The basic concepts of decision tables and a minimum set of conventions for their use in an elementary manufacturing system is described. The purchase of such tables is to provide information in a concise format that is easy to read and understand. The tabular approach is used to express complex decision logic in such a manner that the problem is reduced to its simplest form by arranging and presenting logical alterations under various conditions. The resultant tables present the systems logic in a concise manner that is easy to visualise.