Away from Excel and the like

Monday morning, 6.30 am. The chaos begins.

The production manager is sitting in front of a digital mountain of Excel spreadsheets, sipping his first coffee of the day. An employee has suddenly fallen ill, a machine has broken down, and the most important customer sent an email on Friday evening to bring forward an order at the last minute. Now everything has to be rescheduled by hand. Enjoying his coffee is the last thing on his mind.

The situation is quite different in a company that uses automated production planning. Whilst one person is still laboriously moving cells around in Excel, the system analyses the current situation in real time, suggests optimal solutions and even adjusts shift schedules automatically. If there is a shortage of materials for production, the purchasing department is notified immediately. The result is less stress, faster decision-making and greater efficiency – and the coffee definitely doesn’t go cold.

Why automated production planning is essential

Surprisingly, many manufacturing companies still rely on Excel, whiteboards or outdated systems for production planning. But if you want to remain competitive in the long term, you need a solution that keeps pace with the realities of production – ideally in real time.

If companies continue to rely on this already uneconomical and highly error-prone way of working, they will face another major problem: the shortage of skilled workers. Experienced production planners are hard to find, whilst the demands of manufacturing continue to rise. Automated solutions take the pressure off the team and ensure stable processes, even when staff shortages occur.

Furthermore, customer requirements have become increasingly dynamic in recent years. Shorter lead times, smaller batch sizes and sudden changes are now part of everyday life. Companies need to respond more quickly and flexibly than they did 10 years ago, but manual planning systems often limit their ability to do so.

Another stumbling block to efficient and sustainable production planning is Excel’s limited capabilities. Whilst it is a powerful tool, it was not designed for complex production planning. Changes have to be laboriously entered by hand, and dependencies between machines, staff and materials can hardly be mapped in real time – moreover, viewed objectively, planning with Excel becomes increasingly prone to errors as complexity rises.

The solution to all these challenges lies in intelligent and (partially) automated production planning, which analyses all relevant factors in a matter of seconds, calculates various scenarios and identifies bottlenecks at an early stage.

How to make the switch – step by step

The transition from manual to automated production planning may sound like a complex undertaking at first, but if companies take a structured approach, it becomes manageable and predictable.

The first step is to carry out a review. This involves analysing which areas of production planning are still carried out manually and where problems regularly arise. Particularly common weak points include last-minute changes, staff shortages or inefficient use of machinery. Existing systems such as ERP or MES solutions should ideally also be included in this analysis. Ideally, one or two existing processes should then be optimised following this phase.

The second step involves gradual automation. It is not necessary to convert the entire system straight away. Many companies start with individual sub-areas. Automated solutions ensure optimised machine utilisation, thereby significantly reducing set-up costs and preventing bottlenecks. Shift planning can also be optimised to reduce downtime caused by a lack of machine operators or set-up staff. Modern algorithms therefore help to ensure that machine capacity is utilised as effectively as possible, whilst taking all relevant factors into account.

Another key area is dynamic order planning. Automated systems identify bottlenecks at an early stage and suggest alternatives to avoid delays.

A modern planning tool should also integrate seamlessly into the existing system landscape. When ERP and MES systems communicate with one another, real-time data flows are generated, enabling flexible and dynamic planning.

A successful roll-out depends not only on the technology, but also on the people who work with it. Automation does not mean that people will become redundant. On the contrary: planners and dispatchers are given better tools to make informed decisions. To ensure a smooth transition, it is crucial to involve staff at an early stage and to familiarise them with the new system through targeted training, thereby fostering acceptance.

Different approaches to automated production planning

Companies wishing to automate their production planning have several options: they can either use their own planning software or opt for a flexible service-based solution.

The traditional solution involves implementing specialised production planning software such as FEKOR. The system is customised and fully integrated into the production process. The process begins with a workshop phase in which all relevant planning parameters are defined. The software is then configured and tested in accordance with the requirements. Once implementation is complete, the company has a powerful tool at its disposal with which it can optimise production planning independently.

This solution is particularly suitable for companies that wish to retain control of their own planning in-house in the long term and have trained staff who can use the software efficiently.

An alternative to this is tetys planning flex, a service that takes care of production planning on your behalf. Companies do not need to purchase software or build up in-house expertise, but can instead access an external solution on a flexible basis. Planning is carried out by experienced experts who utilise a powerful planning system and optimise processes in line with individual requirements.

This solution is particularly suitable for companies that either do not have their own planning department or are experiencing difficulties with internal production planning due to a shortage of skilled staff. By outsourcing their planning, companies save time and money, whilst at the same time benefiting from professional, automated production planning.

Conclusion: If you don’t automate, you’ll lose out

Manual planning is a thing of the past. Companies that automate their production planning save time, reduce costs and boost efficiency, which ultimately enhances their competitiveness.

The good news is that making the switch is easier than many people think. Those looking for their own software solution can integrate FEKOR, a powerful planning system, into their production processes. On the other hand, those who wish to remain flexible or do not have the capacity for their own planning department can make use of tetys planning flex, a bespoke service.

Now is the right time to address this issue. Those who set the course today will secure a decisive competitive advantage in the long term.