Optimising Manufacturing Efficiency with Infor Production Scheduling: A complete guide for modern businesses
Manufacturing has changed. Globalised supply chains, volatile demand, worker shortages, sustainability targets and the relentless expectation of shorter lead times have turned production scheduling from a routine planning exercise into a strategic capability. A schedule that looked feasible at 08:00 can be obsolete by 10:00 if a machine fails, a raw material shipment is delayed, or a high-priority customer order arrives. The result: lost throughput, costly changeovers, excess inventory and missed delivery promises.
Traditional methods — spreadsheets, manual dispatch, or separate point solutions — are too slow and brittle for today’s needs. Modern businesses require scheduling that is constraint-aware, scenario-capable, and tightly integrated with enterprise systems so production responds in near real time to business realities.
Infor Production Scheduling (IPS) is designed to meet this need. It is a constraint-based, enterprise class scheduling solution that couples advanced optimisation engines with shop-floor visibility and enterprise integration. IPS is part of the Infor CloudSuite family and the broader Infor SCM portfolio, enabling manufacturers — discrete and process alike — to turn scheduling into a lever for operational excellence and competitive advantage.
For organisations evaluating or implementing Infor solutions, partners such as Samaconsulting Inc. provide implementation, integration and change-management expertise that converts technology into measurable business value.
Understanding Infor Production Scheduling — position and purpose
What it is. Infor Production Scheduling is an advanced production scheduling module built to manage complex operational constraints — tanks, vessels, lines, work centres, batch processes and material flows — to generate feasible, optimal schedules that satisfy priorities and resource limits. It sits within the Infor CloudSuite Industrial/SCM ecosystem and is engineered for process and manufacturing companies that require both high fidelity scheduling and enterprise integration.
Primary objectives. IPS focuses on four business objectives:
- Optimise production flow — sequence work to maximise throughput and minimise changeovers.
- Reduce downtime — schedule maintenance and cleaning to lessen unplanned stops.
- Balance workloads — level resource utilisation across work centres and plants.
- Improve on-time delivery — synchronise production with demand and logistics to meet customer commitments.
Where it fits. IPS complements ERP planning (master production scheduling, MRP) by providing short-term, constraint-aware sequencing and dispatch. While MRP calculates what to make and when in broad strokes, IPS determines the exact sequencing and resource allocation necessary to turn that plan into reliable shop-floor execution. Integration with Infor ION (Infor’s middleware) enables that “last mile” of coordination — schedule data, work orders and feedback flow smoothly across procurement, warehouse, MES and finance systems.
Ready to Optimize Your Manufacturing Efficiency?
Sama empowers manufacturers to maximize productivity with Infor Production Scheduling—streamlining workflows, minimizing downtime, and improving on-time delivery for sustainable operational excellence.
Core features and capabilities — the toolbox explained
Infor Production Scheduling bundles optimisation, modelling and visual tools that support complex manufacturing scenarios. Below are the core capabilities and the operational value each delivers.
Advanced scheduling algorithms (ILOG/optimiser engines)
IPS uses proven optimisation engines (including ILOG solvers) that consider constraints such as resource capacity, setup times, sequence dependencies and material availability to compute near-optimal schedules. These algorithms can be tuned to prioritise objectives like minimising makespan, maximising on-time delivery, or reducing changeover costs. The solver architecture supports both discrete job scheduling and continuous/process batching.
Value: delivers schedules that are mathematically defensible and executable, reducing manual sequencing effort and human error.
Scenario-based planning and “what-if” analysis
Schedulers can rapidly create scenarios — e.g. machine breakdown, rush order insertion, material shortage — and simulate outcomes before committing to changes. Scenario planning shows the operational and commercial impact (lead times, late deliveries, inventory usage) of different choices.
Value: reduces risk of reactive, costly decisions and supports executive trade-offs between cost, service and lead time.
Tank and batch scheduling (process-industry focus)
IPS explicitly models tanks, vessels, CIP (clean-in-place) activities and batch synchronisation, which are critical for breweries, beverage, chemical and pharmaceutical plants. Tank scheduling ensures that tanks are assigned, cleaned and turned over in the right sequence to avoid idle time or cross-contamination. Infor has dedicated resources and case material on optimising tank flows for brewers.
