Manufacturers using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central know that production scheduling can quickly become complicated. The built-in tools handle basic scheduling, but when multiple work centers, machine constraints, and shifting priorities come into play, things get complex.
Below are three common questions that highlight where schedules often fail—and how to align planning with what can actually happen on the shop floor.
Why does standard scheduling create overloaded plans in Business Central?
Business Central’s standard scheduling uses backward scheduling and assumes infinite capacity. The system works backward from a due date to suggest a start date, often setting production to begin in the past. Machines and work centers appear to have unlimited hours, leading to overloaded schedules that no team could realistically execute.
Production managers spend hours manually moving tasks, adjusting timelines, and rescheduling orders. These workarounds may temporarily solve one issue but often create new ones, especially when priorities shift or downtime occurs.
What changes when manufacturers move toward finite capacity scheduling?
The MxAPS app from Insight Works, seamlessly integrated with Business Central, drives manufacturing excellence with advanced finite capacity scheduling. MxAPS replaces guesswork with precision.
Using advanced algorithms, the app evaluates machine availability, labor, tooling, and materials before generating an optimized plan. Schedules become realistic, repeatable, and based on actual capacity rather than assumptions.
With MxAPS, production teams gain:
- Accurate schedules that align with available resources
- Smarter sequencing that minimizes changeovers
- Balanced workloads across machines and shifts
- Real-time visibility into order status
- Flexible what-if analysis to test new scenarios
How does MxAPS automate the scheduling process?
MxAPS introduces a “hit a button and go” approach that automatically evaluates every possible scheduling option to create the most efficient plan. The system considers labor availability, material lead times, and setup durations to determine when and where each job should run.
Every plan reflects what can actually happen on the shop floor, allowing teams to focus on production rather than constant rescheduling. The result is shorter lead times, improved on-time delivery, reduced downtime costs, and stronger confidence in planning decisions.
To learn more, visit the full blog:
https://dmsiworks.com/blog/why-business-centrals-standard-scheduling-isnt-enough-for-complex-production-planning
Disclaimer
This article summarizes insights from the original blog and is not promotional content.
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