Integrations / ERP / Epicor Kinetic
SkyPlanner APS for Epicor Kinetic: Finite Capacity Production Scheduling
SkyPlanner APS gives Epicor Kinetic 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 Epicor Kinetic in both directions: jobs, operations, materials, resources and PO releases flow in, and planned operation dates and logged labor flow back. The SkyPlanner team configures the integration to your Kinetic 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 tool 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 job 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 Epicor Kinetic as labor.
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.
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.
How SkyPlanner works with Epicor Kinetic
Epicor Kinetic sends the work.
Jobs, operations, resources, stock and purchase order releases 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 operation dates return to the jobs in Kinetic, and logged work posts as Kinetic labor.
SkyPlanner connects through Kinetic’s own REST API, Business Activity Queries and Epicor Functions, on premises and in Kinetic cloud alike. Every plant runs Kinetic 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 Epicor partner or your own developers can also build on SkyPlanner’s documented API (API reference).
The technical details are in the Epicor Kinetic integration guide for production scheduling.
Where Epicor Kinetic’s own scheduling falls short
Kinetic schedules finite capacity, and Epicor sells a separate APS module for more. Epicor’s planning and scheduling brochure draws the line: “The Advanced Planning and Scheduling module provides the ability to use more than two resource constraints.” In daily production, that means:
- Three constraints at once need APS. Base scheduling gives an operation a machine plus one tool or one employee. A crew, a fixture and material together need the APS module.
- The schedule moves only when someone runs it. After a breakdown or a rush order, a planner reruns Global Scheduling or drags work on a scheduling board.
- Finite is easy to switch off by accident. The setting lives on the resource, the resource group, Site Maintenance and each scheduling tool. Miss one and the run plans as if capacity were unlimited.
Every layer is explained in Does Epicor Kinetic have finite capacity scheduling?
Epicor Kinetic alone vs with SkyPlanner
| Epicor Kinetic alone | Epicor Kinetic with SkyPlanner APS | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Finite per resource up to a horizon; two constraints without APS | Every machine, person and tool finite, with real shifts |
| Schedule | Global Scheduling by priority; planners fix it on the boards | Detailed schedule for every operation in seconds |
| Changeovers | Setup Grouping; setup optimization needs APS | Jobs ordered for the least setup time |
| Materials | Constrained materials shown to the planner; hard constraint needs APS | Jobs start when stock or incoming deliveries are there |
| Changes | A planner reruns scheduling or moves work on a board | Autopilot replans the whole plant within your priorities |
| Shop floor | Start Activity and Labor Entry in Kinetic | Operators see their queue on phone or tablet; work posts back as labor |
How to choose a scheduler for Epicor Kinetic
Kinetic’s own scheduling, with APS if you license it, fits a plant with a few bottlenecks, clean standards and an admin who tunes the engine.
- Choose SkyPlanner when you need more than two constraints without an APS project. Machines, crews, tools and materials sit in one finite schedule.
- Choose SkyPlanner when changeovers decide your output. SkyPlanner orders jobs for the least total setup.
- Choose SkyPlanner when the plan changes during the shift. Autopilot replans without a scheduling run, and the new dates go back to Kinetic.
- Choose SkyPlanner when a machine or a person is out. Work moves to alternative machines and people automatically.
- Choose SkyPlanner when material arrival decides which job starts. An operation is planned after its material is due in.
- Choose SkyPlanner when you want scheduling and shop-floor reporting in one tool, with the logged work going back to Kinetic.
How to get started
- Start the free trial. 30 days, up to 20 workstations, all Basic features, no credit card.
- Model your production. Create workstations from your Kinetic resources and resource groups, then add people and shifts. Assisted onboarding is available.
- Load your jobs. Export open jobs and operations from Kinetic to Excel, import them and compare SkyPlanner’s schedule with your current plan.
- Connect Epicor Kinetic. 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 Epicor Kinetic have finite capacity scheduling?
Yes. Kinetic schedules finite per resource within a finite horizon, and the APS module adds more than two constraints and optimization rules. Both run when a planner starts a run or moves work on a board. SkyPlanner APS adds an automatic finite schedule for every workstation that Autopilot keeps current.
Do we need to install anything in Kinetic?
You buy no add-on product. SkyPlanner runs in the cloud beside Kinetic and connects through Kinetic’s own REST API, Business Activity Queries and Epicor Functions. The SkyPlanner team sets up the connection during onboarding.
Does SkyPlanner replace Kinetic’s manufacturing functions?
No, it works on top of them. Kinetic keeps parts, methods of manufacture, MRP, purchasing, inventory and finance. SkyPlanner schedules the jobs against real capacity and sends the dates back.
How much does SkyPlanner cost for an Epicor Kinetic 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 resources, syncs jobs and purchase orders, and sends dates and labor back. Everything is tested against your current plan before go-live.
Can we test SkyPlanner before integrating with Epicor Kinetic?
Yes. The 30-day trial runs on an Excel or CSV export of your open jobs. You see a finite capacity schedule of your own production before any integration work starts.
Do we need the Kinetic APS module to use SkyPlanner?
No. SkyPlanner does its own finite capacity scheduling from Kinetic jobs, operations, resources and materials. MRP stays in Kinetic, and SkyPlanner runs the detailed operation schedule.
