9.2
Editor’s Rating:
Best Overall
TACTIC: Inventory Status
TACTIC
  • On-premises only solution
  • Reduce inventory and supply costs
  • Ideal for discrete part and batch manufacturers
8.8
Editor’s Rating:
Also Great
FEDRA: KPI's of Productive Planning
FEDRA
  • Cloud or on-premises
  • Detailed digital scheduling
  • Minimizes maintenance costs
8.8
Editor’s Rating:
Best End-to-End Solution
Epicor Kinetic: Dashboard
Epicor Kinetic
  • Cloud or on-premises
  • Full ERP solution with APS tools
  • Built for manufacturers

Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS) software empowers businesses to optimize their manufacturing processes by efficiently allocating resources and synchronizing production workflows. Utilizing sophisticated algorithms, APS solutions enhance operational visibility, improve on-time delivery, and minimize waste, ultimately boosting profitability and competitiveness.

We’ve examined 20+ providers across 7 metrics to rank the best APS software. Our ratings take into account factors such usability, support, scalability, security, value, performance, and the range of features offered. All ratings are determined solely by us, enabling you to make the most informed decisions for your business’s needs.

1 TACTIC - Best Overall

TACTIC is APS software that you can use in conjunction with your existing ERP/MRP system to improve competetiveness in your business’s operations. Features include automated scheduling, capacity planning, material requirements planning, and everything your company needs to improve inventory, supply costs, and customer service.

Best Overall:
TACTIC

TACTIC: Inventory Status
TACTIC: Machine Utilization
TACTIC: Schedule
TACTIC: Current Schedule
TACTIC: Machine Utilization
What We Like
On-premises only solution
Reduce inventory and supply costs
Ideal for discrete part and batch manufacturers
What We Don’t Like
Mobile app has UX issues
Pricing details not provided by the developer
Overview
Client OS: Windows
Deployment: On-Premises

2 FEDRA - Also Great

FEDRA is a platform-based APS software developed by MPDV. Features include energy demand planning, predictive material planning, integrated workforce planning, and workforce planning. Advanced analytics tools allow users to execute predictive and quality analysis to assist with production planning. FEDRA is best suited to medical device manufacturers, automotive manufacturers, food processing, furniture manufacturing and more.

Also Great:
FEDRA

FEDRA: KPI's of Productive Planning
FEDRA: Utlization Profile of Graphic Planning
What We Like
Cloud or on-premises
Detailed digital scheduling
Minimizes maintenance costs
What We Don’t Like
Pricing details not provided by the developer
Has a complex license structure
Overview
Client OS: Web
Deployment: Cloud or On-Premises

3 Kinetic - Best End-to-End Solution

Kinetic is an ERP solution created for manufacturing businesses and includes advanced planning and scheduling tools. This is the perfect solution for companies that need an all-in-one software to manage manufacturing operations with minimal interruptions. Kinetic offers all of the features you would come to expect from a standalone APS software with the added benefit of it being a feature built into your business’s ERP.

Best End-to-End Solution:
Epicor Kinetic

Epicor Kinetic: Dashboard
Epicor Kinetic: Accounts Receivable
Epicor Kinetic: Shop Load
Epicor Kinetic: Purchase Order
Epicor Kinetic: Supplier Relationship Management
Epicor Kinetic: Shop Floor Interface (MES)
Epicor Kinetic: Kanban Warehouse Monitor
Epicor Kinetic: Job Scheduling Board
Epicor Kinetic: CRM Flight Control
What We Like
Cloud or on-premises
Full ERP solution with APS tools
Built for manufacturers
What We Don’t Like
Not ideal for multinational organizations
High learning curve
Overview
Price Range: $$$$
Starting Price: $175/user/month
Client OS: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web
Deployment: Cloud or On-Premises

What Is Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software?

Advanced planning and scheduling (APS) software helps manufacturers designate raw materials and production capacity to balance demand and plant capacity to their most optimal fulfillment level. APS software will plan and schedule production based on available materials, labor, and plant capacity. The solutions track the costs involved in the production process, measures overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and improve material requirements planning (MRP).

