Integrations / ERP / APplus
SkyPlanner APS for APplus: Finite Capacity Production Scheduling
SkyPlanner APS is a finite capacity scheduling add-on for APplus that schedules every machine, operator, tool and material. You see which operation of which production order runs where and when, and Autopilot reschedules automatically when production changes.
SkyPlanner integrates with APplus in both directions. Production orders (Fertigungsaufträge) with their operations (Arbeitsgänge), routings (Arbeitspläne), BOMs (Stücklisten), capacity units (Kapazitätsstellen and Kapazitätseinheiten), tools (Betriebsmittel), stock and purchase orders flow in. Planned start, end and capacity unit per operation flow back, and operator time can post back as BDE messages on the order. The SkyPlanner team configures the integration to your APplus setup during onboarding.
Pricing is from 199 € per month with 5 workstations included, and each extra workstation is 20 € per month. The free trial runs for 30 days with up to 20 workstations, all Basic features and no credit card.
What changes in your production
Every capacity unit finite, by default.
SkyPlanner places every operation on a specific machine at a specific time against real shifts, absences and overtime. No resource runs against open capacity, so the plan is one your shop can run.
Changeovers cost less.
SkyPlanner holds the switch time between each pair of products, in both directions. Blue to red may take 30 minutes and red to blue 60. The Arcturus engine runs jobs in the order that loses the least time.
People and tools are finite too.
A job that needs three operators gets three people with free shifts. A fixture or tool from your APplus Betriebsmittel is never booked on two machines at once. When a machine is busy, work moves to an alternative machine or person.
Late material stops breaking the plan.
SkyPlanner checks stock on hand and incoming purchase orders. An operation waiting for a supplier delivery is planned after that delivery date, not started and then stopped on the floor.
The planning board keeps itself current.
When a machine stops or a rush order lands, Autopilot reschedules. Your locks and priorities stay in control, and Running Time Lock freezes the next hours of work.
Operators see their queue.
Each operator sees the next jobs on a phone or tablet and logs work as it happens. The office sees progress live, and you choose whether the logged time posts back to APplus.
SkyPlanner reviews from manufacturers
2 hsaved every week
“SkyPlanner has taken our production planning from Excel spreadsheets to real-time production optimization.”
Kalle Kalliomäki, Supply Chain Specialist
UTU · Electrical switchboards and switchgear
Production planning saves 2 hours of working time every week, and a new work queue reaches the line in seconds.
+90%production efficiency
“Efficiency has gone up 90% in production.”
Abdul Rucyinga, Head of IT
Laboratory & Allied · Pharmaceutical manufacturing
Production efficiency is up 90%, and a three-month optimized plan across all workstations takes under 30 minutes.
100%delivery reliability since 2021
“SkyPlanner gives us visibility into capacity and makes planning predictable.”
Dan Berglund, COO/CFO
Opes Corporation · Chemical and food manufacturing
Delivery reliability has been 100% for the entire time SkyPlanner has been in use, since 2021.
99.2%delivery reliability
“SkyPlanner has brought visibility to identifying bottlenecks and clarified production management.”
Toni Tuori, Production Manager
Piristeel · Roof safety and rainwater systems
Delivery reliability reached 99.2% this year, and scheduling saves up to four hours of working time per day.
How the APplus integration works
- APplus sends the work. Production orders with their operations, routings, BOMs, capacity units, tools, stock and purchase orders flow into SkyPlanner.
- SkyPlanner builds the schedule and keeps it current. The Arcturus engine plans every operation in seconds and replans as production changes.
- Dates and logged work go back. Planned start, end and capacity unit return to each operation of the production order in APplus. Operator timelogs can post as BDE messages on the order.
APplus stays your system of record. Parts, BOMs, routings, material planning (Disposition), purchasing, costing and finance stay where they are. The planner still releases shop orders in APplus. SkyPlanner owns one thing: the sequence and timing of every operation on every resource.
