Use the demand planner in Orchestrate to create suggested works orders and purchase orders based on demand, stock position, and planned purchase orders. Before planning, ensure that resources, processes, and items are configured correctly.
To plan an order, Orchestrate must have data configured across three key areas. Create or update this data before planning for the first time.
Orders consist or Ordered Items
Items are made using a Process
Processes are made up of Process Steps
Each Process Step requires a Resource
When Orders are planned… Orchestrate creates a series of Tasks… on the available Resources… linked by Dependencies
Equivalent business terminology
Works Orders for Finished Goods
Finished Goods are made using a Routing
Routings are made up of Operations
Each Operation requires a Resource
So, to plan an order, a Resource,Process and Item is needed. Each of these are maintained in the relevant menus. The first time an order for an item is planned, be sure to check these exist and enter them if they don’t.
Resources
Each machine/resource used in Orchestrate should be entered under “Resources…” if there is a choice of Resources for an operation, the choice is entered as a Resource Group, in the “Resource Groups…” menu option.
To create/change a Resource:
Go to Resources.
Search for existing Resources to change by typing part of the Code or description and clicking “Search”
Or click New to create a new one
To create/change a Resource Group:
Go to Resources
Click Resource Groups
Click Edit
To change a Resource Group, select the group on the left, its Resources are displayed on the right.
To add a group, click New Row, then enter its code, description and add resources to the group on the right.
Processes
Each Item is made by following a Process. A Process is made of 1 or more steps, that each requires a Resource.
Create/change a Process.
Go to Planning
Click on Processes
Search for an existing process or click New to create a new one.
Enter a Code and description for the process. Note: can copy an existing process by selecting the row required and clicking Copy Selected Process.
Select the Process Details tab
The Process Steps
The Process steps are entered at the top and the Op Dependencies (links between ops), Secondary Resources (Op Resources) and Op Costs and Outcomes are at the bottom of the screen.
Some Columns pay attention to the Resource (The machine that will be used). This can refer to a Resource Group, in which case Orchestrate will pick a resource from the group when it plans the order.
Use Setup Table/Use Rate Table – get Orchestrate to calculate setup time by configuring rules in Items, Item Setup Times and Item Production Rates
Process Duration (mins) – Task duration if it is fixed o Mins/Per item (Rate the task runs at if it is variable).
Earliest Start Date – Set to Add to Plan Date or Deadline Date – Good options are First Usage (when Orchestrate thinks the produced item will be consumed) or Order Deadline (when the order is due by – normally defined outside Orchestrate) or Item – Almost always Order Item
In Op Costs and Outcomes, a step with the outcome .BoM usage will be required – this is the point in time that Orchestrate consumes the Bill of Materials for the Order.
.Item Production – this is where the order will produce the ordered item.
In Op Dependencies Link the ops together – or Orchestrate will think they are not related. Can define min/max offsets which enforce timings between ops. Can have Finish-Start, Start-Start or Finish-Finish Relations between steps to In Op Resources
Can list additional resources required at the same time.
They can be required for Setup and Work, just Setup or just Work E.g. Labour, Tooling, or to represent a constraint Item
Items represent any finished good, raw material, part etc. in the system
Each Item has a Process and batching data – maintained in the “Items…” menu
If the process to make an item is based on a rate table, the rates must be set in Item Production Rates
Create or edit an item
Go to Items
Click Items.
Search for an existing Item to edit.
Double click on the item to edit, or select the rows to change and click Edit
It may be required to change the Process or Batch Sizes
Click New to create a new item
The main ones to pay attention to are:
Unit of Measure or Process – this is the Process that Orchestrate will use to plan an order for this item.
If the process is PURCHASING, Orchestrate will plan a Purchase Order for this item.
If Process is blank – Orchestrate won’t be able to plan an order for the item.
Mfg Batch Size – Minimum batch size for the Item, this is the least the Demand Planner will suggest to make
Batch Multiple – This is the multiple expected to plan
Maximum Batch Size – This is the biggest batch planned to the Supplier Lead
Time/Process Lead Time (Days) – Orchestrate will add these together and plan any new order allowing the lead time entered here, calculated from the plan status date.
Lot for Lot – If enabled, Orchestrate will make a batch per customer order or Make – Is the Item Manufactured or Bought-In. If the item is Bought-In, the process for the item should be PURCHASING, unless there is a particular QA process it should follow once received, in which case this should be defined separately
Add a production rate for an item
Go to Items
Click on the Item Production Rates button.
Rates can be set for a specific Item running on a specific Resource.
If there is already a rate set for the Item, search for it, select it, and click Edit to change the rate.
If there is no rate for the item, click New to create a new one.
It is not required to enter the from date.
Double click in the Resource column to select a Resource from the ones available.
Double click the Item column to select the relevant item.
The rate is in Items/Min – this can be changed using the drop-down in the top right. Enter the correct rate.
Planning an Order
Use the Orchestrate Demand Planner to create suggested Works Orders and Purchase Orders.The Demand Planner looks at:
The Demand coming from Sales Orders
Forecast Demand (created in the Orders, Daily Demand, Weekly Demand or Monthly Demand menus)
Current Stock position
Planned Purchase Orders
And calculates quantities of material required. Can then use the demand planner to plan Works Orders to satisfy that demand.
Plan a works order with the demand planner
Open a plan.
Select Demand Planner in the left panel.
The demand planner lists each Item in the System.
The first thing is to filter it for Items to Plan.
Select the filter required, or create a new one by clicking New – can be filtered by:
Qty Required > 0 – all demanded items in the selected look ahead period or Process <> Blank Process – All items with a process e.g. Process = PURCHASING – All purchased items or Item Code Starts With “X” – All items with a code beginning “X”
Columns of interest:
Plan First Required Date – the first time this item is required on this plan
Qty Required – the amount of open demand in the period specified by the Look Ahead (e.g. demand in the next 7 days). This includes late sales orders of Stock (The Items current stock position that are capable to make), the amount that could be made based on the BoM and the number of components in stock right now
Qty to Add – The amount Orchestrate will plan. Note: Can edit this by double-clicking it (to plan orders even if there is no demand for the item).
Planning Process – The process for the item. If there is no process the Demand Planner won’t plan an order
Qty Planned – the amount already planned
Resources – a list of resources the process might use if the order was planned, based on the process for the item
Plan Required – The demand coming directly from tasks on the plan
BoM required – The demand calculated by Orchestrate by exploding the Bill of Materials for unsatisfied Sales Orders
Change the look ahead – this will affect the Qty Required calculation.
Change the add to plan date – this is the earliest the order will plan.
Select the row for the item to plan.
Click Add to Plan – Orchestrate creates a Works Order and puts tasks on the Plan based on the Process for the Item.
Demand Planner Settings
Search for Unpegged Material – If the order requires component materials, search for them on the plan. If there is a required PO or WO on the plan, plan after that
Demand Details – Add a column to the demand planner for each day in the look ahead. Calculate the demand on that day
Net Shortfall Details – Similar to Demand Details, but only the shortfall
Scroll Gantt Chart on Add to Plan – self-explanatory
Check Downstream Planner Usages – when backwards planning, look for orders short of the item being planned. If there are any, plan before the order being fed.