers and units assignments in BatchCC, then perform positive and negative access checks using separate engineer and operator accounts. Verify each recipe's actual release status and confirm that a denied action is blocked in the running BATCH application. A role configuration display alone does not prove the effective access of accounts with additional Windows-group memberships.

Engineer FAQ

Can engineers run both test and production recipes while operators run only production? Yes. SIMATIC BATCH V9.0 SP1 supports distinct user permissions for test and production releases.

Who can edit those permissions? A user in the Super user role.

Can the test release use different validation rules? Yes. The manual describes separate validation routines for test and production releases.

Technical References

SIMATIC BATCH V9.0 SP1 Operating Manual, 11/2017, A5E38210537-AB, §§6.3, 9.2, 9.5.6.3–9.5.6.6 (especially pp. 311–316 and 346–350). Opened and reviewed locally: defines user-role and computer/unit permission management, distinguishes testing and production releases, and describes recipe release procedures.

SIMATIC BATCH recipe permissions

SIMATIC BATCH testing and production releases

Restrict SIMATIC BATCH Test Recipes to Engineering Users