How to set up standard Business Central options to work best with the VAPS

We are quite proud of the fact that our Visual Advanced Production Scheduler (VAPS)  is the only available finite capacity scheduler which is built in such a way that it fully integrates with the manufacturing module of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. It is our aspiration that both products – Business Central and VAPS – truly work hand in hand. However, the VAPS is a much younger product and as of now it does not support every standard Business Central manufacturing functionality - yet. This concerns a few BC fields that we have compiled in this blog post for you together with the recommended settings.

Be assured that in the process of constantly enhancing the VAPS, this list will simultaneously get shorter and shorter. 

At this point in time, the VAPS requires certain Business Central settings in order to gain the best scheduling results for you and/or your clients. You can differentiate between two cases:

1. Existing Business Central fields that are not considered by the VAPS at all
2. Fields that are considered by the VAPS
   1. For some of these fields the VAPS automatically uses predefined values as shown in the list and ignores other values.
   2. For some fields we recommend you use the values given in the list. Otherwise, the VAPS might not deliver the expected results.

So, here comes the list:

Work Centers

Fields not considered by the VAPS:  Alternate Work Center – can be set by Alternate Routing Set of the VAPS Simulation Type
Maximum/Minimum Efficiency
Fields that are considered by the VAPS a) The VAPS ignores your settings and uses the below default      values Capacity = 1 (Subcontractor = infinite) Efficiency = 100 Queue Time = 0
b) The VAPS might not deliver the expected results if you      use another than the recommended value. Consolidated Calendar = yes (Subcontractor = no).  In case you set this field to “no” the capacity curves might not be displayed meaningfully.

Machine Centers

Fields not considered by the VAPS Maximum/Minimum Process Time Setup Time - can be set via Alternate Routing Set of the VAPS Wait Time Move Time
Maximum/Minimum Efficiency
Fields that are considered by the VAPS a)      The VAPS ignores your settings and uses the below           shown default values Capacity = 1 Efficiency = 100 Queue Time = 0 Send-Ahead Quantity = 0 Concurrent Capacities = 0

Routings 

Fields not considered by the VAPS Routing link code Not considered for the calculation of the EMAD (which is on production order line level) Not considered for the routing if a sub-assembly / component is required for a later operation of the subsequent production order Maximum/Minimum Process Time
Fields that are considered by the VAPS a) The VAPS ignores your settings and uses the given default      value Concurrent Capacity = 1 Send-Ahead Quantity = 0 b) The VAPS might not deliver the expected results if you      use another than the recommended value Only operations on Machine Centers = yes.  It is highly recommended that you build your routings on machine center level

Up/Downtimes:

As said: this list is going to shrink with the upcoming releases of the VAPS. In that way, we will keep this blog post and the related article in our knowledge base updated. To some degree, this list gives you an idea of our 2021 roadmap ... with even more to come ;-)

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