All functionality discussed below is available both in Sage 200 and in the Sage 50 ‘Manufacturing Controller’ variant.

The Sage Graphical Planner is powered by Preactor International ‘the world leader in Production Planning and Scheduling software... the number of companies using the [Preactor] product recently reached the 2500 mark.’ (Source: www.preactor.co.uk). This specially configured version uses data transferred from Sage Manufacturing and allocates jobs (i.e. Works Order Routings) to resources in the most efficient manner. It is a single resource planner, which means for example that Machines or Labour may be scheduled but not both at the same time.

It is a very powerful facility but can at first sight appear a little daunting.

However, with assistance in setting up and adequate product training there is no doubt that the Planner can become an essential tool providing invaluable help in making best use of resources and meeting due delivery dates.

Data is passed to the Planner according to the entries in Planning Settings. One resource, typically Machines or Labour, must be designated as the Primary Resource which will then be scheduled, the user selecting a forwards or a backwards basis. Whilst the Secondary Resource is not scheduled, its usage is measured in terms of capacity and warnings are displayed if that capacity is exceeded.

MRP ‘make’ Recommendations and existing Works Order details can be passed to the planner, the latter with fixed dates so that the recommendations are scheduled around them. Transferring data is a ‘one-click’ operation. After the Scheduler has allocated jobs a Gantt Chart can be displayed

The bars represent start and end times of allocated jobs, and the user can now make any adjustments to the schedule by ‘dragging and dropping’ the bars as required. Although existing Works Orders are shown with their previously allocated start and end dates, these also may be changed – any amendments are passed back to Works Order Processing so documentation may need to be reprinted.

The Planner will use multiple shift patterns at factory, group or individual machine level. ‘Calendar States’ may be created to define different types of working time e.g. Shift; Out of Shift; Planned Maintenance; Overtime etc. and each Calendar State can have an efficiency % attached to it. The Planner will work according to those parameters. Even after these Calendar States have been set up, it is possible to enter exceptions for a specific day to cover e.g. a machine breakdown.

When the sequencer has been run i.e. when jobs have been allocated to resources, it easy to see which jobs will be late (highlighted in red) and which are ‘at risk’ (highlighted in yellow). ‘At Risk’ means that part or all of any safety time is actually being used in order to complete the job in time – these jobs are therefore especially vulnerable to any unforeseen occurrences such as a machine breakdown.

One especially powerful function of the Planner is its ability to calculate, with one mouse click, the amount of overtime needed on any particular job in order to complete it on time.

There are no differences between the Sage 50 and the Sage 200 Graphical Planner.