Backward Production Scheduling

Backward production scheduling is used for scheduling production operations as late as possible before the delivery date.

• The software will find the latest possible time for operations of the Manufacturing Order before the delivery date.
• This is very important in just-in-time manufacturing and delivery, so there would be minimal standing inventory of products.
• By default, in contrast, Forward scheduling is used, which means that 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. While creating a new Manufacturing Order, setting the Due date will trigger backward scheduling.
2. When setting a Due date in a Procurement Forecast:
   • backward scheduling will be used for finding the latest start times for Manufacturing Orders,
   • and the latest times for Purchase Orders to be placed.
3. The setting Backward scheduling becomes available at Settings -> System settings -> Software settings.
   
   • 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 also 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, it is possible to set a general delivery date or a separate delivery date for every line. This is the day when the customer order should be ready for shipment.

To utilize backward scheduling in Customer Orders, turn ON the option Backward Scheduling at Settings -> System settings -> Software settings.

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 would be available latest on the delivery date.