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A dwarf's '''labor''' preferences define the tasks that he or she will do. For instance, a dwarf with the [[wood cutting]] labor enabled will cut down trees whenever trees are designated to be cut. Essentially, a dwarf's '''labor''' preferences control what he or she can or can not do.
A [[dwarf]]'s '''labor''' preferences define the tasks/jobs that he or she is allowed to do, whether it is [[hauling|food hauling]], [[mining]], [[hunting]], or any of dozens of other tasks. For instance, a dwarf with the [[wood cutting]] labor enabled will cut down [[tree]]s whenever trees are designated to be cut.
 
  
 
To change a dwarf's labor preferences, {{k|v}}iew the dwarf, then select {{k|p}}references and {{k|l}}abor.
 
To change a dwarf's labor preferences, {{k|v}}iew the dwarf, then select {{k|p}}references and {{k|l}}abor.
  
The [[mining]] and [[wood cutting]] labors require the dwarf to pick up and wield a [[pick#Pick|pick]] or [[Axe#Battle_axe|battleaxe]], respectively. For this reason, a dwarf cannot be assigned to both mining and woodcutting at the same time.
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Note that a labor is '''not''' a [[job]]. A job is the actual task of doing something, while a labor preference is simply whether a dwarf is allowed do the job or not.
  
Note that a labor is ''not'' a '''job'''. A job is the actual task of doing something, while a labor preference is simply whether a dwarf is allowed do that sort of job or not. You can view a list of all current, queued, and suspended jobs on the {{k|j}}obs menu.  A list of what job each dwarf is currently performing is visible on the {{k|u}}nits menu.
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Some examples of labors include wood cutting, hauling, fishing and metalsmithing.
  
Once designated as a '''labor preference''', a single [[skill]] can possibly be applied to many different '''jobs'''. For instance, a [[bone carver]] might carve a totem out of a skull, craft bone practice [[bolt]]s for a [[crossbow]], create bone [[armor]], or carve bone [[craft]]s to trade.  Each of these is a different possible job allowed by designating the associated labor.
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[[Category:Jobs]] [[Category:Dwarves]]
 
 
Note that many labor preferences, especially [[haul]]ing, have no associated skill, do not generate experience, and do not improve with practice.
 
 
 
 
 
== Default labors ==
 
 
 
All new arrivals at the fortress (including your initial seven dwarves) will have all the [[hauling]] jobs turned on by default, as well as several other labors if they have a specific profession.  The additional default labors for each profession are:
 
 
 
(''Note: this is slightly incomplete/out of date'')
 
 
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"
 
| '''Profession''' || '''Labors'''
 
|-
 
| All professions (including Peasant) ||
 
* [[Health care]]
 
* [[Stone hauling]]
 
* [[Wood hauling]]
 
* [[Item hauling]]
 
* [[Burial]]
 
* [[Food hauling]]
 
* [[Refuse hauling]]
 
* [[Furniture hauling]]
 
* [[Animal hauling]]
 
* [[Cleaning]]
 
|-
 
| Miner ||
 
* [[Mining]]
 
|-
 
| Woodworker ||
 
* [[Wood cutting]]
 
* [[Carpentry]]
 
* [[Crossbow-making]]
 
|-
 
| Stoneworker ||
 
* [[Masonry]]
 
* [[Stone detailing]]
 
|-
 
| Ranger ||
 
* [[Animal training]]
 
* [[Animal care]]
 
* [[Hunting]]
 
* [[Trapping]]
 
* [[Small animal dissection]]
 
|-
 
| Metalsmith ||
 
* [[Furnace operating]]
 
* [[Weaponsmithing]]
 
* [[Armoring]]
 
* [[Blacksmithing]]
 
* [[Metalcrafting]]
 
|-
 
| Jeweler ||
 
* [[Gem cutting]]
 
* [[Gem setting]]
 
|-
 
| Craftsdwarf ||
 
* [[Leatherworking]]
 
* [[Bone carving]]
 
* [[Stonecrafting]]
 
* [[Woodcrafting]]
 
* [[Glassmaking]]
 
* [[Weaving]]
 
* [[Clothesmaking]]
 
* [[Strand extraction]]
 
|-
 
| Fisherdwarf ||
 
* [[Fishing]]
 
* [[Fish cleaning]]
 
* [[Fish dissection]]
 
|-
 
| Farmer ||
 
* [[Butchery]]
 
* [[Tanning]]
 
* [[Farming (fields)]]
 
