In Operations1, a distinction is made between global materials and local ones.

In the Material section you have an overview of all global materials.
You can add a new material by clicking on the new material button in the upper right corner. Enter a description for the new material. Optionally, you can select a category, enter a material number or further information and add an image using the upload function. A material created at this point is always a global material.

Within a document, you can add a material by selecting the material button from the interactions menu. A window will open, where you can select materials and add them to an interaction. You can search for the needed material by it's title or filter the options by the material category.

Using the button attached to this document, you filter for materials that are already to your document.

In the header data of the document, under material, you will find an overview of all materials used in the document. From there, you can add a material from global storage that was not previously added to the material list by clicking from global storage. The material list will now show you the available global materials. Clicking add selection adds the desired material to the document's material list.
You can also create a material via actions. This material will be added as a local material.

This way you can create new materials and add materials from global storage. You add the materials as already described above, using the material interaction in a process step.

In the Status column you can see directly whether the material used is local or global.

If you want to convert a local material into a global one, select the material and click convert to global via the actions. Now your material is in the global list and can be used in other documents.