There are some serious misconceptions about how to best use certain types of software. It’s rather common now to see CEOs, financial wizards and others use presentation software as simply a place for their notes. Too often, what’s on the screen could have been given to the audience members to read instead of the presentation software being used as it was intended; To visually augment what is being said. All those bullet points on all those screens … it’s just not right.

Likewise, many office workers and managers look at a spreadsheet program as a database instead of the accounting tool it was meant as. The first spreadsheet program was called VisiCalc and, as it’s name implies, its intent was for calculating visually. It was never intended to simply hold data. However, that’s what many people use it for. They then wonder later why they can’t get it to do what’s necessary once growth occurs and other features are needed.

A database can not only store data in table structures, those structures can also be made “relational”. A table containing orders might only contain the order number and the date it was initiated. Another table might provide customer names and addresses, simply because each customer might have multiple orders. Another table might then contain order details, or lists of the items within the orders listed in the Orders table. And finally, a view might tie all these together so each individual order can be viewed as a single record.

A spreadsheet can’t do that, because a spreadsheet isn’t a database.

One of the more common uses for a spreadsheet is to create a schedule. The spreadsheet allows a manager to move from sticky notes on a painted piece of plywood to an “electronic schedule”. However, the reality is that using a spreadsheet as a schedule is the same as using a pencil and a piece of paper to create the same schedule. Having good Scheduling software for this, software which has the data stored in a real database and a Scheduling user interface which is interactive … this is a real electronic schedule.

As in carpentry or auto work, computers are also best operated by using the right tool for the job. Maybe it’s time to step away from the spreadsheet.

Production Scheduling software is also available as Software as a Service. You may be wondering how this is possible since custom tailoring seems to be the norm for scheduling. There are industry-specific configurations of Production Scheduling software which might be useful to more than one company or manufacturer. It’s both possible and practical to use such software for some time for your own specific organization, paying a monthly fee for the licenses to use the software. After a time of growth or expansion, it may then be necessary to purchase Production Scheduling software much more suitable for your own use. This could continue to be set up as Saas or purchased outright and installed on your own servers. This would be totally up to those at your organization.

What’s interesting about configurations such as these is the room for changes. As your needs grow, so could the software, with additions being contracted for and changes made as changes are made at your business. This could certainly turn into a long-term development process, with your manufacturing facility ultimately owning the software. And if it’s open source software as well and your IT department is capable of maintaining and upgrading the software, that would be even better.

It’s important to make a point about this. The automation a scheduling system would interact with doesn’t drive the manufacturing line in any manner. This isn’t a replacement for the programming in any PLCs, robotics or any other type of physical automation. The automation which interacts with Production Scheduling software, which normally includes the scheduling of personnel as well, is considerably more passive than what drives a manufacturing line.

Production Scheduling software is interested in what’s going on with the schedule it manages. It needs to know when different aspects of a manufacturing process is occuring. Barcodes, RFID tags, laser-based counters, simple photoelectric sensors … these types of devices can tell the software where various products are on the line, what part of the process they’re in, whether they’re running ahead or behind the current schedule.

The software is then capable of alerting operators and managers when processes and production are falling behind. If something’s behind an hour or two, those portions of the schedule might be outlined in yellow as an alert status. But if things get further behind, and a red outline occurs on that part of the schedule, the system might also automatically start sending emails to various managers to let them know what’s going on.

Smarter software means smarter production practices. The right kind of software allows for more useful information to be used in a more efficient manner, all across your enterprise.

This reminds me of a famous movie line; “His pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking.”

A solidly-built Production Scheduling software system will allow you into the details which will get you more of the information you need, exposing the various layers of the schedule itself without leaving the software. When you open the schedule on the screen you’ll see a two-dimensional display, just like what you’re used to with your spreadsheet or your piece of plywood with the sticky notes. Then, within the software-based schedule, click on one of the tags or blocks showing an event or part of a job. A window will open showing the details of that particular part of the schedule. Click again and you’ll see the entire project’s schedule, what’s happened ahead of schedule and what needs to be caught up. Click a worker’s name and you’ll see how long they’re assigned to the project and what other projects they’re working on.

