Advanced Finite Capacity Scheduling (APS)

Key Features

Simultaneous finite scheduling across four constraint classes — machine capacity, qualified labor pools, tooling/fixtures and confirmed material — so the schedule it produces is actually runnable, not an infinite-capacity ideal

Constraint-based forward scheduling (start now, find the earliest finish) and backward scheduling (hit a due date, find the latest safe start) selectable per order or per planning run

Automatic alternative work-center and alternative-routing selection when the primary resource is overloaded or down, using your AL-modeled capability and qualification rules

Material-availability-aware sequencing: operations are blocked from starting until their consumed components are confirmed in inventory or by a firm receipt, eliminating phantom 'on paper' starts

Schedule simulation with named scenarios and side-by-side KPI comparison — on-time delivery %, makespan, machine utilization, total setup time, late-order count — before anything is committed

Finite capacity profiles per work/machine center honoring shift calendars, planned maintenance windows, efficiency factors and operator availability

Drag-and-adjust planning board (BC page extension) showing the finite load by resource, with manual overrides that re-validate against constraints in real time

Commit-to-production workflow that writes the chosen scenario back onto standard Business Central production order routing lines and dates — no parallel data silo

Job Queue integration for scheduled overnight re-planning so each morning starts on a fresh, constraint-valid schedule

REST/OData API endpoints (AL API pages) exposing schedules, scenarios and KPIs for Power BI dashboards, shop-floor terminals and external MES/IoT feeds

Bottleneck and overload analytics that surface the true constraining resource per planning horizon, not just the first work center to redline

Built on standard BC objects via table/page extensions and event subscribers, with a dedicated permission set, so it upgrades cleanly alongside Microsoft's monthly releases

Built to order, done for you

No DIY setup — a working app, built, installed and supported by ECOSIRE.

You order

Start with a one-time build price. We scope it with you at kickoff.

We build & install

ECOSIRE builds, configures and installs it on your Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Go live + support

You go live in about 2–4 weeks, with a post-launch support window.

About this Product

Business Central core scheduling is infinite-capacity by design: standard MRP and the production order routing engine plan each work center as if it had unlimited throughput, then leave you to resolve overloads by hand on a manual Gantt. For a single-line shop that is survivable. For a constraint-heavy manufacturer juggling shared machines, a finite pool of skilled operators, expensive fixtures and tooling, and material that lands late, an infinite-capacity plan is fiction the moment it prints.

Advanced Finite Capacity Scheduling (APS) replaces that fiction with an executable schedule. It is a finite-capacity engine, delivered as a per-tenant AL extension installed directly on your Business Central environment (cloud SaaS or on-prem), that sequences every production order operation against four constraints at once — machine capacity, qualified labor, tooling/fixtures, and confirmed material availability — instead of pretending only the work center matters.

The engine performs constraint-based forward and backward scheduling, automatically selects alternative work centers and routings when the primary resource is the bottleneck, and refuses to start an operation before its components are actually available. Every run is a simulation: you generate scenarios, compare them on KPIs (on-time delivery, makespan, machine utilization, setup time), and only then commit the chosen schedule back to your real production orders.

This is build-to-order. ECOSIRE scopes your routings, constraint model and shift calendars, builds the extension in AL, installs it per-tenant, and supports it on your environment. It is not an instant AppSource download — it is tailored to how your plant actually runs. Pricing is a one-time build fee; ongoing support and version-compatibility updates are offered separately.

What you get

A per-tenant AL extension (.app) built for your Business Central version, installed on your sandbox first, then promoted to production after sign-off

Constraint model configuration tailored to your plant — machine centers, labor pools and qualifications, tooling/fixture catalog, and material-gating rules mapped from your existing routings

A dedicated permission set (and Entra ID / security-group guidance) scoping who can plan, simulate and commit schedules

AL API pages (REST/OData v4) plus a sample Power BI scheduling dashboard wired to the on-time-delivery and utilization KPIs

Job Queue entry configured for automated overnight re-planning, with documented schedule and recovery behavior

Source code handover in a Git repository, an AL technical design note, and an operations runbook for planners

Installation, sandbox-to-production deployment, and a live training session for your planning and operations team

Optional ongoing support and version-compatibility plan covering BC major/minor upgrades

Who this is for

Operations / Production Director

Owns on-time delivery and plant throughput at a complex, constraint-heavy manufacturer. Lives with the gap between the MRP plan and what the floor can actually run, and needs a schedule that respects machines, people, tooling and material at the same time — not another manual Gantt to babysit.

