Integrations / ERP / SAP Business ByDesign
SkyPlanner APS for SAP Business ByDesign: Finite Capacity Production Scheduling
SkyPlanner APS is a finite capacity scheduling add-on for SAP Business ByDesign that schedules every machine, operator, tool and material at real clock times. Arcturus optimizes the whole plan in seconds, and Autopilot reschedules automatically when production changes.
SkyPlanner integrates with SAP Business ByDesign in both directions. Production orders, Production Models with their Bills of Material and Bills of Operations, equipment and labor resources, materials, stock and purchase orders flow in. Planned start dates and the main resource go back to the production orders, and confirmed quantities and finished tasks go back to the production lots. The SkyPlanner team configures the integration to your ByDesign tenant 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
A real sequence on every machine.
SkyPlanner places every operation on a specific machine at a specific time, not in a weekly bucket. Shifts, absences and overtime set the capacity, so the plan is one the floor can run.
Changeovers cost less.
The setting time matrix holds the switch time between each pair of products, in both directions. Blue to red may take 30 minutes and red to blue 60. Arcturus runs 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 mold in use on one machine is never booked on another. When a machine is busy, work moves to an alternative machine or person.
Material arrives before the job starts.
SkyPlanner checks stock and incoming purchase orders for every material. A production order waiting on a supplier delivery is planned after that delivery date, not released and then stopped on the floor.
Rush orders and breakdowns replanned automatically.
When a machine stops or a rush order lands, Autopilot reschedules. Running Time Lock freezes the next hours of work, so the floor is not disrupted.
Operators see their queue.
Each operator sees the next jobs on a phone or tablet and logs work as it happens. Users are unlimited, and confirmations flow back to the production lots in ByDesign.
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.
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.
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.
How the SAP Business ByDesign integration works
- ByDesign sends the work. Released production orders with their operations, Production Models, Bills of Material and Bills of Operations, equipment and labor resources, materials, stock and purchase orders flow into SkyPlanner.
- SkyPlanner builds the schedule and keeps it current. Arcturus plans every operation on every resource in seconds and replans as production changes.
- Dates, resources and confirmations go back. The planned start and the main resource return to each production order. Confirmed quantities, scrap and finished tasks post to the production lot.
SAP Business ByDesign stays your system of record. Materials, Production Models, Supply Planning, purchasing, inventory, costing and finance stay where they are. SkyPlanner owns one thing: the sequence and timing of every operation on every machine, person and tool.
SkyPlanner reads ByDesign data through SAP’s released A2X web services, such as Query Production Orders, Query Production Model and Query Purchase Orders, and through custom OData services. It writes back through two released services. Manage Production Orders sets the EarliestStartPeriod and the operation MainResourceID. Manage Production Lots posts confirmed quantities, scrap and finished tasks. SkyPlanner webhooks push every schedule change as it happens, and the ByDesign sync frequency is set per plant.
Every company runs ByDesign differently, so the SkyPlanner team configures the integration to your tenant during onboarding over the REST API and supports it after go-live. The integration is quoted up front for your process and needs. Your SAP ByDesign partner or your own developers can also build on SkyPlanner’s documented API (API reference).
Web services, data mapping and write-back rules are in the SAP ByDesign APS integration guide for production scheduling.
What SAP ByDesign schedules, and what SkyPlanner adds
SAP Business ByDesign plans materials and checks capacity at an aggregated level. SAP’s own help sets the limits:
- The planning run is infinite. “The planning run schedules production proposals based on infinite resources using the location calendar.” (SAP help, Load Leveling)
- Capacity is rough-cut. “In rough-cut planning, capacity is typically checked in buckets, such as days, weeks, or months.” The requirement of a planning operation is spread evenly between its start and end. (SAP help, Capacity Planning)
- Load Leveling is manual and stops at the horizon. The planner runs it from the Resource Load view. “If the available capacity is not sufficient, the planning operation is infinitely scheduled in the first bucket after the load leveling horizon.”
- The sequence is left to the floor. “The dispatching of operations on resources to fulfill several production orders is normally determined on the shop floor.”
- Only main resources count. In production orders, “The availability of main resources is considered for scheduling.” SAP’s list of what order scheduling considers names main resources only: their availability in the resource calendar and their planned duration. (SAP help, Production Orders)
SkyPlanner adds the detailed layer ByDesign leaves to the shop floor: a finite capacity sequence for every operation, with operators, tools, changeovers and incoming material solved together. The new dates go back to the production orders, so ByDesign planning, purchasing and finance work from the real schedule.
Every step and limit is explained in Does SAP ByDesign have finite capacity scheduling?