Value: reduces changeover and waiting times in process plants and improves product throughput and traceability.
Constraint management and exception handling
The system continuously evaluates constraints (material, capacity, tooling, regulatory sequencing) and raises exceptions when schedules cannot be met. Built-in logic can automatically re-sequence or flag human intervention depending on business rules.
Value: prevents cascaded failures, shortens the time to remedy issues, and ensures schedules remain realistic.
Graphical Gantt and real-time visualisation
Interactive Gantt charts allow planners and supervisors to see the schedule, drag-and-drop rescheduling, and view resource utilisation, work progress and slack windows. Colour coding and context menus accelerate decision making.
Value: quick visual diagnostics, faster manual adjustments when required.
Integration and closed-loop execution
IPS syncs schedule changes with ERP, MES and MES-like functions via Infor ION, providing the closed loop from plan to execution and back. Shop-floor feedback (actual start/finish, scrap, rework) is used to re-optimise schedules dynamically.
Value: reduces plan-reality gaps and ensures that short-term decisions are always data-driven.
How Infor Production Scheduling works — workflow and data flows
A typical IPS implementation creates a continuous optimisation loop across planning horizons:
- Inputs from upstream systems. IPS ingests demand forecasts, released production orders, inventory levels and routing data from the ERP (CloudSuite Industrial / SyteLine). Procurement lead times and logistics constraints are also considered.
- Constraint modelling. The system models resource calendars, shift patterns, tool and fixture availability, cleaning requirements, tank capacities and sequence constraints (for instance, allergens or product families that cannot share equipment without cleaning).
- Optimisation run. The solver computes an initial schedule for the chosen planning horizon (short term: hours/days; mid term: weeks) according to configured objectives and priorities.
- Scenario simulation. Planners run what-if scenarios — e.g., what happens if a key supplier delays a delivery 48 hours — and inspect the projected impact on fulfilment, overtime and inventory.
- Schedule publication. Approved schedules are released to MES, shop-floor terminals and the ERP via Infor ION messages and service calls. Shop-floor operators receive dispatch lists, set up instructions and sequencing details.
- Execution feedback. Actual start/stop times, scrap and quality events flow back into IPS and ERP. The scheduling engine re-optimises as required (near real time for highly automatic plants or periodically for manual environments).
- Continuous improvement. Historical execution data feeds predictive modules and maintenance planning to reduce unplanned downtime and tighten forecasts.
Key point: IPS does not replace ERP; it enhances it. ERP provides the master data and top-level planning, while IPS provides the constraint-aware, executable short-term sequencing needed for reliable operations.
Ready to Optimize Your Manufacturing Efficiency?
Sama empowers manufacturers to maximize productivity with Infor Production Scheduling—streamlining workflows, minimizing downtime, and improving on-time delivery for sustainable operational excellence.
Traditional vs advanced scheduling — a practical comparison
| Aspect
| Traditional Scheduling
| Infor Production Scheduling
|
| Data handling
| Manual updates; spreadsheets; time lag
| Real-time data exchange; automated refresh
|
| Forecasting
| Reactive; schedules adjusted after disruption
| Predictive; scenario modelling before changes
|
| Integration
| Standalone; siloed systems
| Tight ERP/MES integration via Infor ION
|
| Decision model
| Human judgement; rule-of-thumb sequencing
| Optimiser-driven, constraint-aware sequencing
|
| Exception response
| Slow; requires manual rework
| Automated alerts; rapid re-optimisation
|
| Scalability
| Limited; labour intensive
| Scales across plants and global operations
|
This comparison highlights why enterprises moving beyond pilot projects towards scale rarely return to spreadsheet scheduling: advanced systems deliver measurable reductions in manual work, errors and schedule churn.
Industry-specific applications — examples and use cases
Manufacturing (discrete)
Use case: An automotive supplier with mixed model lines uses IPS to sequence work across heat-treat ovens and assembly cells. The optimiser reduces setup changes and balances workload across parallel lines, improving throughput and reducing overtime.
Benefits: increased machine utilisation, fewer late shipments and lower expedited freight spend.
