Why are successful companies no longer planning in Excel?

Are you still using Excel as your standard factory planning tool? There's no doubt that Excel is a powerful tool, enabling calculations, data analysis and the creation of reports. All of us, whether amateurs or professionals, have used it. But aren't we held hostage by its simplicity and versatility? The market and the industry are increasingly challenging, whether due to the volatility of the supply chain, rising costs, increasingly demanding customers or more aggressive competition. As practical as Excel can be, it has its limitations. Limitations that cost companies time and money, such as:

• Scaling limitations: Excel has restrictions on the amount of data and formulas it can handle. This can be a problem for large factories or those with a wide variety of products.
• Human error: Excel is susceptible to human error, such as typos or poorly prepared formulas. This can lead to inaccurate or inefficient production plans.
• Difficulty collaborating: Excel can be difficult to use in teams, as users can easily overwrite or modify each other's data.

So how are many successful companies doing something so complex? They invest in innovation and digitalization of their systems and bet on advanced and specialized solutions for production planning and scheduling, namely SIEMENS Opcenter APS, formerly Preactor. And why choose Opcenter APS?

Easily integrated with any ERP or data source

How much time do you spend looking for information? Sifting through Excel sheets and files, looking for hidden tables, making calls or sending emails asking for information? Opcenter can extract information on orders, dates, routings and lists of materials directly from the source, be it the ERP, the MES or even Excel files used by the various areas. This ensures that you always have the most up-to-date information and saves time on tasks that won't add value.

Processing and Response Capacity

Opcenter APS not only handles large volumes of data, but also uses advanced algorithms to generate precise production plans, taking into account machine capacities, routings, bill of materials, labor usage, tools and other specific rules. All this is done in a matter of seconds or minutes.

Simulation Capacity and Visibility

Orders that are changed at short notice, machine breakdowns, incorrect stocks that surprise us when material is missing at the time of production, a sudden increase in absenteeism. We've all encountered some of these situations, if not all of them! Unfortunately, they happen more often than we'd like. With Opcenter APS we can quickly see the impact of these changes on the plan. We can see, for example, which orders are going to be delayed. We can easily calculate and compare different scenarios and see which is the best alternative for minimizing the impacts. Excel can even be a practical tool that, on a small scale, can work for factory planning. However, as factories become more complex, as the market becomes more challenging, Excel becomes less and less suitable for this task.SIEMENS Opcenter APS software offers a range of features that make it ideal for production planning on any scale and in any manufacturing industry, with proven results in reducing costs, improving resource utilization and increasing productivity.Don't let your company fall behind and contact NEO to find out more or request a free demo!