APS software creates optimal production schedules while minimizing downtime and errors. Visual schedules and GANTT charts can give a view of your entire production planning process, which identifies the best start times, the best machines to use, and the availability of workers, tools, and sub-assemblies.

APS software coordinates a manufacturer’s sales, production, purchasing, and transportation. Companies can calculate demand, monitor raw material availability, create production schedules based on this demand and any constraints they have, optimize their production schedules within their resource availability constraints, and fluctuate production plans and schedules based on demand.

The planning part of APS software looks at the long-term while the scheduling part of APS software looks at the short-term.

  • Planning aggregates the forecast and the supply while putting them into time slots. The objective is to determine what to make or produce in each time slot, how to make it, and how much to make.
  • Scheduling sequences the jobs and creates a list that is released to the shop floor while honoring any and all constraints.
EnterpriseIQ Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software
IQMS provides manufacturing scheduling and production planning via their EnterpriseIQ solution.

Features of APS Software

  • Demand Planning: Collects historical data on order volumes and inventory turns while mixing it with continually updated forecasts from separate units of the business (primarily sales, marketing, and operations) to make more informed supply chain decisions.
  • Production Scheduling: Generate resource and material constrained schedules. Determines the need for materials and capacity in order to complete a manufacturing production order. Includes drag and drop capabilities for “what-if” analysis.
  • Constraint Management: Includes visual identification of activities that are delayed due to resource capacity and/or material availability limits (capacity and material bottlenecks).
  • Order Management: Captures, tracks, and fulfills orders across multiple sales channels by connecting inventory and sales orders, creating shipping schedules, tracking fulfillment, and creating reports. Includes alerts, pegging views, statuses, and watches.
  • KPIs: Includes impact analysis and analytics surrounding your order management, capacity, productivity, and financial commitments.
PlanetTogether Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software
Monitor production schedules in PlanetTogether.

Benefits of Advanced Planning and Scheduling Software

Advanced planning and scheduling software solves the issues of:

  • Late deliveries due to manufacturing delays
  • Missed sales due to demand exceeding capacity
  • Lost orders due to excessive work-in-process
  • High production costs due to machine ineffectiveness (such as downtime)
  • Excessive overhead due to managing scheduling changes and the impact on delivery schedule
  • Difficult to plan for future capacity requirements

The more resources you have to manage, the more overwhelming the planning and scheduling process becomes. Each business will have different ideas of what benefits they want out of an advanced planning and scheduling software. In reading some of the top benefits of APS software, businesses should find out how flexible the solution needs to be (does it need to be rigid with predefined features, or can you live without some benefits while you address key concerns?).

Improve Your Manufacturing Process with APS Software

Advanced planning and scheduling software will help you generate manufacturing orders or purchase orders in order to satisfy your demand. This goes hand in hand with creating production and purchase plans to ensure you can meet any current or anticipated demand.

APS software will also provide better visibility into your inventory. Visual charts and inventory grids can help identify shortages in your inventory which can alert staff to reorder or even trigger an automatic reorder point. Likewise, excess inventory can be recorded and given proper attention.

Inventory planning can let you search for adjustments with items, item quantity, total supply, final quantity, and whether or not those items are being used by any MRP system.

FACTIVITY APS Part Scheduler Advanced Planning and Scheduling Software
A part scheduler in FACTIVITY APS.

Support Important Managerial Decision Making

Advanced planning and scheduling solutions are used by managers to better improve their decision making when it comes to production demands, production sequences, and any predicted changes in production. APS software helps your business react to real-time production efficiency changes or the impact that changes in your scheduling may have on your business.

Examples include machine breakdown or parts being scrapped. Advanced scheduling supports what-if scenarios such as:

  • “What is the cost of accepting an urgent order?”
  • “Will prioritizing a new urgent order hurt our completion time for other pending orders?”
  • “Can we afford to pay our employees overtime to complete this job?”
  • “When can we move a machine into a maintenance stage without slowing down production?”

APS software will help you see the true effect of each scenario. Most solutions will be able to provide a dashboard or KPIs that can help visually show managers the effect their decisions will have.

Delfoi Planner APS Software
Get KPIs with APS software such as Delfoi Planner.

