AI production scheduling for manufacturers
Scheduled in seconds. You stay in control.
SkyPlanner APS turns your orders, capacity, materials and priorities into a realistic finite-capacity schedule. Arcturus, our in-house AI engine, calculates it in seconds and keeps it current when production changes. You decide what gets locked, what gets moved and what gets accepted.
- Finite-capacity AI scheduling
- Gantt timeline
- ERP integrations & REST API
- 29 supported languages
Results reported by SkyPlanner customers Laboratory & Allied, Piristeel and Fredman Operations. Every factory is different.
Why production planning breaks
Real factories do not follow a fixed plan
A schedule that looked correct yesterday can be wrong today. Most planning tools cannot react fast enough when production changes.
Rush orders arrive
A priority order arrives mid-week and every later job has to move around it.
Materials go missing
A job is scheduled, but the material or purchase order has not arrived yet, so it cannot actually run.
Priorities keep changing
Customer, deadline and lead-time pressures move constantly, so the plan has to re-weight with them.
Workstations overload
Two jobs need the same machine at once and nobody sees the conflict until production is already behind schedule.
Excel & ERP reach their limits
Spreadsheets cannot plan against finite capacity. ERP and MES track orders, but they rarely schedule against real constraints.
Dependencies get lost
Process steps, setup times and routings have an order. Break it and the whole job is delayed.
SkyPlanner is built for exactly this. Arcturus recalculates a finite-capacity schedule against materials, capacity and priorities the moment reality changes, and the planner decides what to accept.
How it works
Three steps to a live schedule
You do not need a big project to get value. Describe your production once, keep orders coming in, and let Arcturus do the scheduling.
Describe your production once
Your workstations, shifts and products with their process steps. This is the part where our visual editor, tutorial videos and the built-in AI agent help you most. Most factories start with one product line, not the whole plant.
Keep orders flowing in
Type them in, import a CSV, or connect your ERP later. Each order knows its product, quantity and due date. That is all Arcturus needs.
Arcturus schedules, you steer
The engine builds a finite-capacity plan in moments, inside your real limits: capacity, shifts, materials, setup times, tools and dependencies. You adjust priorities, lock what must not move, and accept the plan. When something changes, it replans.
No ERP required to start. No training of AI models on your data. Your first schedule can run on demo data in minutes.
Efficiency has gone up 90% in production. Inventory control has gone up, and sales deliverables, getting goods on time and reporting to customer on time, has actually gone up 50%.
See production, don’t guess it
The whole production in one view
What is in progress, where the bottlenecks are, what is late, and what capacity is free. One view shows it all, including how a change ripples through the plan, so you can react now instead of finding out too late.
- What’s in progressEvery running job and its process step, live across the plant.
- Where the bottlenecks areOverloaded workstations stand out before they cause delays.
- What is lateJobs at risk of missing their date are flagged, not hidden.
- What capacity is freeOpen time on each station, so you know what you can still take on.
- How a change ripplesMove one job and see the effect on the whole plan immediately.
One view: workstation load, job status and how work flows from step to step.
No more guessing the production status. You see it, and you can react.
SkyPlanner gives you the foundation for the whole plan. Anyone in the company can see where things stand: what capacity exists, how much has been achieved, and what the utilisation rate is.
Reschedule all & Autopilot
Replan everything in one click. Or Autopilot.
When something changes, press Reschedule all. Arcturus recalculates the entire plan in seconds, lines it up with your priorities again, and every operator sees what to do next.
- One press, the whole plan is currentA change ripples through every workstation; Arcturus rebalances the schedule in seconds.
- Autopilot keeps the plan current for youTurn it on and Arcturus reviews the situation on every meaningful change: new orders, completed work, capacity breaks, material delays. Nothing changed means nothing moves. Something changed means a targeted replan, even at 2 AM while you sleep.
- Your limits, your controlFreeze the next shift or protect specific orders. Your locks and rules always hold, even with Autopilot on.
At Laboratory & Allied, a three-month plan for around 50 workstations is ready in under half an hour, from entering the orders to a finished optimized schedule.
One press and Arcturus recalculates the entire plan in seconds.
On. Arcturus keeps your production optimized, even while you’re away.
Production scheduling is enjoyable only when you don’t have to do it by hand.
