Plan Materials at Operation Start

When the system is planning released jobs and production schedule releases, this field controls whether the materials for a job or production schedule release are required to be available at the operation's start date or at the job/PS release start date.

  • Select this field to plan the materials to be due at the start of the operation in which the materials are used. This method of planning results in a just-in-time material plan.
  • Clear this field to plan all materials to be due at the start of the job/production schedule.
Note: Planned production schedule releases are only affected by this parameter if the planning parameter Plan Planned Production Schedules (see “Plan Planned Production Schedules” on page 34 for more information), on the General tab, is selected.
Note: This field also determines how requirements are displayed on the Time Phased Inventory Status form and on the Purchase Requirements Report.

If the job or production schedule is released but not scheduled, APS plans the materials based on the setting of the Plan Materials at Operation Start field.

  1. When APS generates a PLN to satisfy a demand, it always plans the PLN's materials to be due at the start of the operation.
  2. If you then firm the PLN into a job or production schedule and rerun APS Planning, it again plans the materials at the start of the operation.
  3. Finally, when you release the job or production schedule and rerun APS Planning, the Plan Materials at Operation Start parameter determines whether the system plans the materials at the start of the operation or at the start of the job.
Note: These following bullet points apply if you are using APS:
  • If this parameter is cleared, the material demands will be due earlier than they were due in previous runs of APS Planning, before the job/production schedule was released. If you are running in APS mode, this situation may cause problems with resource capacity. Select this parameter to avoid this issue.
  • Items for which the MRP Item is selected are not affected by this parameter; they always require materials at the job/PS release start date.
  • Planned orders (PLNs) are not affected by this parameter; required materials for a planned order are always planned at the start of the operation.
  • Firm jobs are only affected by this parameter if the planning parameter Preserve Pre-Released Production Dates, on the APS tab, is selected. If Preserve Pre-Released Production Dates is cleared, the materials are planned at the start of the operation.

Default (Infinite APS): Do Not Select – Dates are based on infinite resources, so the accuracy of planning materials to the job start time is sufficient

Recommended (APS): Select – The Scheduler creates realistic start and end dates, APS honors those recommendations , including use of material at the appropriate operation start times, supporting lean manufacturing.