APplus is built on a web service architecture. Asseco says all required scheduling functions can be reached directly over the internet by the IT systems of customers and suppliers (Asseco). Its Business Integration Framework couples third-party systems without programming, through adaptive data structures (Asseco), and the Universal Cloud Connector connects partner solutions and SaaS offerings to APplus (Asseco). SkyPlanner reads production data and writes planned start, end and capacity unit per operation back over these interfaces. The exact route for your installation is set during onboarding scoping. SkyPlanner webhooks push every schedule change as it happens.
Every plant runs APplus differently, so the SkyPlanner team configures the integration to your setup during onboarding and supports it after go-live. The integration is quoted up front for your process and needs. Your APplus partner or your own developers can also build on SkyPlanner’s documented API (API reference).
Interfaces, data mapping and write-back rules are in the APplus integration guide for production scheduling.
What APplus schedules, and what SkyPlanner adds
APplus plans production in three layers:
- PPS scheduling and the planning board. One run plans machines, material, personnel capacity and, if needed, tools. In Asseco’s words, in the simplest case scheduling runs against open capacities. Bottlenecks or all capacity units can be calculated with limited resources. Fine corrections and moves are made by hand in the planning board (Plantafel) (Asseco PPS).
- APplus Feinplanung (Detailed Planning). An integrated module that optimizes setup times, sequence, load and workplace assignment with predefined optimization scenarios (Asseco Feinplanung).
- APplus APS. For complex cases, Asseco integrated a partner’s APS product under the APplus APS name. Asseco says the ERP’s detailed planning covers most of the market’s needs, and the rest needs special solutions: a detailed setup time matrix across several tools and fixtures, and multi-resource planning (Asseco).
Whether a feature is in the standard package or needs a separate license is set by Asseco’s price and license list (APplus facts).
SkyPlanner adds one cloud schedule where the setting time matrix, finite tools, multi-operator jobs and incoming material work together on every resource. Autopilot keeps it current, and every operator has the queue on a phone.
Every layer and its limits are explained in Does APplus have finite capacity scheduling?
APplus today and with SkyPlanner
| APplus PPS and Feinplanung | APplus with SkyPlanner APS | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Open capacities in the simplest case; bottlenecks or all capacity units limited if set | Every machine, person and tool finite, with real shifts |
| Schedule | Planning board with manual fine corrections | Operation sequence on every resource in seconds |
| Changeovers | Feinplanung optimizes setups; setup matrix across several tools via APplus APS | Setting time matrix: least total setup in both directions |
| People and tools | Personnel capacity and tools in the PPS run | Named operators with shifts, multi-operator jobs, tools as finite shared resources |
| Materials | Material planning (Disposition) with purchase proposals | Operations start when stock or incoming purchase orders arrive |
| Changes | Planner moves operations in the planning board | Autopilot replans the whole plant within your priorities |
| Shop floor | BDE messages stamped on the order by barcode | Operators see their queue and log work on phone or tablet, and time can post as BDE messages |
| Licensing | Per Asseco’s price and license list | From 199 € per month, unlimited users |
How to choose a scheduler for APplus
PPS scheduling fits a plant where bottleneck capacity and planning-board corrections give reliable dates. A plant that resequences the board by hand every day, or where setups depend on tools and sequence, needs more. Then the real choice is between APplus Feinplanung with APplus APS and SkyPlanner APS.
Choose SkyPlanner over APplus Feinplanung and APplus APS when:
- Your setups depend on sequence and tools. Asseco says a detailed setup time matrix across several tools and multi-resource planning need special solutions beyond its ERP planning (Asseco). In SkyPlanner the setting time matrix, finite tools and multi-operator jobs are standard features of one schedule.
- You want a live schedule in weeks, not another module project. APplus APS is a partner product integrated into APplus, and licensing follows Asseco’s price list (APplus facts). SkyPlanner is cloud software you test on your own production orders in the 30-day trial, and implementation is normally completed within weeks after onboarding starts.