Priorities that lead the AI
You set priorities, Arcturus plans to fit them.
SkyPlanner uses a multi-level priority system, where even the priorities have priorities. You weight what matters: lead time, completion dates, customer priority, job priority, keeping similar jobs together. Arcturus then searches for the plan that best matches the balance you set.
- Weighted, not just on or offEach rule has a strength, so you tune the trade-offs instead of toggling features.
- The planner leads, the AI followsYour priorities direct how Arcturus schedules, not the other way around.
- Change a priority, replan immediatelyAdjust the weights and Arcturus recalculates the schedule for you.
Each scheduling priority has its own weight slider. Raise or lower one and the next plan reflects the new balance.
See your own orders scheduled this way. Start on demo data in minutes.
Free for 30 days. No credit card. Starts on desktop.
Similar jobs in succession
Setup time produces nothing. Schedule less of it.
Every wash, color change and tool change is paid time with zero output. Tag your products with properties such as color, material, tool or dimension, and Arcturus runs jobs that share a property one after another. The paint line runs blue after blue instead of washing between every job, and the press keeps the same tool in for the whole group.
Same color, same tool, same material: Arcturus lines them up so the workstation changes over once, not five times.
Visual product and project modeling
Build products and projects the way you picture them
SkyPlanner’s visual editor lets you map how a product is actually made (sub-products, process steps and the order they follow) as a connected flow. What you draw becomes the routing Arcturus schedules against. The same editor plans whole projects, not just single orders, so multi-stage work with many dependencies stays clear and easy to design.
A whole project in one view: each card is a process step, and the arrows set the order sub-products and stages must follow before the project is complete.
This is the step new users worry about most. In practice you draw it: cards are process steps, arrows are the order they follow. The AI agent and our tutorial videos walk you through your first product, and assisted onboarding is there if you want an expert to do it with you.
On the shop floor
Operators run it from a phone or tablet
The Time Logs view gives each operator their own work queue and a one-tap timer, so they start, stop and confirm work right at the machine, on whatever screen is on the floor.
- A work queue per workstationEach operator sees only the jobs for their stations, in scheduled order.
- One-tap timer & quick logStart, stop and confirm amounts right at the machine.
- Status flows back to planningEvery log updates progress and the schedule in real time.
- Logged hours teach the systemSkyPlanner predicts process step durations from your own history, so estimates get more realistic over time.
The same Time Logs view, scaled to the screen each operator has at hand.
SkyPlanner has improved real-time visibility into production and has largely reduced the working time lost to work logging and reporting on the production floor. It has also significantly improved our inventory accuracy and eliminated the possibility of human error in production management.
Reports & dashboards
Build the production views you actually want
A drag-and-drop dashboard turns SkyPlanner’s data into the manufacturing reports you care about (load, delays, efficiency, delivery reliability and more) arranged the way your team reads them.
Custom reports, your date ranges, your layout. Production visibility you set up yourself, without waiting for someone to build a report for you.
Capacity & materials
The limits Arcturus plans within
Real shifts and real materials decide what you can actually produce. Model both once, and they become the constraints every schedule respects.
Shifts & capacity
- Recurring shifts, set once: morning and evening shifts repeat on a weekly cycle, no recreating defaults.
- Exceptions on the calendar: add, edit or remove shifts for holidays, overtime or a breakdown.
- Assign people, get rosters: choose who works each shift and people and machine rosters build automatically.
Materials & stock
- Balances, thresholds and purchasing: cumulative stock, alert thresholds and purchase orders in one place.
- Future stock, simulated: scheduling projects levels forward from stock, purchase orders, reservations and consumption.
- Reacts to material delays: if a delivery slips, Arcturus moves the job to when the materials are available.
Together, capacity and materials are the limits Arcturus schedules within, so one short shift or one late delivery does not trigger a domino effect across the plan.
Sales and production, one schedule
Promise delivery dates you can keep
Add a sales prospect as a simulated order and Arcturus schedules it against your real load, capacity and materials. Sales sees a realistic delivery date before promising anything, and can reserve capacity for it if you want. When the deal lands, the prospect becomes a production order with one change of status. At Fredman Operations, sales now commits to delivery dates with capacity visibility six months ahead, and a requote that used to take an hour of manual calculation comes from the system in seconds.