Integrate Your Operations With ERP, MES, and Supply Chain Systems

Advanced planning and scheduling systems are a great addition to existing manufacturing software environments. They help aid in managing your manufacturing processes that are usually performed by one or multiple:

Integration wizards are included in a few APS solutions. Other times, an APS software vendor may specialize in integrating their solution with a specific ERP or MES. The biggest benefit of having complete integration with other business management systems is to have a complete view of your operations.

Anytime you receive new sales orders, hire new workers, or purchase new machines, businesses will want to avoid duplicate entry or having to transfer data from one system to another. Businesses will want a system that can seamlessly transfer data from the planning and scheduling phase into their ERP solution.

Production Planning with APS Software

Proper production planning will utilize the resource allocation of employees, materials, and capacity to ensure the wants and needs of all customers can be met. A production planning module in APS software has the goal of determining the required product mix, matching the desired production level to existing resources, scheduling the work, and creating orders for your employees and facilities to follow.

Once orders have been planned, production starts. However, urgent requests or rushes may come through which can throw a wrench into your original production plan. How will you meet your existing deadlines? How can we avoid the costs involved with late deliveries? How do we schedule new urgent orders with confidence?

Proper production planning with APS software can avoid these headaches by ensuring a smooth production order processing, reliable planning and delivery dates, and optimized costs and resource utilization. APS software will let you plan orders based on current production stages while maximizes the throughput to ensure all orders are delivered on time.

Preactor APS Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software
Preactor APS lets you monitoring stock, demand, orders, and forecasts.

MRP Improvements with APS Software

Material requirements planning, or MRP software, helps streamline the manufacturing process through production planning, scheduling, and inventory control. Similar to APS software, MRP also aids in inventory and production schedules to produce products and complete manufacturing jobs. An MRP system determines which assemblies must be built, what materials must be purchased, and the order in which to build products to meet customer due dates.

APS software can be thought of as an enhancement to an MRP process. The information that goes into APS software includes your forecast, your stock levels, and your sales orders. You also need to include your resource capabilities and your target stock levels defined by stock-keeping units (SKUs). The output in APS software is an achievable production load for the desired product.

When your forecast for shipments exceeds your capacity, you must change the scheduled production, or move the production to another area or facility that can meet production within any time constraints. To determine the best movement for your production, you’ll need software that can handle “what if” scenarios, which will let you find the best fit with no capacity issues.

In comparison to MRP software, APS software can increase throughput while reducing work in process and your raw material inventory.

WorkClout APS Software
Production planning and scheduling are core parts of material requirements planning (MRP).

Production Scheduling Software vs. APS Software

The biggest difference between production scheduling software and advanced planning and scheduling software is in the name. Both options will be able to provide near-identical functionality but are likely being marketed under different terms.

Other synonyms for the software include production planning software and advanced production scheduling software. Some argue that production scheduling is just one of the many features included within APS software, which implies that APS software is (as the name implies) an advanced version of production scheduling software.

At their core, both production scheduling software and APS software will have the capability to upload a number of orders that need to be processed according to specific operations and specific product routings. Both systems will be able to create a schedule that can be viewed in various ways but typically viewed as a GANTT chart. These charts will detail how production of orders will take place across different processes.

In many cases, the end-user can modify the production schedule and use various “what-if” scenarios to play around with different situations on the production floor. In addition to calculating material consumption, APS systems can prevent the scheduling of production orders after any material has run out, as well as automatically generate supply orders once any material has partially run out.

FELIOS APS Software
FELIOS from INFORM Software could be considered both a production scheduling software and an APS software.

