<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ManualTopic ID="/baanerp/cp/onlinemanual/000003" xml:lang="en">
   <Header>
      <Title>Workload control</Title>
      <Keyword type="header" order="d1e182561">
         <Level1>Workload control</Level1>
      </Keyword>
      <Keyword type="header" order="d1e182564">
         <Level1>WLC</Level1>
      </Keyword>
   </Header>
   <GeneralSection>
      <Paragraph> 
         <Link href="/baanerp/cp/glossary/glossary#000013" role="glossary">Workload control</Link> is a <Link href="/baanerp/cp/glossary/glossary#000059" role="glossary">master-planning</Link> method for production planning that
		considers the constrained availability of capacity and materials. The main
		purpose of the planning method is to control the workload level for all <Link href="/baanerp/ti/glossary/glossary#000000000000036" role="glossary">work centers</Link> that are considered a
		constraint.</Paragraph>
      <List>
         <ListIntro>The basic procedure of the planning method is:</ListIntro>
         <ListItem>As a starting point for
		  the planning process, an ideal plan is generated, assuming infinite
		  availability of production resources and materials. (Or, alternatively, the
		  current master plan is taken as a starting point.)</ListItem>
         <ListItem>LN checks the
		  available capacity and components. The planned production is moved to earlier
		  or later periods where necessary, to create a feasible plan.</ListItem>
      </List>
      <Paragraph>If a part of a planned
		production volume is moved to an earlier period, the inventory level will
		increase, because the item is produced in advance of the demand. If a part of
		the planned production volume is moved to a later date, the projected inventory
		can become negative. This implies, that it is impossible to produce everything
		in time to meet the demand. In general, the objective of the planning method is
		to generate a plan in which the projected inventory follows the desired
		inventory levels as closely as possible.</Paragraph>
      <GeneralSection>
         <SectionTitle>Application areas</SectionTitle>
         <Paragraph>This planning method
		  is generic as it can be used in many different situations. However, sequence
		  dependent setup times are not taken into account.</Paragraph>
         <List>
            <ListIntro>The application areas for workload control are:</ListIntro>
            <ListItem>Job shop</ListItem>
            <ListItem>Discrete multi-model
			 flow</ListItem>
            <ListItem>Process flow and batch
			 processing</ListItem>
         </List>
      </GeneralSection>
      <GeneralSection>
         <SectionTitle>Job shop</SectionTitle>
         <Paragraph>The workload-control
		  planning method is based on the relationship between workload and production
		  lead time. It is particularly important in job shop environments to control the
		  workload and the lead times.</Paragraph>
      </GeneralSection>
      <GeneralSection>
         <SectionTitle>Discrete multi-model flow</SectionTitle>
         <Paragraph>The workload-control
		  planning method plans with fixed lead times. In multi-model flow the production
		  lead times are often fixed. This planning method is therefore also suited for
		  multi-model flow production systems without sequence-dependent setup times.</Paragraph>
      </GeneralSection>
   </GeneralSection>
   <RelatedTopics>
      <SectionTitle>Related topics</SectionTitle>
      <RelTopic>
         <Link href="/baanerp/cp/onlinemanual/000309" role="manual">To plan supply with master planning</Link>
      </RelTopic>
      <RelTopic>
         <Link href="/baanerp/cp/onlinemanual/000001" role="manual">Workload control, planning algorithm</Link>
      </RelTopic>
   </RelatedTopics>
</ManualTopic>