ERP Software for Manufacturing: Infinite Scheduling Vs. Finite

The Fallacy of Infinite Capacity Scheduling

With most ERP software for manufacturers operating on an infinite capacity scheduling system, changes in production demands and machine scheduling move jobs down the schedule to fill a limitless number of days, hours and machine shifts. But the drawback of infinite capacity scheduling is it’s too easy for managers to fool themselves into thinking jobs can be adjusted without inevitable consequences to budget and deadlines.

So, is infinite scheduling the right production management solution for a workplace with real-world constraints? Not always.

Finite scheduling in production planning anchors decisions in real-time data – giving managers the opportunity to see the trade offs in delivery dates, increased labor costs, expedited shipping costs and other variables.

These “what-if scenarios” can be evaluated in a framework of real-world constraints with production planning systems like JobPack. With a drag-and-drop graphical user interface, a management team can evaluate capacity, costs and delivery date scenarios that automatically recalibrate to provide actionable information. Factors like machine schedules, weekends, machine downtime and other variables recalibrate with a click, and can be instantly reverted to the original schedule. In addition, JobPack can provide accurate costs for these scheduling decisions and provide data on shifting resources.

Finite scheduling systems are particularly helpful for integrating various production schedules; if one department or process is on a two-shift schedule, and shipping is only on a single shift, finite capacity scheduling provides accurate date projections that account for all the variables.

When production scheduling data is constrained to finite scheduling, the result is improved accuracy and greater accountability in production planning scheduling. Better data always leads to better decisions. And better decisions on the production floor means greater satisfaction among internal and external customers.