Integrations / ERP / Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
SkyPlanner APS for Business Central: Finite Capacity Production Scheduling
SkyPlanner APS gives Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central manufacturers a finite capacity schedule for every workstation, operator, tool and material. You see which job runs where and when, and Autopilot reschedules automatically when production changes.
SkyPlanner integrates with Business Central in both directions: production orders, routings, work centers, items and purchase orders flow in, and planned operation dates and logged work flow back. The SkyPlanner team configures the integration to your Business Central 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 and no credit card.
What changes in your production
No more overbooked machines.
Every machine, person and tool gets a finite schedule with real shifts, absences and overtime. A die in use on one machine is never booked on another, and a job that needs three operators gets three people with free shifts. When a machine is busy, work moves to an alternative machine or person.
Delivery dates you can promise.
The schedule shows when each order will really finish. You answer customers from the plan, not from a guess.
Rush orders and breakdowns replanned automatically.
When a machine stops, a rush order lands or work finishes early, Autopilot reschedules automatically. Your locks and priorities stay in control.
Fewer changeovers.
SkyPlanner knows how long it takes to switch a machine from one product to the next, in both directions. Blue to red can take 30 minutes and red to blue 60. The schedule runs jobs in the order that loses the least time to setups.
A schedule that respects material.
SkyPlanner checks stock and incoming purchase orders. A job waiting for a vendor delivery is planned after that delivery date instead of stopping on the floor.
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 the logged work goes back to Business Central.
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.
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.
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 SkyPlanner works with Business Central
Business Central sends the work.
Production orders, routings, work centers, 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 and end dates return to the production orders in Business Central, and logged work feeds output reporting.
SkyPlanner uses Business Central’s own standard web services, so there is nothing to install. Every plant runs Business Central 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 Business Central partner or your own developers can also build on SkyPlanner’s documented API (API reference).
The technical details are in the Business Central integration guide for production scheduling.
Why Business Central’s own planning is not enough
Business Central plans materials and capacity, but Microsoft describes the result as “a rough-cut schedule” that “doesn’t automatically create and maintain detailed schedules based on priorities or optimization rules.” In daily production, that means:
- Only flagged machines have limits. Capacity is limited only on the machines you register as bottlenecks. Everything else is planned as if it had unlimited capacity.
- Changeovers, tools and people are not checked. Setup time is one fixed value, whatever ran before. Nothing checks whether a tool or a person is free.
- The planner does the sequencing. After every rush order or breakdown, someone reorders jobs by hand.
Every limit is explained in Does Business Central have finite capacity scheduling?
Business Central alone vs with SkyPlanner
| Business Central alone | Business Central with SkyPlanner APS | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Limited only on machines you flag; the rest unlimited | Every machine, person and tool has real capacity and shifts |
| Schedule | Rough-cut plan; the planner orders the jobs | Detailed schedule for every operation in seconds |
| Changeovers | Same setup time whatever ran before | Jobs ordered for the least setup time |
| Materials | Material planning ignores machine capacity | Jobs start when stock or incoming deliveries are there |
| Changes | Orders replanned one by one, by hand | Autopilot replans the whole plant within your priorities |
| Shop floor | Task lists and output entered in Business Central | Operators see their queue and log work on phone or tablet |
How to choose a scheduler for Business Central
Business Central’s own planning fits a plant with one or two bottlenecks and a weekly plan.
- Choose SkyPlanner when every machine, person and tool limits the plan, not just one bottleneck.
- Choose SkyPlanner when changeovers decide your output. SkyPlanner orders jobs for the least total setup.
- Choose SkyPlanner when shared tools and crews decide what can run next.
- Choose SkyPlanner when material arrival decides which job starts.
- Choose SkyPlanner when the plan changes several times a week. Autopilot replans, and the new dates go back to Business Central.
- Choose SkyPlanner when you want scheduling and shop-floor reporting in one tool.
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 them. Assisted onboarding is available.
- Load your orders. Export production orders from Business Central to Excel, import them and compare SkyPlanner’s schedule with your current plan.
- Connect Business Central. 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.
FAQ
Does Business Central have finite capacity scheduling?
Partly. Business Central limits capacity only on the machines you flag as bottlenecks and plans everything else as unlimited. Microsoft calls the result a rough-cut schedule. SkyPlanner APS adds a detailed finite capacity schedule for the whole plant.
Do we need to install anything in Business Central?
No. SkyPlanner runs in the cloud beside Business Central and connects through Business Central’s own standard web services.
Does SkyPlanner replace Business Central manufacturing?
No, it works on top of it. Business Central keeps items, bills of materials, routings, material planning, purchasing, inventory and finance. SkyPlanner schedules your production orders against real capacity and sends the dates back.
How much does SkyPlanner cost for a Business Central shop?
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 machines and routings, connects 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 Business Central?
Yes. The 30-day trial runs on an Excel export from Business Central. You see a finite capacity schedule of your own production before any integration work starts.
Which Business Central license do we need for manufacturing?
Premium. Manufacturing is part of the Premium experience, which in Microsoft’s words “Shows all actions and fields for all business functionality, including Manufacturing.”
