Utilities

Utilities are equipment, energy, water, labor, and other production inputs required to use a resource. Utilities represent capacity, including labor force, trucks, and pipeline. These are not uniquely identifiable resources. For example, there must be sufficient capacity to perform a task whether a pipeline or Truck is used to complete a task may not matter. You can claim the capacity or part of it for a resource or resource group. You can also claim a part of the capacity for a resource. The demand for utilities can be set when defining a resource or resource group. Available capacity of utilities is displayed as a graph in the utility requirements area of the planning board.

A utility acts as a pool of similar units, however this is not uniquely identifiable. The utility is of limited capacity that can be claimed for each batch segment by resources. This can be partially used and also used by more than one resource simultaneously.

You must ensure that the available capacity must not exceed the utility allocation. As a utility is used by a resource, only the unused capacity is available. The used capacity is contrasted with available capacity as a function of time and is graphically represented in the utility requirement view of the planning board.

These are the types of utilities:

• Reusable: A reusable utility with capacity is available and can be reused after the completion of the allocated activity. Most equipment can be considered as a reusable utility.
• Renewable: A renewable utility is consumed, however this is reusable. The total capacity is available again after the completion a process or tank batch. For example, water and electricity are renewable utilities.

You can use these tabs in the Utility Entry window:

• General: To specify information such as timetable and maximum and minimum claims for a utility.
• Availability: To define availability of a utility.
• Availability Exceptions: To set exceptions for the default availability of a utility. You can define the period during which only limited, or no capacity is available, such as training or a holiday. The defined exceptions override the default utility for the same time period.