Orders and production planning
Keep order changes connected to the production plan
Customers change quantities and dates. Materials arrive late. Somebody updates the order but not the plan, and the shop floor works to yesterday’s version. We help small manufacturers keep orders, plans and materials connected, so everyone works from the same picture.
In short
Propel helps small and contract manufacturers connect orders to production planning. Order changes update the plan, the shop floor gets a current view of what to make next, and the people planning the work can see materials and stock. We map how orders flow from sales to the shop floor, then put the tools and process in place.
Sound familiar?
Signs it’s worth a conversation
Any one of these is a good reason to talk. They’re common, and they’re usually fixable without turning the business upside down.
- Order changes arrive by email or phone, and the production plan catches up later, if at all.
- The shop floor can’t easily see what’s due, what’s waiting on materials and what’s changed.
- Checking stock means walking over and having a look.
- When a customer asks for an update, someone has to go and find out.
- Re-keying orders between sales and production causes errors.
What we do
How we help with orders and production planning
Follow an order from enquiry to dispatch
We trace a few real orders through sales, planning, production and dispatch to see where information is passed on by hand.
Make one version of the plan
We set up a single, current plan that sales, planning and the shop floor all use, so a change only has to be made once.
Connect orders and materials
Order changes update the plan, and the plan shows what’s waiting on materials, so problems surface before the job reaches the machine.
Give the floor what it needs
A simple, current view of what to make next and why, on a screen or a printout. Whichever works on your floor.
What it could look like
A small contract manufacturer
An illustrative example, not a client result. What makes sense for you depends on how your work actually runs.
Order changes came in by email. The planner updated a spreadsheet and printed a new schedule for the floor, usually a day late.
Order changes update the plan directly. The floor works from a live list on a screen, and anything waiting on materials is flagged to the planner.
How it works
From a first call to a change in daily use
You’ll know what we’re suggesting, and what it would cost, before any work starts.
We talk
A 30-minute call about how your operation works and what you’d like to be easier.
We look at how the work runs
We spend time with you and the people doing the work, and look at the tools, sheets and messages you use day to day.
We agree what to change
We suggest what would help most, in plain terms, with what’s involved and what it would cost, before anything starts.
We put it in place
We set things up, connect and build what’s needed, show your team how it works and adjust it once it’s in daily use.
Questions
Questions about orders and production planning
Do we need an ERP system?
Not necessarily. Full ERP systems can be expensive and slow to put in place. For many small manufacturers, connecting the tools you already have, or a focused planning tool, does the job. We’ll explain the options honestly.
Can you work with our existing order or accounts system?
Usually, yes. We check what your systems support and connect them where we can, so orders don’t need re-keying.
How will the shop floor see the plan?
However works best on your floor: a screen, a tablet or a printed list that’s always current. We agree it with the people who’ll use it.
Can customers get updates on their orders?
Where it helps, yes. Once orders and the plan are connected, status updates can be sent to customers automatically or prepared for someone to check.
Related
Often goes hand in hand with
- Connecting your business softwareQuoting, jobs, CRM and accounts passing details to each other, so nobody re-keys them.
- Internal tools and custom softwareA small, focused tool built around how you work, when off-the-shelf software doesn’t fit.
- Reporting and management informationRegular reports that mostly put themselves together from the records you already keep.
Talk to us about orders and production planning
Book a 30-minute introductory call. Bring an example of something that takes more effort than it should, or just tell us how a normal week goes.