- Quote dates from the actual schedule, not from guesswork.
- See what accepting a rush order does to every other promise.
- Delivery reliability is the result customers notice first.
The value SkyPlanner brings us is that it is a tool that works in daily use, especially for setting delivery dates.
Built for every team on the schedule
One schedule for every team involved
Four teams with four different goals (planning, oversight, execution and integration) working from the same schedule.
Production planner
Build a realistic plan, reschedule when reality changes, and keep control over priorities and locks.
- Drag-and-drop Gantt adjustments
- Dynamic priorities & task locks
- Compare and accept new plans
Operations manager
See load, delays, bottlenecks and plan changes before they cause problems.
- Capacity & utilization visibility
- Late / scheduled / unscheduled state
- Faster reaction to disruptions
Shop-floor team
Know what to do next, start and stop work, and keep status up to date.
- Clear next-task work queue
- Production timer & quick logging
- Real-time progress feedback
IT / ERP owner
Connect scheduling to existing systems, so SkyPlanner does not become a planning silo.
- REST API & webhooks
- CSV / data import
- Project-specific integration services
Delivery reliability, internal and external, has improved substantially since SkyPlanner was introduced. SkyPlanner has clarified the entire production in practically every respect.
In daily use
Manufacturers that run on SkyPlanner
From family-owned machine shops in Finland to Kenya’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Laboratory & Allied Limited
90% more efficient production and 50% better on-time delivery.
Read the storyPiristeel Oy
99.2% delivery reliability and up to four hours of scheduling work saved every day.
Read the storyEskomatic Oy
Fewer material-shortage stoppages and more accurate delivery dates for customers.
Read the storyFredman Operations Oy
Sales commits to delivery dates with capacity visibility six months ahead.
Read the storySkyPlanner AgentBETA
Run SkyPlanner just by asking
Ask the agent in plain words to create an order, check production status or schedule unscheduled jobs. It does the task and shows you exactly what it did. It also explains how SkyPlanner works and helps you configure it, so you can use the software by asking instead of searching through menus.
- It does real work on requestCreate orders, check status, schedule jobs. The agent acts, then reports back what it changed.
- For everyone, not only daily usersManagers and executives can ask directly, instead of learning every menu and setting.
- It teaches and configures as you goAn expert that explains SkyPlanner, helps you set it up, and makes onboarding easier for new users.
- Available around the clock, in your languageIt remembers your production context and answers in the language your team speaks, 24/7.
The agent acts on your request and shows what it did, so you stay in control. It supports your team. It does not run the factory on its own.
Ask in plain words. Here the agent creates a new order and lists exactly what it set up.
Integration dataflow
Never another planning silo
Use it standalone, with imported data, or connected to existing systems through REST API, webhooks, data import and project-specific integration services. Laboratory & Allied connected SkyPlanner to SAP Business One on HANA and Power BI largely on its own; mapping the data flows was quick work for their IT team.
Sources in
ERP · MES · CSV · Manual
- Orders & demand
- Products & structures
- Materials & stock
- Customers & due dates
SkyPlanner APS
Schedules production
Insight out
ERP · Reports · Management
- Planned start & end times
- Timelogs
- Progress & status
- Schedule updates & reporting
Examples of systems manufacturers run alongside SkyPlanner. Integration is delivered per project, and is not a certified native connector to every system.
Third-party names and logos are shown as factual integration / compatibility context only. They do not imply partnership, certification or endorsement.
Why not just plan in Excel, ERP or a project tool?
Built for scheduling, not just tracking
Spreadsheets, ERP/MES and project tools each do real work. SkyPlanner is purpose-built for the finite-capacity, material-aware scheduling those tools weren’t designed for.
| Excel / sheets | ERP / MES | Project tools | SkyPlanner APSPurpose-built scheduling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finite-capacity scheduling (capacity is never overbooked) | — | Limited | — | |
| Reacts to change (replan in seconds, not manual rework) | Manual | Batch runs | Manual | |
| Material-aware scheduling (stock, purchase orders, future balances) | — | Stock only | — | |
| Shop-floor feedback updates the plan live | — | Varies | — | |
| Weighted priorities and trade-offs | Manual | — | Basic | |
| Setup times, tools, subcontractors and batch jobs modeled | — | Partial | — | |
| Delivery date simulation for sales prospects | — | — | — | |
| Time to first schedule (minutes with demo data, not a months-long project) | Fast, manual | Months | Days | Minutes |
Scroll the table sideways on small screens. Comparison reflects typical use, not any specific product.