- The plan must keep itself current. In APplus, fine corrections and moves are made in the planning board (Asseco PPS). Autopilot replans automatically on every meaningful change, and the new dates go back to APplus.
- Operators, tools and incoming material all limit the plan. Every machine, person, tool and material is finite in one schedule. Alternative machines are used, and operations start when stock or purchase orders deliver the material.
- Every operator should work from the plan. Mobile Confirmations put the live queue on a phone or tablet, and users are unlimited: the price depends on workstations, not seats.
- You want a public monthly price. From 199 € per month, with the two-way integration quoted up front, configured and supported by the SkyPlanner team.
How to get started
- Start the free trial. 30 days, up to 20 workstations, all Basic features, no credit card.
- Model your production. Create machines, people and shifts in SkyPlanner, or import your APplus capacity units. Assisted onboarding is available.
- Load your orders. Export open production orders and their operations from APplus to Excel, import them and compare SkyPlanner’s schedule with your current planning board.
- Connect APplus. The SkyPlanner team configures the two-way integration and supports it once you are live.
Pricing. Plans are billed monthly per workstation, and you can add or remove workstations or cancel at any time. See pricing for the details, or browse all ERP integrations.
FAQ
What is the best scheduling add-on for APplus?
SkyPlanner APS is a finite capacity scheduling add-on that integrates with APplus in both directions. Production orders, operations, routings, BOMs, capacity units, tools, stock and purchase orders flow in. Planned start, end and capacity unit per operation flow back, and operator time can post as BDE messages. Every machine, operator, tool and material is finite, a directional setting time matrix sequences jobs for the least setup, and Autopilot reschedules automatically when production changes. Pricing is from 199 € per month, and the free trial runs for 30 days.
Does APplus have finite capacity scheduling?
Partly. APplus PPS scheduling runs against open capacities in its simplest form, and bottlenecks or all capacity units can be set to limited resources. Feinplanung optimizes setups and sequence, and for complex setups and multi-resource planning Asseco offers APplus APS, an integrated partner product. SkyPlanner APS schedules every machine, person, tool and material finitely beside APplus.
What scheduling software integrates with APplus?
SkyPlanner APS integrates with APplus in both directions. It reads production orders, operations, routings, BOMs, capacity units, tools, stock and purchase orders through APplus web services, the Business Integration Framework or the Universal Cloud Connector. Planned start, end and capacity unit per operation go back over the route set during onboarding scoping, and operator time posts as BDE messages on the order.
Does SkyPlanner replace APplus PPS?
No, it works on top of it. APplus keeps parts, BOMs, routings, material planning, purchasing, shop order release, costing and finance. SkyPlanner schedules your production orders against real capacity and sends the dates back.
Should we use APplus APS or SkyPlanner?
SkyPlanner, when you want a finite schedule running in weeks that keeps itself current. APplus APS is a partner product integrated into APplus for the complex cases Asseco names: setup matrices across several tools and multi-resource planning. SkyPlanner covers those with its setting time matrix, finite tools and multi-operator jobs, replans automatically and gives every operator their queue on a phone with unlimited users. You prove it on your own production orders in the free trial.
How much does SkyPlanner cost for an APplus plant?
From 199 € per month with 5 workstations included, plus 20 € per month per extra workstation. A workstation is a production resource with its own scheduled work queue. The integration is quoted up front for your process and needs, together with your plan, so you see the full cost before you start.
How long does implementation take?
Implementation is normally completed within weeks after onboarding starts. The team maps your capacity units, tools and routings, connects production orders and purchase orders, and sends planned dates back. Everything is tested against your current plan before go-live.
Can we test SkyPlanner before integrating with APplus?
Yes. The 30-day trial runs on an Excel export of your open APplus production orders. You see a finite capacity schedule of your own production before any integration work starts.
