Do I need to turn on the whole module at once?
No. The short path is structure, routing, production order and production reporting, which already gives you actual cost per order. MRP, master plan, finite capacity, forecasting, S&OP, distribution and leveling come later, one at a time, each with its own switch.
Can I use PCP without the WMS?
Yes. Without the addressed warehouse, the module reads and moves simple inventory through the same path as the rest of the platform. With the WMS turned on, every movement goes through it, since it owns the balance. Settings show which source is active before you run the calculation.
What happens to companies already producing without a registered structure?
Manufactured items without a released structure show up in a list on the dashboard, before they turn into shortages. They are not silently ignored, and they do not get a made-up structure.
Is the calculation run slow enough to get in the way of the day?
The full run is overnight work and is recorded with duration and volume. During the day, a manual trigger is usually for a single product after a structure change, and incremental replanning takes care of whatever changed.
Does it work for an operation that outsources almost everything?
Yes. The routing operation points to the supplier, unit cost and return lead time; the order tracks shipment, partial return, loss at the subcontractor and the tax reference, without losing lot genealogy. Work centers and locations can also belong to a third party.
How does this connect to pricing?
Standard cost is frozen per version with effective dates and feeds pricing; the actual order cost comes back as the comparison. Comparing actual cost with a standard that is updated alongside it would always come out close to zero, which is why both versions exist.
Is the shop floor an MES?
It is the MES execution layer built into production planning: released orders with frozen engineering, reporting of setup, production, pause, scrap and rework with an offline queue, downtime reasons classified as planned or unplanned, OEE per work center, lot genealogy and actual cost per order. The data comes from operator reporting. Automatic machine data collection through PLC, OPC UA or MQTT, andon and a live shop floor dashboard are not part of the module yet.
Is production planning only for a traditional factory?
No. It covers any item the company transforms or assembles: invitations, kits, giveaways, albums, gowns, set design and printed materials. Simple operations use structures and orders; larger operations turn on MRP, finite capacity, Gantt and full costing.
Does MRP talk to Procurement and Inventory?
Yes. It reads inventory balances and reservations, treats issued purchase orders as materials in transit, and turns purchase suggestions into requisitions in the Procurement workflow, respecting approval levels and sign-offs.
Does a change to the structure alter orders already released?
No. Release copies the version of the structure and routing into the order. Engineering changes create a new version and only affect future orders.
How does the system prevent duplicate output when the terminal goes offline?
Each report has an idempotent identifier. When the local queue is resent, the server recognizes what it already received and doesn't count the same output twice.
Can I outsource a step in the routing?
Yes. The operation can specify a supplier, unit cost and lead time. The order tracks shipment, partial returns, losses at the subcontractor and the tax reference without losing the lot genealogy.
Does the system change my plan on its own to fit capacity?
No. Leveling calculates the alternatives, estimates the cost of each one and saves everything as a proposal. Nothing changes an order date, opens overtime or sends work out before someone applies it. Actions above the company's value limit still require explicit approval and are left out of bulk apply.
Do I need to set up calendars, forecasting and leveling to get started?
No. All of that starts turned off, and planning behaves exactly as before. You turn on one feature at a time, check the result in a simulation run, and only then does it apply to the official plan.
How does the planner explain to production where that number came from?
Each requirement keeps a plain-language trail of the calculation: how much was needed, how much was in stock, what was on the way, how much safety stock held back, which scrap was applied, which lot rule rounded it and where each day of lead time came from. Capacity load opens up too, order by order.
Does the automatic forecast replace my planner's number?
Never. The model calculates, and its number sits next to what was entered, with the error measured. When someone adjusts it by hand, the line is flagged and the model stops overwriting it, with the justification recorded.
Do I need S&OP to use production planning?
No. The aggregate plan is an optional layer above the master schedule, for companies that already discuss volume by family in a monthly meeting. Those who plan directly at the item level keep doing so, and S&OP stays off without getting in the way.
How does the salesperson know when delivery is possible?
Through the promise screen, which has its own permission and doesn't require access to the rest of the module. It answers with the date and the reason: if available stock covers it, delivery happens on the requested date; if not, it simulates materials and capacity and returns the earliest possible date along with the constraint that limited it.
Does the system work for companies with more than one warehouse or store?
Yes. The supply network defines locations, routes with transit times and sourcing rules per item, including splits between two sources. Distribution planning runs before MRP and passes demand back to the plant already at the shipping date, with freight consolidated.
Does the final cost go into inventory automatically?
Yes. When the order closes, the finished product enters at the order's own actual cost, broken down by material, labor, machine, subcontractor and overhead. The difference from standard cost is explained in the metrics.
Does production planning include an MES?
It has the execution layer built into production planning itself: released orders with frozen engineering, a reporting terminal for setup, production, pause, scrap and rework, classified downtime reasons, OEE per work center, lot genealogy from component to finished item and actual cost per order. The data comes from operator reporting. Automatic machine data collection through PLC, OPC UA or MQTT, andon and a live shop floor dashboard are not part of the module yet.