Manufacturing various products efficiently and on schedule is crucial for any business’s success and growth. Without an effective scheduling system to organize production planning and keep everyone on the same page, operations can quickly descend into chaos, deadlines may be missed, and productivity can suffer. The best manufacturing scheduling software is designed specifically for managing complex manufacturing workflows. They include tools for managing materials, suppliers, inventory, shipping, and scheduling production resources.

Options like DELMIAWorks provide a model-based approach to scheduling that can optimize cost, quality, delivery, and productivity. If you have a highly customized production process. In that case, these deeply integrated solutions may be preferable. Still, they do tend to be on the higher end of pricing. For many smaller manufacturers, a more general enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with capable scheduling modules or a mid-market tool could work well.

Related Article: 4 Best Instrumentation Design Software of 2023: A Comprehensive Review

Tips For Choosing The Best Manufacturing Scheduling Software

• Determine your needs. Identify your key requirements, like resource management, material management, customer job priority, reporting, etc. Choose software targeted at manufacturers that meets at least 80-90% of your needs. Customization can address additional requirements but is more expensive and complex.
• Consider your complexity. How many resources, materials, products, customers, and locations do you need to schedule? More advanced software with optimized scheduling algorithms is needed for very complex operations. Startup tools can work for simple environments but may require extra effort to configure for complex workflows.
• Evaluate integration options. If you currently use an ERP, CRM, or another system, check which scheduling tools integrate with it and the level of integration provided (API, real-time syncing). Using integrated solutions minimizes the re-entry of data and compatibility issues. However, some point solutions may provide better scheduling functionality without tight integration.
• Assess your budget. Options range from free, open-source software to $50,000+ enterprise systems with implementation services. Determine how much you can spend on software licenses, consulting fees, ongoing maintenance, and support costs. Rentals, subscriptions, and software-as-a-service models can make higher-cost tools more affordable. But stay within your budget to avoid going into debt!
• Consider your technical resources. Determine if you have dedicated IT staff or rely on outside help for implementation and management. Easier to use SaaS and mid-market tools to minimize the technical skills needed so you can focus on your core business. Make sure any option you consider can be realistically supported with available resources.
• Check reviews and comparisons. Search online for reviews of the software options you’re interested in from sources like G2 Crowd, Capterra, Software Advice, or Gartner Peer Insights. See reviews from other manufacturers discussing pros, cons, features, ease of use, reliability, customer service, and more. Compare options side-by-side to evaluate which best meets your priorities.
• Try free trials. Many scheduling tools offer free trials, tutorials, sandboxes, or test drives so you can try them before you buy. See how easy and intuitive the software is to set up and use with your workflows and data. Experience the key features to determine if the software is a good fit before fully committing or signing a paid contract.
• Get references and demos. Talk to other manufacturers already using the options you’re considering. Ask for references and contact information to learn from their experiences, best practices, and any challenges experienced. When possible, get live demos from the software providers to see capabilities in action and have their team of experts answer your questions.

6 best manufacturing scheduling software

NetSuite – Cloud-Based ERP

NetSuite is an extensive enterprise software suite for managing core business functions, including scheduling, resource planning, inventory management, order fulfillment, financials, accounting, CRM, and more. Gain real-time insight into KPIs, metrics, costs, revenues, inventory levels, schedules, tasks, projects, clients, vendors, employees, and financial performance. 

Fishbowl – Cloud-Based Inventory and Manufacturing Software

Fishbowl is an inventory management and ERP solution tailored to the needs of manufacturers, wholesalers, and distribution companies. Effectively schedule inventory production, materials, and resources to meet sales demand while optimizing cost and efficiency. 

Odoo – Open-Source Manufacturing Software

Odoo aims to provide an open, modular, affordable, easy-to-use ERP and CRM platform suitable for small businesses, large enterprises, dealers, professional services firms, manufacturers, and more. With real-time integration, mobility, personalization, collaboration, and analytics features across modules, Odoo helps you simplify complexity and achieve new heights of productivity, growth, insight, and success.

DELMIAWorks (Formely IQMS) – Manufacturing Software

DELMIAWorks MRP aims to provide advanced yet easy-to-use ERP software tailored to the unique needs of manufacturers. With integrated functionality spanning resource management, scheduling, quality, finance, project management, automation, and more, DELMIAWorks helps simplify complexity so manufacturers can achieve peak performance, productivity, and success. 

Plex – Cloud-Based Manufacturing Software

Plex is enterprise resource planning software for manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and third-party logistics providers. Tight integration of modules, manufacturing focus, supply chain visibility, real-time access, configurability, modular design, and industry editions help simplify business complexity while optimizing performance, control, flexibility, visibility, and return on investment.

Katana – Cloud Manufacturing Software

Katana MRP is enterprise resource planning software designed for mid-sized companies. Katana MRP helps streamline complexity so you can focus on growth with maximum control and insight. Katana provides industry editions tailored to manufacturing, professional services, technology, healthcare, finance, retail, hospitality, and distribution organizations. 

key benefits of using manufacturing scheduling software

1. Increased productivity. By effectively managing resources and ensuring they are focused on high-priority tasks, productivity can be boosted significantly. Less time is wasted switching between jobs or searching for important information.
2. Improved efficiency. Tight integration of scheduling, resource allocation, demand management, and other critical processes leads to optimized performance across the board. Capacity is utilized to the fullest extent possible while meeting deadlines and quality standards.
3. Enhanced visibility and transparency. All key details relating to jobs, tasks, materials, resources, priorities, capacity, and more can be seen in one place through schedules, Gantt charts, reports, and dashboards. Quickly understand what’s being worked on, by whom, why it’s important, and if you’re on track.
4. Better management of limited resources. When resources such as equipment, tools, staff, budget, space, and time are limited, the software helps ensure they are allocated precisely according to priorities. No overutilization or underutilization of crucial assets occurs.
5. Improved flexibility and responsiveness. Easily adjust schedules, priorities, due dates, and more in response to new demands, issues, and delays. Re-optimize the schedule around any changes for minimal disruption while still fulfilling key objectives.
6. Reduced delays and missed deadlines. Critical paths can be identified, bottlenecks avoided, and overflow conditions predicted for proactive management. Issues surfaced early on so they could be addressed before significantly impacting progress.
7. Stronger Focus on Key Priorities. Critical jobs, tasks, customers, and deadlines can be designated as top priorities in the software. Hence, everyone works towards them efficiently and effectively while achieving an optimized balance with other responsibilities.
8. Higher Quality Results. Real-time data on capacity, production status, material availability, and resource workload enables adjustments to be made for improving quality before quality starts to suffer. Fewer missed details or rushed jobs mean higher quality products and services.
9. Deeper Insights. Reporting and analytics in the scheduling software provide data that can reveal interesting patterns, insights, and areas for potential improvement. Make better strategic decisions and optimize operations over time through data-driven findings.
10. Cost Savings. Substantial savings can be realized through reduced overtime, lower energy usage, minimization of excessive inventory, decreased waste, consolidated purchasing power, and avoidance of rush fees. The software helps enable optimization at every level of spending.

In conclusion, choosing the best manufacturing scheduling software for your business requires careful consideration. Based on our analysis of these factors, as the best manufacturing scheduling software for your business. Such software stands out for its ease of use, customization options, and seamless integration with other tools and systems. Additionally, it provides excellent value for money, with a high ROI and the ability to improve efficiency and reduce downtime. By choosing this software, you can streamline your production process, optimize your resources, and take your business to the next level.

FAQs