Keep clicking and you’ll keep learning things about what’s going on overall. That’s the beauty of a good Production Scheduling software system.

More importantly, use the cursor to grab part of the new schedule, drag it to a new date and time and let it go. If the system is built for real flexibility, the schedule will be automatically rearranged to accomodate whatever change you just made. It’s that simple. Underneath, new workers will be assigned to the new work based on the workers’ availability. Try doing that with your plywood. It won’t happen.

Moving from an older system to something that’s automated is always a challenge. In the case of Production Scheduling software the benefits outweigh any possible problems by quite a large margin. There are simply more details available in such a system, details you’re likely spending time going after uusing other methods anyway.

Are you ready for three-dimensional thinking?

There are basically two types of manufacturing: Discrete manufacturing and process-based manufacturing. In discrete manufacturing the work is “workcenter based”. Assemblies are moved from one workcenter to another. Each workcenter then performs an action on that assembly as its part of the overall manufacturing process. Assemblies can be stored between workcenters and worked on, on an as-needed basis determined by the customer’s orders. For example, cabinets for various series of an industrial electronics product could be manufactured in bulk amounts. The electronic innards are then built when a product is ordered. These innards are then installed in the cabinet, labeled as a spcific model, and shipped to the customer.

In process-based manufacturing, a product is built from start-to-finish in one assembly line. A lot of food products are made this way, with raw materials beginning in one area of the plant and the finished product emerging from the other end, already in cases containing boxes labeled with ingredients and nutrition information. The boxes may be made elsewhere, but the food manufacturing itself is made in a single process on its own.

Production Scheduling software systems for these facilities might vary in styles depending on what’s being manufactured and what type of manufacturing is occuring. Discrete manufacturing facilities might use a scheduling system that’s very similar to popular calendar software programs. Dates might be listed across the top of what the user sees, with hours down the left side. Or, if one day is shown, hours might be across the top and workcenters might be listed down the left side. Blocks or “tags” in the intersecting rows and columns will show a specific piece of work to be accomplished by a workcenter or employee on a certain date or time. Information on these tags might be clickable, popping up other windows to display additional information or to allow for data entry.

Line charts, similar to Gantt charts or other popular calendar systems for processes, are best suited for process-based manufacturing facilities. Dates or times are listed across the top of the display, and individual jobs, orders, workcenters, employees, etc. are listed down the left side. Individual lines on the schedule graphically display the processes themselves. These can also be broken down further into sections, showing the details of the processes and allowing for the display of further information in popup windows.

Other features can also be implemented. Various colors of tages, borders and lines can show status, a type of process or manufacturing, employees or workcenters, etc. A yellow border may show something that’s running long, while a bright red border might show an equipment malfunction. The options are only limited by the discussions you have with the software developer during the software’s development.

When shopping around for a Production Scheduling software system, make sure to get into the weeds with your developer. You’ll be glad you did.

So I’m sure you’re thinking … what exactly can production scheduling software do for me?  Well, the truth is that it can do any number of things that will help your organization succeed and out perform your competitors.  For starters there will be a reduction in the amount of time your scheduling staff will spend tacking those post-its to the board.  A reduction in scheduling time means these staff members will be more productive in other areas of your organization.  Secondly, your jobs will be programmatically arranged based on your goals and constraints which will additionally help you optimize your scheduling time.  Imagine how wonderful it will be to organize your work loads on the first attempt and be able to manage your manufacturing resources. 

I know you may be skeptical and are thinking that your process is different than everyone else.  I want to assure you that with this software you will have the capability of generating production schedules that are realistic for your unique situation and they will be executable.  Just incase you are worried that the schedule produced isn’t one that will work personnel will be able to easily create, modify, view and sequence your schedules.

All production scheduling software is designed differently however; they are all aimed at minimizing the amount of time that is lost due to inefficiencies during production and with equipment.  There are also schedules designed for staff which directs them for maximum productivity. 

The most significant aspect to production scheduling software is the ability to reduce costs.  Each benefit mentioned will help the overall effectiveness of your operation shift to a more productive and cost effective production process.