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The Nearest Challenger Line in an Optimizer Result
When the optimizer says your plan is still the best, it often names the runner-up and how far behind it was. That one line tells you how close the decision was and whether to look again.
What Happens When the CP-SAT Solver Is Not Installed
You selected the mathematical solver in Options but the badge still says best of N tried. That is a deliberate fallback, not a fault, and here is how to confirm it and what you keep.
What the Optimizer Needs Before Its First Run
Four prerequisites, only one of which is mandatory. Here is the short checklist before your first optimizer run, and the two messages that tell you a prerequisite is missing.
Why Optimizer Changes Show an Arrow and a Word
Every Change cell in the optimizer comparison carries a direction arrow and the word better or worse, never a color alone. Here is why that matters and how to read the table quickly.
Why the Least Setup Time Goal Is Missing From Your Optimizer
The setup-reduction goal is hidden until sequence-dependent setup data exists. Here is why the optimizer withholds it, what it would need, and what to use in the meantime.
Comparing Two Optimizer Runs Before You Commit
Running the optimizer twice with different goals costs a minute and shows you the trade space. Here is how to compare two proposals and pick the one to accept.
Does Running the Optimizer Disturb Your Plant?
A run holds everything in memory, locks nothing, and is invisible to other users until you accept. Here is exactly what a run touches and what it leaves alone.
How the Optimizer Is Verified Against Public Benchmarks
The solver is checked nightly against a public job shop benchmark with a known optimal answer, plus parity, determinism, and never-worse tests. Here is what each proves.
Job Priorities Versus the Schedule Optimizer
Good priorities set the queue, but no fixed priority order fixes every interleaving problem. Here is what each tool does and why you still need both.
Optimizer Messages and What They Mean
Every message the optimizer shows has a specific cause and a specific fix. Here is the full list, from no open orders to a missing goal to a stale proposal banner.
The Makespan Metric in Schedule Optimization
Makespan measures the span from the first start to the last end of your whole plan. Here is how the optimizer calculates it, when to chase it, and when to ignore it.
What the Optimizer Does Not Change
The optimizer's only lever is the order jobs are taken. Routings, quantities, capacity, calendars, due dates, and recorded work are all off limits by design.