SAP ByDesign today and with SkyPlanner
| SAP ByDesign Supply Planning | SAP ByDesign with SkyPlanner APS | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Planning run infinite; rough-cut capacity in buckets of shifts, days, weeks or months | Every machine, person and tool finite, with real shifts and clock times |
| Sequence | Dispatching determined on the shop floor | Arcturus optimizes the whole plan in seconds |
| Overloads | Load Leveling run by the planner; overflow scheduled infinitely after the horizon | Every operation placed where capacity exists |
| Resources | Order scheduling considers main resources | Machines, operators and tools all finite; a job that needs three operators gets three people |
| Changeovers | Setup and tear-down activities in the Bill of Operations | Setting time matrix: blue→red 30 min, red→blue 60 min, least total setup |
| Materials | Planning run creates proposals, separate from machine time | Jobs start when stock or incoming purchase orders arrive |
| Near-term plan | Firmed proposals are not moved | Running Time Lock freezes the next hours of work |
| Changes | Rerun the planning run and Load Leveling | Autopilot replans within your priorities |
| Shop floor | Task Control and production confirmations in ByDesign | Operators see their queue and log work on phone or tablet, unlimited users |
SAP ByDesign scheduling software and add-ons compared
| Option | What it is | Fits when |
|---|---|---|
| ByDesign Supply Planning and Load Leveling | Infinite planning run, rough-cut capacity buckets and interactive leveling in the Resource Load view | You need material proposals and a weekly view of overloaded resources |
| APS suites (for example PlanetTogether, Delfoi Planner) | Separate scheduling software connected to ByDesign through an implementation project | A planning team runs the scheduler as its own application |
| Demand-driven planning platforms (for example b2wise) | Buffer and control-point planning on top of SAP data | The main problem is stock buffers, not machine sequences |
| Cloud APS connected by API (SkyPlanner APS) | A scheduler in the browser that syncs with ByDesign production orders both ways | The schedule should optimize itself, keep current and reach every operator |
Choose SkyPlanner over ByDesign Load Leveling when:
- You need a sequence, not a bucket. ByDesign checks capacity in buckets of shifts, days, weeks or months. Arcturus places every operation at a clock time on a specific machine.
- The plan changes several times a week. Autopilot replans automatically on every meaningful change, and the new start dates go back to the production orders.
- Operators and tools limit the plan. ByDesign production order scheduling considers main resources. SkyPlanner makes every machine, person, tool and material finite at once, and staffs multi-operator jobs.
- Changeovers decide your output. The setting time matrix holds directional changeover times and runs the sequence with the least total setup.
- 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 one monthly price. From 199 € per month, with the two-way integration quoted up front 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 ByDesign equipment and labor resources. Assisted onboarding is available.
- Load your production orders. Export open production orders and their operations from ByDesign to Excel, import them and compare SkyPlanner’s schedule with your current plan.
- Connect SAP Business ByDesign. 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, read the advanced planning and scheduling guide, or browse all ERP integrations. Running another SAP system? See SkyPlanner for SAP Business One and SkyPlanner for SAP S/4HANA.
FAQ
What is the best scheduling add-on for SAP Business ByDesign?
SkyPlanner APS is a finite capacity scheduling add-on that integrates with SAP Business ByDesign in both directions. Production orders, Production Models, resources, materials, stock and purchase orders flow in. Planned start dates and main resources go back to the production orders, and confirmations go back to the production lots. Every machine, operator, tool and material is finite, and Autopilot reschedules automatically when production changes. Pricing is from 199 € per month, and the free trial runs for 30 days.
Does SAP ByDesign have finite capacity scheduling?
Not at the machine level. The ByDesign planning run is infinite, capacity is checked in rough-cut buckets, and Load Leveling is an interactive step that schedules overflow infinitely after its horizon. SAP’s help leaves operation dispatching to the shop floor. SkyPlanner APS schedules every machine, person, tool and material finitely beside ByDesign.
What scheduling software integrates with SAP Business ByDesign?
SkyPlanner APS integrates with SAP Business ByDesign in both directions through SAP’s released web services. It reads production orders, Production Models, resources, materials and purchase orders through the Query services and custom OData. It writes the EarliestStartPeriod and the operation MainResourceID through Manage Production Orders, and confirmations through Manage Production Lots.
Should we use ByDesign Load Leveling or SkyPlanner?
SkyPlanner, when you need a sequence per machine that keeps itself current. Load Leveling evens out buckets in the Resource Load view when the planner runs it, and production order scheduling considers main resources only. SkyPlanner places every operation at a clock time, plans operators, tools, changeovers and material together, and replans automatically. Keep Supply Planning for material proposals and let SkyPlanner own the operation schedule.
Does SkyPlanner replace ByDesign Supply Planning or Production Control?
No, it works on top of them. ByDesign keeps materials, Production Models, the planning run, purchasing, inventory, costing and finance. SkyPlanner schedules released production orders against real capacity and sends the dates back.
Is this the same integration as SAP Business One or SAP S/4HANA?
No. Each SAP ERP has its own APIs, and SkyPlanner connects to each one separately. See SkyPlanner for SAP Business One and SkyPlanner for SAP S/4HANA.
How much does SkyPlanner cost for a ByDesign company?
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 and Bills of Operations, 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 ByDesign?
Yes. The 30-day trial runs on an Excel export of your open ByDesign production orders. You see a finite capacity schedule of your own production before any integration work starts.
