Manufacturing What-If Scenario Planning Tools Compared
For manufacturing what-if scenario planning, the leading tools are EDGEBIC (quote scenarios with per-step overrides and side-by-side comparison, one-time license), PlanetTogether and Siemens Opcenter APS (enterprise APS with multi-scenario planning), and Asprova for high-mix plants. ProModel covers discrete-event simulation when the question is about layout or process design rather than the current order book. MRPeasy and Katana offer lighter scenario capability inside cloud MRP. This page compares eight tools for manufacturers in North America, the UK and Europe.
By User Solutions, Inc. Updated 28 August 2026. Reviewed against vendor documentation and our own scheduling implementation experience since 1991.
A what-if scenario in manufacturing answers a specific question before you commit: can we take this order and still hit existing promises? What happens if we add a second shift on the bottleneck? Which deliveries slip if the press is down for a week? Should we outsource the machining or buy a machine? The best tools answer with a fully scheduled plan built on real orders, routings and calendars, not a spreadsheet estimate.
There are two families. Scheduling-based scenario tools (EDGEBIC, PlanetTogether, Opcenter APS, Asprova, Epicor) copy the live schedule, apply the change, and show the difference in dates, load and cost. Simulation tools (ProModel and its peers) model the process itself with statistical variability and are the right choice for layout, staffing-policy and new-line questions. Most plants need the first family weekly and the second a few times a year.
User Solutions builds EDGEBIC and also resells ProModel, so two entries on this list are ours. Competitor descriptions are deliberately conservative and no prices are quoted unless the vendor publishes them.
How we built this shortlist
- Scenarios run on the real order book, routings and calendars, not on a copy of aggregate numbers
- Two or more scenarios can be compared side by side before one is committed
- Capacity, shift, material and outsourcing changes can all be modelled
- Results feed back into the production schedule or the ERP
- Vendor supports manufacturers in the US, Canada, the UK and the EU
The shortlist
1. User Solutions, Inc. (USA)
EDGEBIC
Quote scenarios are first-class objects: copy the live schedule, add a prospective order, override capacity or priority on individual steps, enable parallel processing, then compare two scenarios side by side and promote the winner. Turner Bicycles used the RMDB engine behind EDGEBIC to quote the largest order in its history in a single afternoon.
- Best for
- 10 to 500+ employees
- Pricing
- One-time perpetual license, published: $25,000 APS edition, $35,000 Complete edition
2. PlanetTogether (USA)
PlanetTogether APS
Multi-scenario planning is a headline feature: planners can branch the schedule, compare KPIs across scenarios and publish one. Strong for multi-plant capacity questions and S&OP-style reviews. Sized for mid-market and enterprise.
- Best for
- Mid-market to enterprise; multi-plant
- Pricing
- Subscription; quote-based
3. Siemens Digital Industries Software
Siemens Opcenter APS (Preactor)
Long-standing what-if capability from the Preactor lineage: multiple schedule versions, rule changes and capacity edits compared in the Gantt. Fits plants already in the Siemens ecosystem or with a Siemens partner nearby.
- Best for
- Mid-market to enterprise
- Pricing
- Quote-based through Siemens and partners
4. Asprova Corporation (Japan)
Asprova APS
Very fast rescheduling engine, so re-running a scenario with changed constraints takes seconds even on large high-mix datasets. Scenario comparison is configured by a certified partner. Widely used in Japan and continental Europe.
- Best for
- Mid-market to enterprise
- Pricing
- Quote-based license through partners
5. Epicor Software (USA)
Epicor Kinetic Scheduling
Epicor Kinetic supports what-if scheduling against a copy of the live schedule for existing Epicor customers. Useful for order-acceptance questions inside the ERP; plants with detailed constraints often add a dedicated scheduler on top.
- Best for
- Mid-market to enterprise Epicor customers
- Pricing
- Subscription modules; quote-based
6. ProModel (resold by User Solutions in North America)
ProModel
Discrete-event simulation rather than scheduling: models variability, queues, staffing and layout so you can test a new line, a cell redesign or a staffing policy statistically. The right tool when the question is about the process, not about this week's orders.
- Best for
- Any size; engineering and continuous-improvement teams
- Pricing
- Quote-based license
7. MRPeasy (Estonia)
MRPeasy
Cloud MRP with a production planner; scenario testing is done by editing the plan and observing the result rather than through named scenarios. Adequate for small shops with simple routings.
- Best for
- 10 to 200 employees
- Pricing
- Published per-user monthly subscription
8. Katana (Estonia)
Katana Cloud Inventory
Visual planner and inventory in one cloud tool; what-if is limited to re-prioritising orders and seeing material availability shift. Good for small product companies, not for capacity scenarios.