Food & beverage (tank scheduling and perishability)
Use case: A mid-sized brewery with limited fermentation tank capacity uses IPS to synchronise wort production, fermentation, conditioning and packaging. The solution models CIP cycles, tank availability and product shelf life to minimise idle time and avoid batch spoilage. Infor materials explicitly reference brewery tank scheduling as a core capability.
Benefits: reduced changeover time, higher on-time fill rates and improved yield.
Process industries (chemicals, pharma)
Use case: A chemical producer employs batch synchronisation to ensure raw material availability and vessel sequencing for multi-step reactions. IPS models reaction times, cooling/heating durations and chemical compatibility rules to avoid contamination and non-conforming blends. Case studies show significant capacity optimization when process constraints are modelled accurately.
Benefits: reduced batch cycle times, lower waste and better compliance.
Cross-industry use case (Döhler & Kirin)
Infor and their customers have published examples where production scheduling integrated with supply planning improved capacity utilisation and delivery performance. Notable case studies (Döhler, Kirin Brewery) outline measurable improvements after rolling out Infor planning and scheduling capabilities.
Ready to Optimize Your Manufacturing Efficiency?
Sama empowers manufacturers to maximize productivity with Infor Production Scheduling—streamlining workflows, minimizing downtime, and improving on-time delivery for sustainable operational excellence.
Integration with Infor ION — end-to-end agility
Integration is the nervous system that makes scheduling effective at enterprise scale. Infor ION provides the middleware framework that connects IPS to ERP, MES, WMS, maintenance systems and third-party applications. ION enables:
- Event-driven messaging (order release, material arrival, shop-floor exceptions) so schedules can auto-adjust.
- Workflow automation (notifications, approvals, escalation) to enforce governance.
- Data modelling and mapping so different systems speak a common vocabulary.
- Monitoring and audit to track message flows and SLA performance.
Concretely, ION ensures production orders created in CloudSuite are visible to IPS, and once IPS publishes sequencing and dispatch, MES or Factory Track modules receive the instructions. When the shop floor reports execution data, that information flows back through ION to update ERP, trigger procurement actions or adjust shipment plans.
Samaconsulting Inc. specialises in these integration implementations; their Infor ION integration experience helps organisations build reliable, auditable data flows that underpin agile operations. Learn more on their Infor ION integrations page. (See: Infor ION Integrations.)
Business benefits and ROI — what the numbers say
Organisations that implement constraint-based scheduling consistently report quantifiable improvements. Typical benefits include:
- Downtime reduction (20–30% range). By scheduling maintenance and modelling constraints, plants reduce unplanned stops and idle times. For cloud-hosted Infor solutions, industry analyses also cite strong uptime SLAs that support continuity.
- Improved on-time delivery. Many adopters increase OTIF (on-time-in-full) performance to customer targets above 90–95% through better coordination and scenario planning.
- Reduced changeover and lead times. Process and discrete plants can cut changeover times substantially by sequencing similar jobs and planning cleaning/CIP windows, which also reduces waste and energy use.
- Lower inventory and expedited freight costs. More reliable schedules reduce the need for safety stock and costly rush shipments.
ROI considerations. The payback period typically comes from a mix of reduced labour for manual scheduling, fewer expedited shipments, lower inventory carrying costs and higher machine uptime. For many mid-sized manufacturers, a realistic ROI horizon after full stabilisation is 9–18 months, though large multi-site rollouts expect longer realisation curves tied to change management and process harmonisation.
Ready to Optimize Your Manufacturing Efficiency?
Sama empowers manufacturers to maximize productivity with Infor Production Scheduling—streamlining workflows, minimizing downtime, and improving on-time delivery for sustainable operational excellence.
Deployment and scalability — cloud, on-premise, hybrid
Cloud (Infor CloudSuite)
Cloud deployments offer rapid provisioning, reduced capital expense, standardised upgrades and integrated platform services (Infor OS). Cloud is highly suitable for companies seeking fast time to value and ongoing feature updates. Infor CloudSuite Industrial offers a cloud-native way to run ERP and attached scheduling services.
On-premise
Some regulated industries or organisations with strict data sovereignty requirements prefer on-premise. IPS supports on-premise installation when deeper control of infrastructure is mandated.
