Backward Production Scheduling

Backward production scheduling schedules production operations as late as possible before delivery.

• The software will find the latest possible time for the Manufacturing Order's operations before the delivery date.
• This is very important in just-in-time manufacturing and delivery, as it minimizes standing inventory.
• By default, Forward scheduling is used, meaning production is planned to finish as soon as possible at the first available time. 

The backward scheduling feature is automatically available from the Enterprise plan. Functions that are enabled are the following:

1. When creating a new Manufacturing Order, setting the Due date triggers backward scheduling.
2. When setting a Due date in a Procurement Forecast:
   • Backward scheduling will be used to find the latest start times for Manufacturing Orders,
   • and the latest times for Purchase Orders to be placed.
3. The Backward scheduling setting is available in Settings -> System settings -> Enterprise functions.
   
   • When enabled, if Manufacturing Orders are automatically created from the Customer Order, then backward scheduling is used based on the Delivery dates in the Customer Order.

Jump to:

1. Demo video: Backward scheduling.
2. Backward scheduling when manually creating MOs.
3. Backward production scheduling from COs.

Backward production scheduling

Starting from the Enterprise pricing plan, the software allows backward scheduling. For backward scheduling:

1. Start adding a new Manufacturing Order at Production planning -> Manufacturing Orders.
2. Set the Due date. As a result:
   • The software will try to find the latest possible time to finish just in time before the Due date. Ideally, the Manufacturing Order would be finished on the previous day.
3. Save the manufacturing order to put it on the schedule.

Backward Scheduling in Customer Orders

In customer orders, you can set a general delivery date or a separate delivery date for each line. This is the day when the customer's order should be ready for shipment.

Turning on the Settings -> System Settings -> Enterprise functions -> Backward scheduling setting enables backward scheduling for just-in-time delivery based on the Customer Order's delivery date when automatically scheduling Manufacturing Orders from a Customer Order.

Additionally, the sub-setting Buffer (days) enables configuring how many days before the CO’s delivery date the production should be finished.

For using backward scheduling from a Customer Order:

1. Open the Customer Order
2. Fill in the Delivery date(s).
3. Click Check stock and book items.
   
4. Check the option for "Create MOs for missing products."
5. Click Book all items and confirm.
6. The software tries to create Manufacturing Orders for missing products using backward scheduling so they are available just in time before the delivery date.