Production Planner / Scheduler

Builds and re-builds the daily schedule and absorbs every late material delivery, broken fixture and absent operator by hand. Wants to simulate options, see the KPI impact, and commit a valid schedule in minutes instead of rebuilding spreadsheets every morning.

ERP / IT Manager

Responsible for keeping Business Central clean and upgradeable. Wants finite scheduling delivered as a proper AL extension with its own permission set and API surface — not a brittle customization or a black-box bolt-on that breaks on Microsoft's next release wave.

How Advanced Finite Capacity Scheduling (APS) Compares

Criterion	ECOSIRE	Custom Build	Competitor
Finite-capacity scheduling across machine, labor, tooling AND material at once	Included	Partial support	Partial support
Constraint-based forward and backward scheduling	Included	Partial support	Included
Automatic alternative work-center / routing selection on overload	Included	Partial support	Partial support
Material-availability-gated operation sequencing	Included	Partial support	Not included
Scenario simulation with side-by-side KPI comparison before commit	Included	Not included	Partial support
Modeled to YOUR exact routings, shifts and constraints	Included	Included	Not included
Delivered as an upgrade-safe AL extension with its own permission set	Included	Partial support	Included
REST/OData API + Power BI / Dataverse integration for the schedule	Included	Partial support	Partial support
Source code handover and full ownership	Included	Included	Not included
Installed and supported on your tenant by the builder	Included	Partial support	Partial support

Frequently Asked Questions about Advanced Finite Capacity Scheduling (APS)

How long does delivery take, since this is built to order?

Typical delivery is 3 to 6 weeks depending on the complexity of your routings and constraint model. After a scoping workshop we confirm the exact timeline in writing. The flow is: scope your machine/labor/tooling/material constraints, build the AL extension, install it on your sandbox for validation against real production orders, then promote to production after your sign-off. You are never surprised by the date — it is agreed before the build starts.

Is this an AppSource app I can just download and install myself?

No. It is a build-to-order, per-tenant AL extension. ECOSIRE scopes it to your plant, builds it, and installs it directly on your Business Central environment (cloud SaaS or on-prem). There is no instant AppSource download, because a finite-capacity engine is only useful when it is modeled around how your specific machines, labor pools, tooling and materials actually behave. You receive the source code and full handover, not a black box.

What happens when Microsoft ships a new Business Central release wave?

The extension is built on standard BC objects using table/page extensions and event subscribers rather than fragile per-tenant hacks, so it is designed to survive Microsoft's monthly updates and the twice-yearly release waves. Under an optional ongoing support and version-compatibility plan, ECOSIRE recompiles and regression-tests the extension against new major/minor versions before they reach your production tenant, plus handles bug fixes and small enhancements. Without a plan, you still own the source and can maintain it yourself or commission updates as needed.

How does APS interact with our existing production orders and MRP?

It complements them rather than replacing them. Standard Business Central MRP still calculates what to make and when material is needed (infinite-capacity). APS then takes those production orders and produces a finite, executable sequence. When you commit a scenario, it writes the chosen dates back onto the standard production order routing lines — there is no parallel data silo. Your operations, costing and inventory continue to work off native BC tables.

Can the schedule feed our shop-floor screens, Power BI, or an MES?

Yes. The extension exposes schedules, scenarios and KPIs through AL API pages over REST/OData v4. We deliver a sample Power BI dashboard wired to the on-time-delivery and utilization KPIs, and the same endpoints can feed shop-floor terminals, an MES, or IoT/machine-status feeds. Overnight re-planning runs via the BC Job Queue, and the API can also be driven from Power Platform / Dataverse if you want approval flows or low-code extensions around it.