Hybrid
Many firms choose hybrid models — cloud for analytics and centralised planning, on-premise MES or data collectors for low-latency shop-floor interactions. The integration fabric (ION) supports hybrid topologies, allowing organisations to modernise at their own pace.
Multi-site scalability
IPS can standardise scheduling logic while allowing plant-level variations (shifts, tooling, local rules). Multi-site rollouts benefit from a centralised set of scheduling policies and decentralised execution control.
Why partner with Samaconsulting Inc.
Technology is necessary but not sufficient. Successful scheduling transformation requires domain expertise — modelling constraints correctly, defining realistic KPIs, and driving adoption. Samaconsulting Inc. delivers:
- Implementation services for Infor CloudSuite and Production Scheduling — from discovery and process mapping through configuration, testing and go-live.
- Infor ION integration expertise — to ensure robust, monitored data flows across ERP, MES and third-party apps. (See: Infor ION integrations.)
- Industry experience — practical configuration patterns for food & beverage, chemicals, automotive and discrete manufacturing.
- Change management and training — embedding new scheduling practices into planner, operations and maintenance roles.
The right partner mitigates risk, accelerates value realisation and helps organisations avoid common pitfalls such as under-modelling constraints, inadequate user training, or weak data governance.
Ready to Optimize Your Manufacturing Efficiency?
Sama empowers manufacturers to maximize productivity with Infor Production Scheduling—streamlining workflows, minimizing downtime, and improving on-time delivery for sustainable operational excellence.
The future of intelligent production scheduling — IoT, AI and Industry 4.0
Scheduling will not remain static. Three trends will shape the next generation of scheduling systems:
1. Deeper IoT and real-time telemetry
Increasing sensor coverage enables true real-time state awareness (tool wear, temperature profiles, vibration). Schedulers will leverage this data to make instantaneous rescheduling decisions and predict failures before they impact production.
2. AI/ML-driven optimisation
Machine learning models trained on historical execution data will fine-tune objective functions (e.g. estimating true setup times under different teams or shift conditions) and predict the ripple effects of schedule changes, improving the realism and stability of optimised schedules. Infor’s architecture is designed to integrate AI/ML services and Industry 4.0 workflows.
3. Autonomous operations and orchestration
As robotics, automated guided vehicles and autonomous material flow evolve, scheduling will expand to orchestrate not only production equipment but also autonomous logistics and fulfilment actions — effectively closing the loop between production plan and delivery execution.
Organisations that prepare their data architecture today — unified master data, strong integration layers, and feedback capture from execution — will be best positioned to adopt these innovations rapidly.
Practical implementation checklist — avoid common pitfalls
To get the most from Infor Production Scheduling, use this practical checklist before (and during) implementation:
- Define business objectives — OTIF, throughput, downtime targets and acceptable trade-offs.
- Clean master data — routings, resource calendars, tool lists, material lead times and product families must be accurate.
- Model constraints correctly — CIP cycles, allergen separations and tank sizes must be represented to produce executable schedules.
- Pilot before scale — start with one line or plant, stabilise processes, then scale.
- Integrate with ION — ensure data flows are robust and monitored.
- Train planners and supervisors — invest in role-based training and runbooks for exception handling.
- Measure and iterate — track KPIs and refine optimization objectives as business priorities evolve.
Ready to Optimize Your Manufacturing Efficiency?
Sama empowers manufacturers to maximize productivity with Infor Production Scheduling—streamlining workflows, minimizing downtime, and improving on-time delivery for sustainable operational excellence.
Conclusion — turning scheduling into strategic advantage
Production scheduling sits at the intersection of planning, execution and customer service. When it is automatic, constraint-aware and integrated, scheduling becomes a source of competitive advantage — improving utilisation, reducing waste and increasing delivery reliability.
Infor Production Scheduling provides the optimisation engines, process modelling and integration points to make that transition. Combined with a competent implementation partner such as Samaconsulting Inc., organisations can reduce downtime, improve on-time delivery and build a scalable foundation for Industry 4.0.
If your business is wrestling with manual scheduling, frequent firefighting, or poor on-time performance, the next step is an assessment that maps business priorities to scheduling objectives and integration pathways. Sama consulting’s team can help scope a pilot, model your constraints and demonstrate the likely benefits for your specific operations.
