Planning
ABS has an advanced planning module, which is fully integrated with operational modules. ABS allows perfect management of inventories, avoiding shortages and inventory write off's. The following planning is included:
- Logistic Planning
- Production Planning
- Machine Planning
- Process Planning
- Inventory Planning
- Picking Area Planning
- Forecast
- Orderplan
Long term market planning is translated into short term actions.
Logistic Planning
Logistic Planning Production
In ABS the logistic planning is an up-to-date, consolidated planning that combines sales information (forecast, orderplan, orders and shipments), inventory, production and purchase to calculate the required quantities to produce of a variety. This calculated quantity could then be transferred in a production plan. Shortage of a product can result in direct actions towards alternatives or reservations. But also a surplus of inventory can lead to extra or alternative sales activities. In the planning all different units used for the differentforms of the product are recalculated to the base unit of the planning via the seedcount (Thousand Seed Weight).
Production Planning
The production plan is the result of the discussion about the logistical planning. It is a long term planning with a scope of several years.
Production Calendar
Machine Planning
The machine plan is the operational planning of the machines inside a plant. Since the seed is a season sensitive product the machine planning can be a very useful tool for the bottlenecks in the processing activities.
Process Planning
Process Day Planning
The process planning is a very powerful planning tool. In ABS it is possible to create a routing for a product based on the crop and/or production area. This routing describes which processes have to be executed to create a certain product including all quality activities that have to be done (quality assurance), like when and where to take a sample and which tests have to be executed. The routing is a proposal and can be easily modified based on the quality of the batch to start with, or on the results of the executed process. The use of routings will decrease the amount of operational administrative actions and increase the level of information towards the sales department regarding timing of availability of seed.
Inventory Planning
Inventory Planning
The inventory planning gives the user a perfect overview per crop of which products has a shortage/surplus in a certain period in weeks. The inventory planning shows per product/packaging several quantity figures like orderplan, orders, shipped orders, inventory, in process and quantities to receive. Based on that information an end figure of that period is calculated. With colours is indicated which product gives problems. The planning is also displayed in weeks.
Picking Area Planning
The picking area planning shows detailed information about the inventory status in the picking area, so the picking area planner can see, also within a certain period, if there is enough inventory available to ship the products in time.
Forecast
Forecast Analyses
The sales forecast is a long term planning covering several years ahead. The product as it sold in the market is planned as quantity per month including the expected price. The forecast is used for defining the production planning and to monitor the sales performance.
Orderplan
The orderplan is a short term planning, it is a more detailed level of the forecast at week level specifying the packaging and treatment needed for the product. The orderplan is the base for the planning of the operations, the distribution to warehouses and the making of reservations. When the seed is in reservation it is only available as inventory for the owner of the planning.
