New version of Graphical Planning and Scheduling

Zurich, Veenendaal, April 8, 2011 – Dynamics Software today announced the release of a new version of Graphical Planning and Scheduling that works with Microsoft Dynamics™ AX2009 (DYS-GPS 5.01.200).

Graphical Planning and Scheduling for Microsoft Dynamics AX is an integrated drag and drop based planning and scheduling solution for production and projects. Graphical Planning and Scheduling provides a graphical visualization of the planned and unplanned capacity of work centers and enables customers to make the necessary allocations and update modifications in the planning in a user-friendly way. For customers there is no need to invest in separate, non-integrated planning tools anymore. Furthermore, non-Microsoft Dynamics AX users can replace their ERP and planning systems into one integrated business solution.
Graphical Planning and Scheduling is built in cooperation with Ad Ultima NV, a Microsoft Dynamics AX partner in Belgium and France with a long heritage in manufacturing and project based companies.

Recent Aberdeen reports illustrated important trends in workforce and work center planning. Their research confirmed that due to the increased competitive business landscape and the pressure organizations are facing as a result of the recent economic reset, companies are finding that they must make significant changes in how they manage and allocate their entire workforce and work centers to reduce or optimize (labor) costs in relation to revenue production. Full integration of workforce scheduling capabilities will facilitate customer satisfaction, as well as improve productivity and capacity utilization.

The objectives of effective workforce and work center planning and scheduling include:

• Increased workforce productivity that results from greater alignment of skills, equipment and needs, improved utilization and overall employee satisfaction
• Strategically produced and executed schedules
• Analytics to support the continuous improvement process
• Reduced time managers spend on tactical workforce and work center scheduling
• Increased revenue per employee

The above trends triggered Dynamics Software to release this new Graphical Planning and Scheduling version focusing on improved and enhanced planning visibility and functionality. As a result of the interest in the new Graphical planning functionality Dynamics Software decided to make this functionality available as a separate module to their existing Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 customers.

Aberdeen reported amongst others the following strategic actions to address the environmental pressures:

• Align staff schedules with actual business needs
• Identify gaps between available workforce requirements and needed capabilities
• Automate the scheduling function (e.g. moving from paper system to electronic)

The new release of Dynamics Software Graphical Planning and Scheduling provides unique business value to:

• Scheduling activities and work orders from a central repository
• Provide real-time visibility to managers enabling them to modify schedules in response to changes in demand
• Follow the progress of a work order or project
• Monitor the labor and work center performance
• Provide real-time access to view/change schedules
• Standardize planning and scheduling process

The following benefits can be reached by implementing Dynamics Software Graphical Planning and Scheduling in combination with Microsoft Dynamics™ AX

• Reduce time to plan and manage production and/or projects
• Ease of use enabling planning by more resources at all levels
• Increase ERP usage adoption
• Manage interdependency work centers
• Standardize working procedures
• Real-time planning on actuals
• AX Algorithm control

In order to explore the new version of the Graphical Planning and Scheduling module Dynamics Software scheduled the following what’s new webinars:

1. April 18, 2011 from 8.00 AM to 8.30 AM CET
2. April 18, 2011 from 5.00 PM to 5:30 PM CET

Dynamics Software will showcase the solution during the 15th annual Microsoft’s Convergence event in Atlanta April 10-13, 2011. Come visit us at Booth # 1234 and experience how we Amplify the Power of Microsoft Dynamics™ AX with this new solution.

Please check http://www.timeanddate.com/ for corresponding local times. If you are interested to attend this web demo and/or want to have more information please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .