Integrations / ERP / APplus
Does APplus Have Finite Capacity Scheduling? APplus PPS, Feinplanung and SkyPlanner APS
Partly. APplus PPS scheduling runs against open capacities in its simplest form, and you can set bottlenecks or all capacity units to limited resources. The planner makes fine corrections in the planning board. APplus Feinplanung optimizes setups and sequence, and for complex setup matrices and multi-resource planning Asseco offers APplus APS, an integrated partner product. Plants that want every machine, person, tool and material scheduled finitely in one schedule that keeps itself current run SkyPlanner APS beside APplus.
This article covers APplus from Asseco Solutions, up to APplus 10. Whether a feature is in your standard package or needs a separate license is set by Asseco’s price and license list (APplus facts).
How APplus plans capacity, step by step
1. Master data
Planning starts from parts, BOMs (Stücklisten and Strukturstücklisten) and routings (Arbeitspläne) with their operations (Arbeitsgänge). Operations run on capacity points and capacity units (Kapazitätsstellen and Kapazitätseinheiten). Tools and fixtures are Betriebsmittel.
2. Material planning
Disposition creates purchase proposals and production orders (Fertigungsaufträge) from demand. It answers what to make and buy, and by when.
3. PPS scheduling
In one run, APplus plans machines, material, personnel capacity and, if needed, tools. In the simplest case this happens against open capacities. Bottlenecks or all capacity units can be calculated with limited resources (Asseco PPS).
4. The planning board
The Plantafel shows pending production orders on capacity units. The planner moves operations by drag and drop. Asseco says fine corrections or moves can be made directly in the planning board.
5. Shop order release
The planner (Disponent) releases shop orders (Werkstattaufträge) to production explicitly. Shop papers with barcodes go to the floor.
6. APplus Feinplanung
Feinplanung is an integrated module that needs no interfaces. It optimizes setup times, sequence, load and workplace assignment, with predefined optimization scenarios. Overdue steps and dates are found through forward scheduling (Asseco Feinplanung).
7. APplus APS
For complex cases, Asseco integrated a partner’s APS product under the APplus APS name. Asseco explains why: the ERP’s detailed planning covers most of the market’s needs, and the rest needs special solutions. It names a detailed setup time matrix across several tools and fixtures, and multi-resource planning. APplus stays the leading system for material planning and purchasing (Asseco).
8. Shop-floor data
Once an order exists in PPS and its shop papers with barcode are printed, BDE messages are stamped on the order (Asseco BDE).
What stays with the planner
- Open capacity in the simplest case. PPS schedules against open capacities. Someone decides and maintains which capacity units are limited.
- Corrections by hand. Fine corrections and moves happen in the planning board.
- Release by hand. The planner releases each shop order explicitly.
- Complex setups need another layer. Asseco says setup matrices across several tools and multi-resource planning need special solutions, which is why APplus APS exists.
- Two planning layers, two products. APplus APS is a partner product integrated into APplus, with its own setup and know-how.
- Progress needs BDE. Confirmations come from barcode messages stamped on the order.
When APplus’s native scheduling is enough
APplus planning does the job when:
- Bottleneck capacity units set to limited give delivery dates your customers accept.
- The planner has time to correct the planning board after changes.
- Setups are short, or Feinplanung’s setup optimization covers them.
- Jobs need one machine at a time, without crews or shared tools deciding the sequence.
- The plan changes a few times a week, not several times a day.
If that fits, keep routings, calendars and limited capacity units accurate and use the layers you have.
When you need a finite capacity scheduler
You have outgrown the current setup when several of these are true:
- The planner reshuffles the planning board by hand every day.
- Delivery dates slip although capacity looked fine.
- Changeover time depends on the product that ran before and on the tool.
- Operators, shifts and absences limit output as much as machines do.
- Fixtures or tools move between machines.
- Late material decides which operation can start.
- You are weighing APplus APS and want to compare first.
What to look for
- Every resource finite at once: machines, people and tools, on real clock times.
- Operation-level sequencing by priorities and due dates.
- A setting time matrix with sequence-dependent, asymmetric changeover times.
- Tools as finite shared resources and multi-operator jobs.
- Material-aware scheduling that checks stock and incoming purchase orders.
- Automatic rescheduling when production progress or orders change.
- A clean APplus data path. APplus has a web service architecture and a Business Integration Framework. Ask every vendor how planned dates reach your production orders and who supports it after go-live.
