Key takeaways
- Test vendors on your real bottleneck, not a canned demo.
- Execution and feedback matter as much as the optimiser.
- Look for open data access and fast time-to-value.
Evaluation criteria
- Modelling depth — Can it represent your constraints: skills, tooling, changeover matrices, tanks, shelf life?
- Speed — How long does a full re-plan take?
- Usability — Can planners adjust the plan by drag-and-drop with constraint checks?
- Execution — Does the plan reach the floor as work orders, with feedback?
- Quality — Are checklists and inspections part of the workflow?
- Analytics — Can anyone query plan vs. actual?
- Integration — Prebuilt ERP connectors, API, machine data.
- Time to value — Weeks or months to the first live schedule?
Run a proof of value
Ask shortlisted vendors to schedule two weeks of your real orders on your bottleneck resource. Compare the result with your current plan on on-time delivery, changeovers and planner hours. Book a SteadyFloor demo to start one.
New to the topic? Start with our complete guide to advanced planning & scheduling.