Production planners and schedulers can get pretty attached to their spreadsheets. Even if they don’t work as well as they’d like, chances are, they’ve invested dozens, if not hundreds, of hours into getting them to work well enough to offer some benefit. Although the advantages of an Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) implementation are compelling, leaving those spreadsheets behind can be a bit overwhelming and stressful.
To help ensure a smooth and stress-free transition, here are seven practical tips for replacing your production and planning spreadsheets with an APS application:
#1 Start with a thorough pre-implementation assessment.
This assessment should include both technical and cultural readiness. On the technical side, the team needs to determine how much of the production process is defined in existing bills of material and routing processes. In some companies this information exists mainly as “tribal knowledge.” If that’s the case in your organization, you will need to formalize and define the details in your existing ERP system. Spreadsheet data is unstructured, so no matter how well-maintained it may be, it cannot be used by an APS system.
On the cultural side of the equation, you need to evaluate organizational commitment across many departments. Manufacturing is a connected process, so APS isn’t just about production scheduling. Buyers need to maintain electronic purchase orders, engineers need to update and maintain bills of material and routings, the shop floor needs to execute to the structured schedule, and sales needs to commit to making realistic promises based on the capable-to-promise dates produced by the APS system. Finally, leadership needs to fully support the transition and step in, if necessary, to ensure all commitments are being met.
For more on the enterprise-wide impact of APS, read our recent post: The Ripple Effect of Implementing APS.
#2 Set clear objectives.
Ideally, you’ll want to set objectives before selecting an APS system as it can help the team make a better choice. Start by defining the top 3 to 5 improvements you want to achieve by implementing an APS system. Tangible, measurable objectives are best, such as improving on-time delivery, increasing throughput, reducing lead-times, and reducing expediting. If you decide to include less tangible objectives, such as reducing the chaos, make sure you have a clear understanding of what that looks like.
During objective setting, take the time to discuss where and how using spreadsheets for scheduling has hindered you from achieving these objectives. This can help the organization better grasp the need for change. Then, once you’ve selected a system, these objectives will help to focus the implementation and help you avoid scope creep. They will also allow you to measure the success of the implementation once it is complete.
#3 Assemble the right team.
As mentioned in tip #1, APS goes beyond scheduling, so it is essential to assemble a cross-functional team that includes planners, schedulers, purchasing, sales, engineering, materials, and shop floor supervisors. Ideally, everyone on the team will be enthusiastic about the project, but it is okay to have a few skeptics so long as they demonstrate an open mind and a willingness to keep the project moving forward toward the project objectives. Most critically, you’ll need a strong executive sponsor and an internal implementation lead with a good working knowledge of the business and a good rapport with other team members.
There are two types of team members to avoid. First are the complainers and skeptics who sit back, wanting others to prove everything to them before they lift a finger. (We’ve probably all seen the type!) Sadly, if the author of the spreadsheet you currently use seems overly proud (or defensive) of their creation every time it is mentioned, you may need to count them out as well. A strong executive leader and team leader with good people skills may be able to bring this latter type around. Either way, leadership should make it clear that the spreadsheets die once the system goes live.
#4 Identify implementation risks.
You’ve already overcome one of the greatest risks by assembling a team of individuals who are eager to see the project succeed. Now, you need to identify other potential risks that could derail your APS implementation. These risks could be related to data concerns, such as poor routing, incomplete bills of material, and inadequate inventory accuracy. Organizations that rely on spreadsheets typically fail to maintain the data in their ERP system. As mentioned in tip #1, you may need to take some time, filling in missing bills of material and routing information before implementing APS.
Other risks are more cultural. Some manufacturing enterprises have a “wild west” approach that adds to the chaos. APS can address that, but only if the organization is willing to change and embrace a structured approach to scheduling within the APS. You may want to assess the likelihood of resistance to change by department, e.g., the shop floor has a history of not adhering to production schedules or management support for projects has waned in the past. A frank conversation with senior leadership about likely risks can head off a lot of issues.
#5 Avoid scope creep.
Anyone who’s ever been involved in a complex implementation project is likely to be very familiar with the concept of scope creep. Going live as quickly as possible can provide early ROI and keep enthusiasm high, which in turn, encourages openness to change. If possible, make getting rid of spreadsheets entirely one of your first go-live objectives. That lowers the risk of backsliding. Then, backed by strong leadership, continue to drive incremental improvements that allow the team to reap further rewards.
#6 Invest in training.
Invest in sufficient training to ensure your staff is comfortable with the new software and can utilize its full potential. Training is especially important for spreadsheet users as they are being asked to make more significant changes to their daily work processes than most other roles. Business doesn’t stop during an APS implementation, and users are taking in a large amount of new information when learning the new system. Most of the learning of the new system is going to happen post-go-live. To ensure success, it’s important to have a plan for ongoing training during the first few months after the go-live date. Without continuous support, individuals may revert to old habits when faced with pressure for results, especially if they do not fully understand the new system. You need to train and re-enforce how to leverage the power of APS to ultimately reach success.
It is also critical to have an ongoing training plan as people will change roles and new people will come in with different ways of doing things. The last thing you want is for a new production planner or scheduler to bring in their spreadsheets and derail your progress. To keep spreadsheets out of production planning and scheduling systems and processes, thoroughly and quickly train replacements.
#7 Stay vigilant and look for continuous improvement opportunities!
In operations meetings, look for data points generated by or presented in spreadsheet format. Backsliding like this may be a sign that more training is needed if the user didn’t understand how to get the data out of the APS system. It can also be an opportunity for continuous improvement. A regular cadence of system reviews can help ensure your APS implementation is keeping up with the changing needs of the business.
We’re here to help!
Over the years, we’ve helped our clients win over hundreds of spreadsheet users. If you’re looking to address your production and scheduling challenges with an APS system, take the next step by scheduling a demo of SyncManufacturing®. Invite your spreadsheet users, too, so we can start answering their questions and help you get them on board early in the process.