* [[Dyeing]]
 
* [[Soap maker]]
 
* [[Wood burning]]
 
* [[Potash making]]
 
* [[Lye making]]
 
* [[Milling]]
 
* [[Brewing]]
 
* [[Plant gathering]]
 
* [[Plant processing]]
 
* [[Cheese making]]
 
* [[Milking]]
 
* [[Cooking]]
 
|-
 
| Engineer ||
 
* [[Siege engineering]]
 
* [[Siege operating]]
 
* [[Mechanics]]
 
* [[Pump operating]]
 
|-
 
| Administrator ||
 
* [[Architecture]]
 
|}
 
 
 
== Labors and skills ==
 
 
 
Each labor may have several sub-[[skill]]s associated with it, and may be needed to perform a variety of different tasks.  The following is a list of labors, their associated skills, and where those tasks will be performed:
 
 
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"
 
|-
 
| '''Labor''' || '''Associated skills''' || '''Associated buildings'''
 
|-
 
| [[Mining]] || [[Miner]] ||
 
*''designated walls, [[ore]] veins, or [[gem]] clusters''
 
|-
 
| [[Wood cutting]] || [[Wood cutter]] ||
 
*''designated [[tree]]s''
 
|-
 
| [[Carpentry]] || [[Carpenter]] ||
 
*[[Carpenter's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Masonry]] || [[Mason]] ||
 
*[[Mason's workshop]]
 
*''[[stone]] and [[glass]] structure construction ([[bridge]]s, etc.)''
 
|-
 
| [[Stone detailing]] || [[Engraver]] ||
 
*''designated walls or floors''
 
|-
 
| [[Animal training]] || [[Animal trainer]] ||
 
*[[Kennels]]
 
|-
 
| [[Animal care]] || [[Animal caretaker]] ||
 
*''any wounded tame animal''
 
|-
 
| [[Health care]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*''any wounded dwarf''
 
|-
 
| [[Fish cleaning]] || [[Fish cleaner]] ||
 
*[[Fishery]]
 
|-
 
| [[Fish dissection]] || [[Fish dissector]] ||
 
*[[Fishery]]
 
|-
 
| [[Butchery]] || [[Butcher]] ||
 
*[[Butcher's shop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Leatherworking]] || [[Leatherworker]] ||
 
*[[Leather works]]
 
|-
 
| [[Tanning]] || [[Tanner]] ||
 
*[[Tanner's shop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Farming (fields)]] || [[Grower]] ||
 
*[[Farm plot]]
 
|-
 
| [[Fishing]] || [[Fisherdwarf]] ||
 
*''any river/pond''
 
|-
 
| [[Dyeing]] || [[Dyer]] ||
 
*[[Dyer's shop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Soap maker]] || [[Soaper]] ||
 
*[[Alchemist's laboratory]]
 
|-
 
| [[Furnace operating]] || [[Furnace operator]] ||
 
*[[Smelter]]
 
*[[Magma smelter]]
 
*[[Kiln]]
 
*[[Magma kiln]]
 
|-
 
| [[Wood burning]] || [[Wood burner]] ||
 
*[[Wood furnace]]
 
|-
 
| [[Potash making]] || [[Potash maker]] ||
 
*[[Ashery]]
 
|-
 
| [[Lye making]] || [[Lye maker]] ||
 
*[[Ashery]]
 
|-
 
| [[Weaponsmithing]] || [[Weaponsmith]] ||
 
*[[Metalsmith's forge]]
 
*[[Magma forge]]
 
*''[[metal]] structure construction''
 
|-
 
| [[Armoring]] || [[Armorsmith]] ||
 
*[[Metalsmith's forge]]
 
*[[Magma forge]]
 
*''[[metal]] structure construction''
 
|-
 
| [[Blacksmithing]] || [[Metalsmith]] ||
 
*[[Metalsmith's forge]]
 
*[[Magma forge]]
 
*''[[metal]] structure construction''
 
|-
 
| [[Metalcrafting]] || [[Metal crafter]] ||
 
*[[Metalsmith's forge]]
 
*[[Magma forge]]
 
*''[[metal]] structure construction''
 
|-
 
| [[Gem cutting]] || [[Gem cutter]] ||
 
*[[Jeweler's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Gem setting]] || [[Gem setter]] ||
 
*[[Jeweler's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Woodcrafting]] || [[Wood crafter]] ||
 
*[[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Stonecrafting]] || [[Stone crafter]] ||
 