All Products

No products found
TACTIC Screenshot

TACTIC

★★★★★
★★★★★
(4)
Waterloo Manufacturing Software’s TACTIC system is designed to be used as both production scheduling software, and advanced planning and scheduling software (APS software).
Client OS
Windows
Deployment
On-Premises
FEDRA Screenshot
FEDRA by MPDV is designed to enhance production planning through its advanced features. It allows for the efficient scheduling of both simple and complex production orders. The software leverages AI for planning, aiding in managing complex scenarios more effectively. FEDRA’s detailed scheduling capability, which includes a graphical planning board, helps in optimizing the use of resources in production, thereby reducing lead times, idle times, and waiting times, and improving on-time delivery.
Client OS
Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
Epicor Kinetic Screenshot

Epicor Kinetic

★★★★★
★★★★★
(9)
Formerly known as Epicor ERP, Kinetic is renowned in manufacturing and distribution. Kinetic is a two-tier ERP software offering compliance management, planning and scheduling, supply chain management, quality assurance, and maintenance management.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$175/user/month
Client OS
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
Acumatica Cloud ERP Screenshot

Acumatica Cloud ERP

★★★★★
★★★★★
(22)
Acumatica is a renowned platform in the ERP world. It offers accounting, distribution management, CRM, manufacturing, and more modules. Acumatica supports unlimited users, with pricing based on the resources and modules your company uses.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$1,800/month
Client OS
iOS, Android, Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
E2 Shop System Screenshot

E2 Shop System

★★★★★
★★★★★
(16)
The E2 Shop System enables shop owners to effectively control all aspects of shop activity, while simultaneously and effectively managing profitability. Whether it’s your front office or shop floor that you’re concerned about, the fully integrated E2 Shop System takes the uncertainty out of shop management. Development of the E2 Shop System dates back to 1984. Our shop specific software was developed from an actual shop experience, real-life shop situations, shop know how and shop needs. Both
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$4,995 (perpetual license)
Client OS
Windows, macOS, Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
Resource Manager-DB Screenshot

Resource Manager-DB

★★★★★
★★★★★
(6)
The Resource Manager-DB is designed for busy people who need immediate help in planning and scheduling their operations. With a unique adaptable design, Resource Manager-DB represents the best value available for Manufacturing & Operations Management Software — guaranteed. This software can be configured to meet your specific needs, easily and affordably. Now you can quit struggling with time consuming decisions such as: what to buy, make, or do AND when to buy, make, or do it. Resource
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$5,000/user (perpetual license)
Client OS
Windows, Linux
Deployment
On-Premises
Dynamics 365 Business Central Screenshot

Dynamics 365 Business Central

★★★★★
★★★★★
(10)
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central provides finance, human resources, operations, marketing, sales, and more functionalities. It is a part of Microsoft’s suite of enterprise applications and integrates seamlessly with services like Office 365, Power BI, and Azure.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$70/user/month
Client OS
Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP Made2Manage Edition Screenshot
Aptean Made2Manage Edition is a discrete manufacturing software. It offers key features like real-time scheduling, job costing, and shop floor execution to enhance supply chain transparency. The software handles manufacturing operations and expenses, including production process planning and configuration management. Finally, Made2Manage increases on-time delivery by overseeing multiple suppliers for each item.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Optessa Screenshot

Optessa

★★★★★
★★★★★
(2)
Optessa software is an advanced planning, sequencing, and scheduling software used in manufacturing industries. It delivers intelligent planning capabilities and successful implementations among top-tier global manufacturers. The software stands out due to its AI-driven solutions that provide real-time optimization, handling complex sequencing and flow line challenges.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$5,000/month
Client OS
Windows, Web
Deployment
Cloud Hosted
Global Shop Solutions ERP Software Screenshot

Global Shop Solutions ERP Software

★★★★★
★★★★★
(4)
Global Shop Solutions is a manufacturing ERP software with modules for workflow planning, inventory control, CRM, and SPC. It provides options for both cloud-based and on-premise deployment with SaaS licensing.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Client OS
Windows, iOS, Android, Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
DELMIAWorks Screenshot

DELMIAWorks

★★★★★
★★★★★
(1)
DELMIAWorks, [formerly IQMS EnterpriseIQ](https://blogs.solidworks.com/delmiaworks/what-is-iqms/) before being acquired by Dassault Systèmes, is an end-to-end manufacturing ERP. Top features include real-time shop floor control, materials management, and quality compliance. Catering to the needs of small to mid-market companies in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and plastics, DELMIAWorks offers real-time insights into manufacturing operations. The software supports various languages like English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Irish, Italian, Spanish, and Chinese (simplified and traditional). Mobile apps are available for several modules to provide remote access.
Client OS
Windows
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
PlanetTogether Screenshot

