What is a Production Planning & Scheduling System?

A Production Planning & Scheduling System is a software solution that helps manufacturers determine what production needs to be completed, how much capacity is required and when individual jobs or operations should be executed. The system can connect:

Customer Orders → Production Requirements → Process Routing → Material Availability → Capacity → Machine Loading → Scheduling → Shop-Floor Execution → Actual Production

Unlike a basic production register or spreadsheet, a dedicated production planning system can maintain relationships between orders, processes, resources and schedules. This provides planners and management with better visibility and greater control over manufacturing operations.