*[[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Bone carving]] || [[Bone carver]] ||
 
*[[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Glassmaking]] || [[Glassmaker]] ||
 
*[[Glass furnace]]
 
*[[Magma glass furnace]]
 
|-
 
| [[Siege engineering]] || [[Siege engineer]] ||
 
*[[Siege workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Siege operating]] || [[Siege operator]] ||
 
*[[Ballista]] or [[Catapult]]
 
|-
 
| [[Mechanics]] || [[Mechanic]] ||
 
*[[Mechanic's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Crossbow-making]] || [[Bowyer]] ||
 
*[[Bowyer's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Weaving]] || [[Weaver]] ||
 
*[[Loom]]
 
|-
 
| [[Clothesmaking]] || [[Clothier]] ||
 
*[[Clothier's shop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Milling]] || [[Miller]] ||
 
*[[Quern]]
 
*[[Millstone]]
 
|-
 
| [[Hunting]] || [[Ambusher]]<br />''selected weapon skill'' ||
 
*''outdoors''
 
|-
 
| [[Brewing]] || [[Brewer]] ||
 
*[[Still]]
 
|-
 
| [[Plant gathering]] || [[Herbalist]] ||
 
*''designated [[shrub]]s''
 
|-
 
| [[Plant processing]] || [[Thresher]] ||
 
*[[Farmer's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Cheese making]] || [[Cheese maker]] ||
 
*[[Farmer's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Milking]] || [[Milker]] ||
 
*[[Farmer's workshop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Cooking]] || [[Cook]] ||
 
*[[Kitchen]]
 
|-
 
| [[Trapping]] || [[Trapper]] ||
 
*''outdoors or indoors''
 
|-
 
| [[Small animal dissection]] || [[Animal dissector]] ||
 
*[[Butcher's shop]]
 
|-
 
| [[Stone hauling]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*[[Stockpile]]
 
|-
 
| [[Wood hauling]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*[[Stockpile]]
 
|-
 
| [[Item hauling]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*[[Stockpile]]
 
|-
 
| [[Burial]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*[[Stockpile]]
 
*[[Coffin]]
 
|-
 
| [[Food hauling]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*[[Stockpile]]
 
|-
 
| [[Refuse hauling]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*[[Stockpile]]
 
*[[Activity zone]]
 
|-
 
| [[Furniture hauling]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*[[Stockpile]]
 
*''building location''
 
|-
 
| [[Animal hauling]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*[[Stockpile]]
 
|-
 
| [[Cleaning]] || ''no skill'' ||
 
*''blood/ichor/vomit''
 
|-
 
| [[Architecture]] || [[Building designer]] ||
 
*''[[road]] construction''
 
*''[[bridge]] construction''
 
*''[[furnace]] construction''
 
*''[[well]] construction''
 
*''[[support]] construction''
 
|-
 
| [[Pump operating]] || [[Pump operator]] ||
 
*[[Screw pump]]
 
|-
 
| [[Strand extraction]] || [[Strand extractor]] ||
 
*[[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
 
|}
 
 
 
== Other professions ==
 
 
 
===Soldiers===
 
[[Soldier]]s (including those in the [[royal guard]] and [[fortress guard]]) will not work at all: they will either stand at their station (if on duty) or, if standing down, wander around a lot, usually spending a lot of time [[sparring]] in the [[barracks]] (if you have built any) or shooting at [[archery target]]s (if they are armed with a [[crossbow]]). Some soldiers will grow progressively unhappier if they remain on duty for too long.
 
 
 
On rare occasion, you may spot a soldier doing a "Store item in stockpile" task.  This can occur after the soldier has taken a drink; if the barrel they drank from wasn't on the correct stockpile (or perhaps any stockpile), they will haul it to the appropriate stockpile before setting it down.  Nobles and children will also haul barrels in this manner.
 
 
 
=== Noble endeavors and child labor ===
 
[[Noble]]s and [[children]] cannot be assigned any labors, although there are a small number of jobs they will do.  These jobs may be performed by any available dwarf (except soldiers), although nobles and children are usually idle, so they often do take them before other dwarves do:
 
 
 
* [[Harvest]] Plants (if you have "All Dwarves Harvest" set on the {{k|o}}rders menu)
 
* Pull a [[Lever]]
 
* Move Item to [[Trade depot]]
 
* Move Item to [[Shop]]
 
* Confine animals to (or release them from) [[cage]]s/[[restraint]]s
 
* Clean Trap (when a [[Trap#Weapon traps|weapon trap]] has a [[corpse]] stuck in it)
 
* Fill a [[Pond]]
 
* Remove [[Construction]] (walls, floors, stairs, etc.)
 