PlanetTogether

★★★★★
★★★★★
(1)
PlanetTogether is an advanced planning and scheduling software. It serves complex manufacturing environments, offering tools like a graphical GANTT chart for full visibility of job statuses. It also provides job sequencing to avoid cross-contamination in food manufacturing. PlanetTogether improves delivery performance, reduces inventory, and optimizes processes, making it a solid tool for manufacturing management​.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Client OS
Windows, Web
Deployment
Cloud Hosted
WorkClout Screenshot

WorkClout

★★★★★
★★★★★
(1)
WorkClout is a manufacturing software for planning and scheduling people, machines, and processes for production. WorkClout has a goal of getting your production ahead of schedule and make you better at producing or assembling by using data. WorkClout lets you track job progression, use workflows, get a real-time view of your factory schedule, create reports, and view dashboards. Advanced Production Schedule; Workflows; Inventory Management; Reports; Operator Portal; Integrations; and Security.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$99/user/month
Client OS
Windows, iOS, Android, Web
Deployment
Cloud Hosted
Workcenter Scheduler XL Screenshot

Workcenter Scheduler XL

★★★★★
★★★★★
(1)
Workcenter Scheduler XL (WCXL) is an Excel-based simple scheduler for getting visibility on workcenter loading in order to ship on time. This add-on is recommended for Job Shops, Fabricators, Service/Repair Shops, and other businesses where customer service and shipping on time is vital. WCXL offers a finite capacity scheduler for job shops, fabricators, service/repair shops, using a simple, linear sequence of work that can be scheduled forward from a start date. Create daily schedules based on
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$490/user (perpetual license)
Client OS
Windows
Deployment
On-Premises
Plex ERP Screenshot
Plex ERP is a full ERP solution designed for managing various business functions. It includes inventory management, utilizing integrated barcode scanning and forecasting tools. Other features it offers are for sales, human resources, customer relationship, and operations management.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$3,000/month
Client OS
Web
Deployment
Cloud Hosted
Opcenter APS Screenshot
OpCenter APS, formerly Preactor APS, is an advanced planning and scheduling software that uses advanced machine-learning to generate achievable production schedules.
Client OS
Windows
Deployment
On-Premises
Delfoi Planner Screenshot

Delfoi Planner

Delfoi Planner is a web-based APS for advanced multi-site planning and production scheduling. Deloi Planner is a user-friendly software providing a visual advanced planning and scheduling solution with shop floor execution and data collection functionality (MES). Advanced supply chain planning, scheduling, and execution; and Sales and operations planning.
Client OS
Web
Deployment
Cloud Hosted
FELIOS Screenshot

FELIOS

FELIOS is an advanced planning system (APS) that enables cross-departmental synchronization of production processes with cutsomer requirements and delievery dates. This is provided through: Optimized planning with limited capacity; Elimination of residues; Consideration of collective orders; and Simulations. Machine and Systems Engineering; and Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS). Simulation of customer inquiries; Production controlling and statistics; Prioritization and fixation of orders;
OptiProERP Screenshot

OptiProERP

★★★★★
★★★★★
(1)
OptiProERP is a discrete manufacturing software that integrates with SAP Business One. It includes primary and alternate BOMs and routing, MRP, MPS, shop floor execution, and scheduling workbench features. It also provides tools for inventory and warehouse management, quality assurance, sales, CRM, and financials. Notably, OptiProERP is accessible via various platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web), and offers both cloud and on-premise deployment options.
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Client OS
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
OPS: Optimal Path System Screenshot

OPS: Optimal Path System

JITbase is a smart manufacturing system that uses machine data and information from CNC programs to calculate the optimal sequence of machinist activities on the shop floor. The Optimal Path System (OPS) is based on algorithms that calculate in real-time what should happen in production in order to maximize the availability rate of the fleet of machines. Like GPS in a car that indicates where to go, OPS tells the machinist which machine he should tend to next. Whether manual intervention (setup,
Price Range
   $     $     $     $     $   
   $     $     $     $     $   
Starting Price
$100/terminal/month
Client OS
Web
Deployment
Cloud Hosted

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