Apparently I was unclear when I said I used Production Orders as Reports.
I use the Orders as Reports, or more correctly as a reporting function, BECAUSE they affect inventory. I want to record the result of the production process that has variable quantities produced, variable inventory items and quantities used and variable costs associated with the process.
The normal use of a Production Order is to tell production what to make, how many to make and what inventory items to use. In my application this forward planning is not possible.
Using this method means I don’t have to journal corrections to the inventory quantities and costs after the fact.