*  Trade at Depot (if set to "all dwarves can trade")
 
 
 
Periodically enabling "All Dwarves Harvest" for a few seconds (if you normally keep it disabled) is a good way to put nobles to work, especially when you have a backlog of unharvested [[crop]]s which are threatening to wither.
 
 
 
== Get back to work ==
 
===On Break===
 
Often dwarves will not work at all.  They must periodically sleep, eat, and drink, and will sometimes go "On Break".  If you do not supply them with [[alcohol]], they will go on break far more often.
 
 
 
===Attend Party===
 
If you have built any [[statue garden]]s, [[meeting hall]]s, or [[zoo]]s, dwarves may occasionally "Attend Party" and meet with other partygoing dwarves in these rooms.  Whether this is done in place of part of the "On Break" time is unknown. Regardless, a party can be ended by "free"-ing the room at the Set Building Tasks screen ({{k|q}}); The dwarves are reset to "No Job" and resume work.
 
 
 
===No Job===
 
If dwarves are listed as having "No Job", they may be "between jobs", and will start a new task within a few seconds, or they may be lacking the right labor preferences to perform any available task.  Tasks themselves may be held up by various things, including:
 
 
 
*Job-related materials are unavailable or unreachable (this is usually [[Announcement|announced]])
 
*One or another material is set to be "ignored" on the {{k|o}}[[orders|rders]] screen
 
*A backlog of unperformed [[hauling]] tasks, causing all items to be inaccessible
 
*All relevant jobs being in "suspended" status; suspended jobs must always be restarted manually
 
 
 
If a dwarf is reported as having no job in an otherwise busy fortress, it may be stuck somewhere (for example, behind a floodgate or washed down the river).
 
 
 
===Other non-productive tasks===
 
Dwarves will also periodically do a variety of other less than productive tasks.
 
 
 
*Prior to the [[Dwarven Economy]], "Check Chest" jobs are generated when there is a [[container]] or [[cabinet]] installed in an unassigned room.
 
*"Pickup Equipment" is tasked whenever they are exchanging worn-out clothing for new items, have been assigned new [[weapon]]s or [[armor]] (or weapons they previously were assigned finally become available) or need a [[pick#Pick|pick]] or [[axe#Battle_axe|battle axe]] for mining and wood cutting jobs.
 
*"Store Owned Item" occurs when dwarves have both an object they [[shop|own]] (such as [[coin]]s or discarded shoes) and a room to store it in.
 
*"Go Shopping" occurs when a dwarf needs a new piece of clothing post [[economy]].  Sometimes they will also just feel like buying a new trinket.  Requires a [[shop]].
 
 
 
=== [[Strange mood]] ===
 
See [[Strange mood]].<br />
 
Dwarves that have failed a [[strange mood]] will become either [[Melancholy]], [[Berserk]], or [[Insane]].  This is not curable.
 
 
 
===Tantrum===
 
Very Unhappy or Miserable dwarves will often [[tantrum]].
 
 
 
===Rest (from injury)===
 
Severely [[wounds|injured]] dwarves (with 'red' or 'yellow' injuries) will usually go to their beds to "Rest", where they will stay until their wounds recover.  However, if their wounds are causing them pain or otherwise preventing them from sleeping, they may show "No Job", or sometimes they will get out of bed and tantrum instead.  Dwarves with the [[Health care|Health Care]] labor turned on will bring them water in a [[bucket]] to keep them from dehydrating and food to keep them from starvation.
 
 
 
== Other oddities ==
 
* Constructing [[road]]s (once [[architecture|designed]]) -- similar to building [[floodgate]]s, there are no labor requirements for constructing these.
 
 
 
== Job Management ==
 
To see a list of all jobs and [[dwarves]] doing them press {{k|j}}.
 
 
 
To view a list of every [[dwarf]] and significant creature ([[Elf]], [[Goblin]], [[dog]], livestock, etc.) and the job they are currently performing, they can be viewed in the {{k|u}}nit list. 
 
 
 
From ''either'' menu, if you want to order specific jobs to be done in bigger amounts, press {{k|m}}. You can order up to 30 of single job from the manager screen.
 
 
 
{{Category|Dwarves}}
 
{{Category|Interface}}
 

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