Visual Scheduling Blog

During the last years we gained a lot of experience in developing HTML5 Gantt charts. It boiled down to a generalized model for resource planning, that is now basis of our Visual Scheduling Widget. How this model looks like, I started to explain in my previous blog post, when I described the data model and its' different types of objects we think are relevant to visualize resources and their activities.

In this post I explain how to map the members of this data model to interactive graphical representations. So the second (and last 😉) part  of my series of blog posts about our generalized model for HTML5 Gantt Charts refers to the concept of mapping. 

Time is flying, and it is over a month ago that I attended Directions NA in Las Vegas - the essential partner conference for all Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central partners in North America. When you visit a conference, a smartphone seems to be everyone's best friend, and I am no exception. I took a zillion of pictures. Last weekend, I showed a friend some impressions from Las Vegas and came across four pictures that are very meaningful to me. With that distance to the conference, I actually noticed how meaningful they are to me (and why) and decided to share in a blog post.

Some time ago, I reported on the way NETRONIC helps its customers develop web applications for scheduling or resource planning by offering custom tailored, interactive HTML5 Gantt charts. Since then, things have evolved outstandingly. My update on this is the following blog post about our new generalized model for resource planning that is today the basis of our Visual Scheduling Widget.

"Believe me Martin, this won't work." He did not give me any chance to answer or ask why. But he emphasized his point: "I have been in production scheduling the past 25 years."

Then he shared his lessons learned: "No factory is like the other. Each manufacturer has its own processes. Hence, they all manage and schedule in a different manner. Production scheduling only works if you customize it. It needs to support the individual manufacturer's processes. This is common sense and you should trust me."

Well, this was not what I wanted to hear.

For almost two years, I had been making a consistent observation. This observation made me think I had a smart idea for a brand new product. Or even a new product category. I had been noodling on this idea for quite a while. Finally, I was confident enough to discuss it. And I dared to ask a recognized industry expert for feedback. 

"But my discussions with many small make-to-order manufacturers speak a different language. They want something simple, something visual and … ", was my attempt to make my point again.

He didn't let me finish my thought. He was so convinced that I was on a completely wrong track, that he interrupted me again.

You most certainly know our Visual Scheduling Suite for Dynamics NAV (2013 up to 2018). But, of course, we are also "in synch" with the latest developments on the Dynamics 365 Business Central software and are currently in the process of developing our Visual Scheduling Suite 2.0 – based on JavaScript and - fully applicable for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central for cloud and on-premises. So far, we've come up with the Visual Resource Viewer for Dynamics 365 Business Central for the cloud that allows managing your resources, their allocations, free or exceeded capacities and absences in one view. 

With this blog post you get a short introduction to our latest "baby" ;-).

NETRONIC Software GmbH from Germany and Technology Management Ltd. from the UK today announce the collaboration in the development of a visual advanced production scheduling extension for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The joint product is meant to provide manufacturing users of Dynamics 365 Business Central with advanced scheduling capabilities. The product, named Visual Advanced Production Scheduler (VAPS), will be sold through NETRONIC’s international network of resellers. The first version of the VAPS will be presented at Directions NA (May 5-8, 2019) in Las Vegas, Nevada (US). 

The Kenyan supplier of innovative solutions for water and energy systems, Davis and Shirtliff, desperately needed to improve their internal information exchange process to ensure keeping delivery dates as promised to their customers.

Read in this blog post how this worked out with the help of the Visual Production Scheduler.

The Swiss food supplements manufacturer, Nahrin AG, wanted to reduce the intermediate cleaning of the machines to a minimum. At the same time they need to react flexible to new orders and short delivery dates.

Read in this blog post how this worked out with the help of an individual extension of the Visual Production Scheduler.