Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS)
Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) is manufacturing software that schedules every operation against real, finite capacity: machines, labor, tooling and materials at once. Where MRP assumes unlimited hours, APS places each job only where time is free, sequences work to meet due dates, and returns start and finish dates the shop floor can actually run.
Read the full APS guide
The complete explanation, with an APS vs MRP vs ERP table, a worked example and an FAQ, is here: What Is Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software?
Related Reading
- APS vs ERP scheduling - what each system does and why most plants run both
- Finite vs infinite capacity planning - the constraint check at the heart of APS
- Resource Manager DB (RMDB) and EDGEBIC (RMDB 2.0) by User Solutions - finite capacity APS from User Solutions
Related Terms
- Finite Capacity - Scheduling method that respects actual resource limits, the foundation of APS
- Gantt Chart - Visual scheduling tool used in APS to display and adjust production timelines
- What-If Analysis - Scenario simulation feature built into APS systems to evaluate scheduling alternatives
Learn more in our complete manufacturing glossary or production scheduling guide.
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