A Manufacturer’s Guide to Planning & Scheduling

February 4, 2014

LOG IN TO DOWNLOAD WHITE PAPER

Each day, small and medium sized manufacturers across virtually every industry grapple with the realities of a global economy, characterized in part by market volatility, stiff cross-border competition and the ongoing transfer of ever more risk and cost from customer to supplier. 

Requirements for on-time delivery and order accuracy are tighter than ever, even as customers adjust their order volumes seemingly on-the-fly in order to mitigate their own exposure. To their suppliers falls the responsibility for planning - fine-tuning timelines, raw materials and finished product inventory levels and resource utilization, both human and machine. As if those challenges aren’t enough, add to the equation everyday variables, such as unplanned downtime or materials shortages.

Such business conditions, along with ongoing pressure to cut costs and perform financially for their own stakeholders require manufacturers to be nimble, capable of adapting processes and resources across their organization to ever-changing requirements. Failing to meet those requirements comes at great cost in terms of time, money and customer dissatisfaction, all in an era where—perhaps more than ever—customers are king and every dollar counts.

A key tool for each manufacturer as it strives to meet this array of challenges is its ERP solution; in particular, the advanced planning and scheduling capabilities within its ERP solution. What are these critical planning and scheduling functions, and how can small and mid-size manufacturers exploit them in today’s dynamic and highly complex global business environment? That’s the question many decision-makers are asking as they gauge the value delivered by their ERP solution.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Start receiving newsletters.