What SkyPlanner does
The short list. If you don’t see what you need, just ask — there’s more than fits on one page.
Start simple, expand when it proves value
Start small, connect when ready
SkyPlanner can start as a standalone planning environment and grow into a connected production-scheduling workflow.
Try with demo data
See the Gantt timeline with sample orders.
Model workstations & steps
Describe your real stations and process flow.
Create or import orders
Add manually or import from CSV.
Schedule & review
Run Arcturus, review and adjust the plan.
Add depth
Materials, tools, priorities and shop-floor logging.
Connect ERP / MES
Integrate when you’re ready, not before.
Do it yourself
Free 30-day trial with self-onboarding for up to 20 workstations. Demo data, videos and the AI agent included.
Start free trialDo it with us
Assisted onboarding: an expert plans the setup with you, imports data and trains your team. The most common path for bigger production setups.
See assisted onboardingDo it with a local partner
SkyPlanner partners and experts are available in more than 30 countries.
Find a partnerFree for 30 days. No credit card. Starts on desktop. Self-onboarding covers up to 20 workstations; larger setups go through assisted onboarding.
Questions buyers ask
The questions worth answering early
Do we need an ERP integration to get started?
No. SkyPlanner works standalone. You can type orders in or import them from CSV, and connect your ERP later through the REST API, webhooks or an integration project. Many customers run their first months without any integration.
How long until we see our own production scheduled?
With demo data, minutes. With your own data, the work is describing your workstations, shifts and products with their process steps. Simple production fits in a day, more complex setups take longer. The built-in AI agent, tutorial videos and Getting Started guide carry you through it, and assisted onboarding is available when you would rather do it with an expert.
Will the AI change my plan without asking?
Only within the limits you set. You can lock any task or order, freeze the next hours or shifts with the running time lock, and compare a new plan before accepting it. Autopilot is optional, and even with it on, your locks and rules always hold.
How does Arcturus know what our production can and cannot do?
You describe it once: workstations, shifts, process steps and their order, setup and teardown times, materials, tools and subcontractors. Arcturus treats all of it as hard limits and schedules inside them.
What does SkyPlanner cost?
Plans start at 199 € per month with 5 workstations included. See the Pricing page for current tiers, what each includes and the cost of additional workstations.
Is our production data used to train AI models?
No. Arcturus does not require training on your data and is not retrained on customer data during operation. Scheduling runs on your own production model and rules.
Our production is complicated. Subcontractors, shared molds, batch jobs. Can SkyPlanner handle it?
Yes, those are named features, not workarounds. Subcontractors are scheduled like workstations, tools and molds cannot be in two places at once, and batch jobs that combine parts from several orders are scheduled as one.
What is included in the free trial?
30 days, free, no credit card. Self-onboarding covers up to 20 workstations. If your production needs more, we will recommend assisted onboarding so the setup is done right from day one.
Who builds SkyPlanner?
Skycode Oy, a Finnish software company in Vaasa, has developed SkyPlanner since 2018. SkyPlanner is sold and used by manufacturers worldwide, supports 29 languages, and has partners and experts in more than 30 countries.
Can SkyPlanner reduce setup and changeover times?
Yes. You give products properties such as color, material or tool, and each workstation can group jobs that share a property, so changeovers happen once per group instead of between every job. It is a weighted priority: Arcturus balances the saved setup time against due dates and your other priorities. Many factories use it for paint lines, tool and mold changes, and washdowns between material types.
What happens when the trial ends?
Nothing is charged, because we never asked for a card. If you want to continue, choose a plan on the Pricing page. If not, the trial simply ends.
“SkyPlanner’s effectiveness comes from the fact that the system just works. There are no hiccups that eat up time to sort out.”
See your own production scheduled
Bring your real scheduling problems to a live demo and we will show how orders, capacity, materials and priorities become one schedule you control. Or skip the call and try it yourself today.
Free for 30 days. No credit card. Starts on desktop.