The options fall into four groups:
- APplus core planning: PPS scheduling and the planning board inside the ERP.
- APplus planning modules: Feinplanung and APplus APS, licensed per Asseco’s price list.
- Planning boards and DACH APS vendors connected through an implementation project and run by a planning team.
- Cloud APS with shop-floor execution, where SkyPlanner sits: every resource scheduled automatically beside APplus, with the plan in operators’ hands.
Where SkyPlanner fits
SkyPlanner APS closes each gap listed above. Every workstation, person and tool is finite. The Arcturus AI engine builds an operation-level schedule in seconds, sequenced by job priority, completion date, customer priority, Fast Track and Dynamic Priorities.
Its setting time matrix holds the changeover time between each pair of products in both directions, for example blue to red 30 minutes and red to blue 60. The engine picks the order with the least setup. Tools are finite shared resources, several people can work the same job at once, and work moves to alternative machines or personnel when the primary one is unavailable.
Material-driven scheduling simulates future inventory from stock and incoming purchase orders, so an operation is planned when its material is there. Autopilot reschedules automatically when production changes, and Running Time Lock freezes the next hours of work so the floor is not disrupted. Operators log work on phone or tablet with Mobile Confirmations, Production Timer and Quick Log Mode.
Choose SkyPlanner over APplus Feinplanung and APplus APS when:
- Setups depend on sequence and tools. Asseco names setup matrices across several tools and multi-resource planning as the cases that need special solutions (Asseco). SkyPlanner has the setting time matrix, finite tools and multi-operator jobs in one schedule.
- You need a live schedule in weeks. APplus APS is a partner product, and licensing follows Asseco’s price list (APplus facts). SkyPlanner is cloud software you test on your own production orders in the trial and run live within weeks after onboarding starts.
- The plan must keep itself current. In APplus, corrections happen in the planning board (Asseco PPS). Autopilot replans automatically on every meaningful change.
- Every operator should see the plan. SkyPlanner users are unlimited, and Mobile Confirmations put the queue on every phone or tablet.
Start with an Excel export of open APplus production orders in the 30-day free trial (up to 20 workstations, all Basic features, no credit card). After that, pricing is from 199 € per month with 5 workstations included, billed monthly. The integration is quoted up front for your process and needs, together with your plan.
SkyPlanner integrates with APplus in both directions through APplus web services and the Business Integration Framework. The SkyPlanner team configures it during onboarding, and your partner or developers can work on the documented REST API. See the SkyPlanner for APplus page, the APplus integration guide or all ERP integrations.
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.
1,000swork orders scheduled automatically
“Production is under control in a different way, and our understanding of capacity is on a completely different level.”
Hannu Ryynänen, CEO
Mamec · Industrial mixers, pumps and high-tech contract manufacturing
Thousands of work orders are scheduled automatically, with a real-time view of production for the whole organization.
98%delivery reliability, up from about 50%
“SkyPlanner plays a decisive role in maintaining our delivery reliability.”
Hannu Lahtinen, Managing Director
KJH-Comp · Sheet-metal mechanics and contract manufacturing
Delivery reliability rose from around 50% to as high as 98%, and scheduling now needs one supervisor instead of two.
FAQ
Is APplus scheduling finite or infinite?
Open capacity in its simplest form, finite where you set it. In the simplest case APplus PPS plans against open capacities, and bottlenecks or all capacity units can be calculated with limited resources.
What is the difference between APplus Feinplanung and APplus APS?
Feinplanung is the integrated detailed planning module that optimizes setups, sequence, load and workplace assignment. APplus APS is a partner’s APS product integrated into APplus for complex cases such as setup matrices across several tools and multi-resource planning.
Should we use APplus APS or SkyPlanner?
SkyPlanner, when you want one finite schedule live in weeks that keeps itself current. SkyPlanner covers the complex cases Asseco names with its setting time matrix, finite tools and multi-operator jobs, replans automatically and has unlimited users, from 199 € per month.
Does SkyPlanner replace APplus?
No. APplus keeps parts, BOMs, routings, material planning, purchasing, shop order release and finance. SkyPlanner sequences the operations of your production orders and sends planned dates back.
Can we try finite scheduling on our APplus data first?
Yes. Import an Excel export of open production orders, capacity units and routings into the 30-day free trial and compare the schedule with your planning board.
