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Access Orchestrate production planning software icon Planning and Scheduling

Production planning software for manufacturing 

Our manufacturing production planning and scheduling software, Access Orchestrate, optimises your manufacturing production planning by increasing your capacity, efficiency and accuracy.

Get a clear view of your manufacturing production schedules, plans and progress, enabling you to make better-informed decisions with our advanced production planning software.  Access Orchestrate connects with your back office systems to create end-to-end integration.

Access Orchestrate production planning and scheduling software is trusted by hundreds of manufacturing businesses

Why choose our production planning software? 

Access Orchestrate manufacturing production planning software ensures that you are utilising every machine, employee and resource to its full capacity.  

You require manufacturing scheduling software that is capable of changing production needs due to unexpected events and changes in demand. Planners can analyse capacity, test different scenarios to answer ‘what if’ questions and identify issues before they occur.

Our production scheduling software saves time, reduces waste and prevents errors, while improving communication between teams. Find out more about what advanced planning and scheduling is.

Access Orchestrate – production planning software features

Our advanced planning and scheduling software has everything you need to transform your manufacturing planning out of the box:

Day-to-day scheduling

Intuitive Drag and Drop Gantt chart puts planners in control and allows changes to schedules to be made easily and quickly.  

Capacity planning

Use smart modelling to assess potential capacity, so you can provide dates and timescales to customers with the confidence that they will be met. 

'What-if?' analysis

Quickly and accurately test different scenarios and answer ‘what-if? questions. Compare multiple options. Easily change orders and understand the repercussions on the rest of the plan. 

Real-time management insight

Identify production bottlenecks before they happen based on accurate data and report on problem areas with heatmaps. 

User-defined views of production data

Customise and filter the information displayed for each department or user. Operators can start, stop and complete tasks within a user-specific agenda. 

Just In Time (JIT) and lean manufacturing

Consistently meet JIT and lean principles and expectations with real-time information and instant control of your resources, labour and materials.  

Shop floor data capture

Connect production planners and shop floor operators through our easy-to-use application which can be used on a tablet or PC. Record downtime, scrap and finished goods in real-time.  

Available stand-alone or integrated with existing ERP

We have a standard methodology to integrate Orchestrate with any existing ERP, MES, or QA system. Orchestrate can also be used as a fully standalone system. 

Cloud-hosted solution

Access Orchestrate is safely hosted on the cloud, meaning your software will always be available with a 99.9% uptime SLA guarantee. We also provide data backup and disaster recovery.  

Benefits of our production planning and scheduling software

Production planners and engineers no longer need to rely on complex spreadsheets, whiteboards and paper-based systems for critical path planning. Access Orchestrate helps planners achieve...

  • Increased capacity
  • Improved equipment and labour utilisation
  • Improved communication from visibility of one central production schedule
  • Increased visibility and accuracy
  • Reduced downtime and WIP
  • Reduced planning time
  • Improved ability to make decisions
  • Easy-to-use software for manufacturing teams

APS software case study - Humacyte

Biopharmaceutical company Humacyte needed advanced planning and scheduling software to upscale manufacturing of its groundbreaking new product. Watch the video to learn why Access Orchestrate was ‘head and shoulders above’ competitors.

How we build your price

While our pricing is bespoke to you, that doesn’t mean it’s complex. We’ll present you with a simple price based on three factors:

Cost of software licence

A simple, transparent fee with the ability to add more users as you grow.

Our expert sales team will work with you to build the best software package for your business.

Implementation fee

We’re committed to getting you off to the best start from day one.

Our FlightPath implementation journey keeps you updated and on track every step of the way.

Customer support package

Choose your ideal level of support to get the most out of your software.

Customer success plans ensure you get prompt and reliable assistance to address any issues you may have.

= One simple plan

Get your quote today

Still using Excel for your manufacturing production planning? 

While Excel and similar spreadsheet tools are affordable, widely available, and backed by extensive support resources and integrations, they come with drawbacks. they’re prone to errors, take up valuable time, lack flexibility, and are notoriously challenging to scale effectively. That’s where we come in.

Access Orchestrate help planners easily build a real-time production plan. Book a time to talk to one of our manufacturing planning experts to discuss how Access Orchestrate can transform your process.

Production planning unlocked with Workspace

Access Orchestrate is now brought together through Access Workspace, bringing a new view of your business performance and data, including communication and collaboration tools that allow you to make data-driven decisions. Workspace includes analytics dashboards providing easy-to-read insights into business performance and interactive Access Orchestrate training for your team.

Production planning unlocked with workspace

Production Planning Software FAQ

What Is Production Planning Software?

Production planning software helps manufacturing companies plan, schedule and optimise complex production processes and resources. Replacing spreadsheets and paper-based systems, production planning software is rich in features like what-if analysis and multiple batch tracking to ensure every part of the manufacturing process is run efficiently.  

Read our full article on What is Production Planning?

What Is Advanced Planning And Scheduling (APS) Software?

APS software, also known as advanced planning and scheduling software, is a comprehensive system designed to revolutionise production operations for manufacturers. Unlike basic scheduling tools or spreadsheets, APS software offers advanced capabilities that enable manufacturers to optimize every aspect of their planning process. With APS software, planners can identify bottlenecks, maximise production capacity, and ensure seamless operations throughout manufacturing workflows. By leveraging APS software, manufacturers gain a vital tool for streamlining their planning and scheduling processes and achieving optimal efficiency.

Read our full article on What Is Advanced Planning And Scheduling (APS) Software?

Why is production planning software important for my business?

Without a granular, accurate and holistic view of production, it is challenging to understand exactly what’s happening on the shop floor.

Production planning software makes this possible, giving you a clear understanding of capacity and equipment, labour and materials utilisation.

With this information, you can focus on removing bottlenecks and managing resources in a way that optimises production.

Why choose Access production planning software?

Access Orchestrate has been designed from concept for day-to-day scheduling, capacity planning and ‘what-if’ analysis.

The software is tried and tested and trusted by companies from small and medium enterprises to global multi-site pharmaceuticals.

What are the features of production planning software?

  • Demand Forecasting: Predicts long-term demand using data like historical trends, order pipelines, and market trends.
  • Production Scheduling and Planning: Supports daily scheduling and medium- to long-term production planning.
  • Capacity Planning: Monitors equipment, labour, and materials to meet lead times and fulfill orders efficiently.
  • 'What-If' Analysis: Simulates various production scenarios to gauge the effects of changes in demand or other variables.
  • Multi-User Functionality: Enables collaboration across teams, from the shop floor to business leadership.
  • Constraint-Based Scheduling: Plans operations around constraints, including equipment, labour, and materials.

How do I know which production planning software is right for my business?

Key considerations when choosing production planning software are your particular needs and whether you need specific capabilities to suit your size and sector.

Assess the current gaps, weaknesses and barriers in your planning processes, and have a clear view of what you are trying to achieve.

This should give you a solid start when researching and comparing different systems.

Read our Best Manufacturing Production Planning Software to see the options in the market and which is best for your business.