Forum Discussion
Creating production schedule in Project
As an update, we started using Project in Production scheduling and it seems to be working fine. Looks like we can keep using it for longer term. We are using Desktop client, for now we took subscription of Project 3 to download the desktop since it gives monthly option, but we hope that soon we buy Perpetual license of Project in a month or so.
Perhaps creating scheduling is possible for us now, and next thing to learn is get actuals from shop floor and update in timely manner, reschedule as needed. Since things are not so well organized at shop floor for now, we may need to reschedule quite often, and that seems to be a challenge for now.
Upon creation of schedule, we are levelling it, before that we take care about predecessors and assigning resources' that most of the time they fit in well, but occasionally we overallocated and team planner show this issue.
We manage reassigning the tasks, but looks like team planner view is good to handle it but can you please help understanding its use and optimization a bit, for example in screen shot below, a large task is of 8h, but other are .1h and 3h, some task appear as single like, where as some as rectangle block? what does that mean?
It simply means that the timescale you have set in the Team Planner view is too coarse to show the .1h and .3h assignments in anything other an a narrow line. If you want to show the short assignments, you'll need to set the timescale to hours or perhaps even minutes, but doing so will make the 8h assignment span several screen scrolls.
John
RodFromm ,
I tried to create a simpler example on the link below:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mHOdtK6_3zPY89O6aBfbJ-QHhW2kus47/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101171441246165589914&rtpof=true&sd=trueEach bold row item indicated as firstone, secondone is a summary task, which basically is a finished product, and M1, M2, M3 are the machines for three different process stages. There will be multiple machine suitable for a stage, and we will allocate the one while creating a schedule.
I will try to keep similar color product as closely scheduled as possible, if in all cases it may be not possible that's fine, similarly at another stage I will prefer to keep same size product near by scheduled.
I have seen "Siemens Opcenter" as an alternative for this purpose, you may find it on internet.
Opcenter Production Scheduling for Plastic Injection Molding - ATS Global
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzPnpAsS4PA
APS vs ERP Scheduling: What APS Does that ERP Does Not (Opcenter Planning & Scheduling Webinar)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffcOSuskqEs
Basically we are able to schedule it well, challenge is current practicle does not care if all or most blue are nearby scheduled? so we need to do many set up changes if wish to follow, do you find some workaround? Please suggest.
- John,
If so, then it simply means we can not schedule based on color/size/such attributes and if there are no other ways to achieve it in MS project, then I would infer MS project is not suitable for production scheduling. I was hopeful that this would be achieved, at east with some tricks etc. - mkjain,
Yes you can create custom fields for color, size or any other attribute and you can even group on those fields. But custom fields are independent of Project's scheduling engine, custom fields are simply adjunct information.
Keep in mind that leveling only applies to resources, information in custom fields cannot be "leveled".
John - Hi,
I meant basic steps how to group based on color, like what features of ms project to use and how to. One way I expect is , create a custom field for color, group them by color.
View more group and create a group for color .
Then apply and level all? - mkjain,
Again, not fully knowing or understanding your process flow I can't tell you how to arrange your scheduling by color or size. You are the best one to determine which better fits with your process flow.
I suggest you try different scenarios and see which works best for you.
John I tested 'Action' based scheduling in last 2 days. It has some practical challenges at shop floor, we did see better comfort in arranging tasks stage wise, but then linking them between stages was a real challenge, because of grouping of products in one reel at one stage (for same size/color) etc.
After testing that we find that the current method (product wise) scheduling is suitable for our environment. So question remains about how to group based on color and size, as I requested in my previous post:
You asked whether to prefer color or size, I would say I can settle with one item at any particular process stage say Size and at another stage with color grouping? Is it possible to implement? Else I can also be fine with just one item say Size.
Can you please guide through this.
Thank you for all your support.
- mkjain,
I suggest you change everything to auto-scheduled whether previously planned or not.
By "task in progress" I simply mean a task that is started. When a task starts you should enter a date, and time if necessary, into the Actual Start field. Project will then adjust the Start field to agree with that date (i.e. adjust the plan to reflect reality). You can then also enter a value into the % Complete field as appropriate. If the task started as planned (i.e. started on the date in the Start field), then you can enter a value in the % Complete field and Project will automatically enter the Start date into the Actual Start field.
A task that started may or may not be expected to finish as planned (i.e. the task duration is less or more than originally planned). Once the actual start is established, you should also determine is the task's planned duration is still valid. If not, then you should enter an appropriate value into the Remaining Duration field.
John - Thanks.
I will convert one experiment schedule on 'Action' based items and see if that makes things more meaningful and revert.
In the screenshot, the tasks were manually scheduled, as they were previously planned, all new tasks added were in auto, we convert those in manual to change during levelling in newly added tasks.
In your fourth item, you say ' task that is in progress', what does that mean? Are those the tasks with dates of current date or behind current date? or all the tasks listed/scheduled above current editing task? It's difficult offering suggestions on how best to set up your process flow when I don't fully understand your business. But I can make a few comments that hopefully will help.
1. In Project the Task Name field should describe an activity to be performed using action verb format. For example, to paint a house the sequence of tasks could be: Powerwash exterior walls, Mask off non-paint areas, Spray first coat, Spray/roll second coat, Clean up. Your "task names" describe an end item (noun based) rather than an activity. The field you have named as "stage" is a better description of an activity. As such the "flow" of the schedule should be a sequence of activities.
2. All your tasks are manually scheduled. If you want to get the best use of Project's scheduling engine, I suggest you use auto-scheduling for all tasks.
3. As far as setting up the best sequence for color and size, it depends on what is the most efficient use of the machines needed to run those processes. For example, it is most efficient to run a single color for all sizes in sequence, or is it better to do the complete process for a given wire size in sequence.
4. Leveling will not change a task that is in progress if you have the option to "split in-progress tasks" de-selected (File > Options > Schedule group > Scheduling options for this project) and de-select a similar option in Leveling options.
John
As per your advise, I share as below, I now have two items to discuss,
1. one is grouping color and sizes,
2. another is when I add current week schedule, how to not disturb previous week schedule including resource levelling.
1. Please see task sheet showing sample data:
You can see chart here below:
As you may see, there are two columns size and color in right hand side, as of now we are planning each product FG (showing as summary task in row 4&11), each summary task is a FG product, and underneath sub task are independent stages for that particular FG.
At some stages, like insultation in 14,15,16, there are 3 colors, red yellow and blue. Each product may or may not have such stages. as of now since predecessors are set for each FG product for their own stages, so in one go, each product is scheduled. So at insulation, at first Red shall be processed, then blue and then Green. When next summary task's insulation stage will appear, it will be again Red, blue and green.
So essentially we shall change 6 times color.
Goal is to efficiently combine Red of several such multiple insulation products, then blue and green. Similarly we shall check if same size products are processed together. I think we need to take Size and color together.2. When I add current week schedule, how to not disturb previous week schedule including resource levelling. I tried to change previously scheduled tasks in manual mode, and added new tasks with Auto mode. But after levelling, it appears previous week tasks changed. In Team planner view, can I identify newly added tasks so as to only reposition them if needed.
Appreciate all your support.- mkjain,
Okay, let's see what you've got so far. Post a screen shot of your Gantt Chart view and then using what is shown in the view, describe what you want to see as far as color, size, etc.
John - Thanks.
I would like to continue seeking help in creating a production schedule mechanism in Project.
We have been able to create schedules, but there are many color and size of products are present and we would like to group them, still respecting each product's predecessors stages, delivery dates etc. what's best strategy/ way to handle this requirement?
I can create custom fields for color, size etc if that helps.