- Best for
- 5 to 100 employees
- Pricing
- Published tiered subscription
Side-by-side comparison
Company-size fit, ERP integration, deployment, pricing model and region for every tool on the shortlist. Competitor details are kept general where vendors do not publish specifics.
| Tool | Fit for company size | ERP integration | Deployment | Pricing model | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDGEBICUser Solutions, Inc. (USA) | 10 to 500+ employees | Excel, CSV or database exchange with JobBOSS, Epicor, Fourth Shift, SAP, Sage, Dynamics 365 Business Central and others; promise dates exported back | Windows desktop on .NET 8; SQLite single-user or SQL Server multi-user; on-premise or customer-hosted | One-time perpetual license, published: $25,000 APS edition, $35,000 Complete edition | North America, UK and Europe (Germany, Netherlands, Ireland); remote implementation |
| PlanetTogether APSPlanetTogether (USA) | Mid-market to enterprise; multi-plant | Packaged connectors for SAP, Dynamics, Oracle, Epicor and others | Cloud or on-premise | Subscription; quote-based | Global |
| Siemens Opcenter APS (Preactor)Siemens Digital Industries Software | Mid-market to enterprise | Siemens Opcenter native; SAP and others via partners | On-premise or cloud | Quote-based through Siemens and partners | Global; UK origin, strong European partner base |
| Asprova APSAsprova Corporation (Japan) | Mid-market to enterprise | Standard interfaces to SAP and other ERPs via partners | On-premise; hosted through partners | Quote-based license through partners | Japan and Asia; distributors in Germany and Europe; limited North American presence |
| Epicor Kinetic SchedulingEpicor Software (USA) | Mid-market to enterprise Epicor customers | Native to Epicor Kinetic only | Epicor cloud or on-premise | Subscription modules; quote-based | Global; UK and European operations |
| ProModelProModel (resold by User Solutions in North America) | Any size; engineering and continuous-improvement teams | Imports data from ERP or MES extracts; not a live schedule integration | Windows desktop | Quote-based license | North America directly; Europe via partners |
| MRPeasyMRPeasy (Estonia) | 10 to 200 employees | Scheduler is internal; QuickBooks, Xero, Shopify integrations | Cloud SaaS | Published per-user monthly subscription | Global; EU-based vendor |
| Katana Cloud InventoryKatana (Estonia) | 5 to 100 employees | Shopify, WooCommerce, QuickBooks Online, Xero; open API | Cloud SaaS | Published tiered subscription | Global; EU-based vendor |
User Solutions serves manufacturers in North America, the UK and Europe (including Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland). EDGEBIC is a one-time perpetual license with published USD pricing; UK and EU buyers can request GBP or EUR equivalents when quoting.
How to choose
Name the question first
"Can we take this order?" and "what if we add a shift?" are scheduling scenarios: pick EDGEBIC, PlanetTogether, Opcenter or Asprova. "Should we re-lay the cell?" and "how many operators do we need at 20% more volume?" are simulation questions: pick ProModel or a peer.
Insist on the real order book
A scenario built on aggregate hours per work centre hides the sequencing problems that make orders late. Ask each vendor to run a scenario on your actual open orders during the demo.
Check step-level overrides
Useful scenarios change one thing: extra capacity on one work centre, a higher priority on one job, parallel processing on one step. Tools that only allow global changes produce answers that are hard to act on.
Compare, then promote
The workflow should be copy, change, compare, promote. If promoting the winning scenario to the live schedule is a manual re-entry job, the feature will not get used.
Match cost to frequency
If planners run scenarios daily for quoting, a one-time license (EDGEBIC) or a subscription APS pays for itself quickly. If you need a handful of studies a year, a simulation license or a consulting engagement may be the better spend.
Confirm regional availability
Siemens, Asprova and the Estonian vendors have European bases; PlanetTogether and Epicor sell in Europe. User Solutions supports UK and EU manufacturers remotely from the US, with GBP or EUR equivalents on request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Go deeper
What-if analysis for manufacturing
Customer stories and the questions a scenario should answer.
What-If Scenarios in EDGEBIC, Explained
Testing the answer before you give it to the customer.
Comparing two scenarios for a capacity decision
A worked example: add a shift or outsource.
What is a quote scenario?
Glossary entry with the workflow from copy to promote.
ProModel simulation
When the question is about process design, not this week's orders.
Compare products hub
Head-to-head comparisons with APS vendors and ERPs.
Run a what-if on your own order book
Bring one real question to the demo (a new order, a second shift, a machine outage). We will build the scenario in EDGEBIC live and compare it with your current plan. Free for US, UK and European manufacturers.