Infinite capacity planning

Concept

A rough-cut planning approach that loads demand into time buckets without limiting it to the actual capacity of resources; useful for seeing load build up, but not an executable shop-floor schedule.

Title graphic: Infinite capacity planning (Concept)

Type	Concept

Key points about Infinite capacity planning

Infinite capacity planning serves ERP and MRP, whereas finite capacity scheduling accounts for physical constraints of machines, people, tools, materials, quality gates, maintenance and time. · How Finite Capacity Scheduling Actually Works…

Episodes about Infinite capacity planning

Constraint-Based Scheduling

2026-09-15 · Video on YouTube

Production plans that look fine in ERP fall apart when a machine fails, a fixture is busy or material is still in inspection. This episode walks manufacturing planners, IT/OT architects and operations leaders through constraint-based scheduling in a…

A Machine Goes Down. How Should Your Production Plan…

2026-09-15 · Video on YouTube

When a critical machine goes down, ERP may still show capacity that no longer exists while the shop floor improvises. This episode guides production planners, plant managers and IT/OT architects from disruption detection and impact tracing to finite-capacity…

How Finite Capacity Scheduling Actually Works in…

2026-09-14 · Video on YouTube

Your ERP assigns a finish date, but the machine that must make the parts is already buried under more work than it can finish. This episode explains for manufacturing planners and IT/OT teams how finite capacity scheduling works, from bottlenecks, changeovers…

Why Your ERP Can't Build an Optimal Production Schedule

2026-09-16 · Video on YouTube

Your ERP shows every order with a date, yet the shop floor knows by Monday morning that the plan will not survive the week. This episode explains why ERP cannot build an optimal production schedule, what finite scheduling and APS add, and where Microsoft data…

Timeline of episodes about Infinite capacity planning

Articles about Infinite capacity planning (2)

Why Finite Capacity Scheduling Beats Infinite ERP Planning for Urgent Orders
2026-10-11 · Mirko Peters
Learn why infinite ERP capacity planning causes scheduling chaos and how finite capacity scheduling helps manufacturers handle urgent sales orders safely.
Why ERP Production Dates Are Fake: The Gap Between Planning and Shop Floor Reality
2026-09-15 · Mirko Peters
Discover why traditional ERP production dates create false certainty and learn how finite-capacity APS scheduling bridges the gap in manufacturing.

Frequently asked questions

Why does infinite capacity planning exist?

Infinite capacity planning has an important purpose in ERP and MRP demand and material planning. It works out what is needed and when, but it does not check whether a machine can finish the work, which is why finite capacity scheduling is added on top. · From the episode: How Finite Capacity Scheduling Actually Works…

What is infinite capacity planning?

Infinite capacity planning means placing demand against resources without reserving finite blocks of machine time. Every operation gets a date, but the plan does not check whether the machine can really do all of it in the time available. · From the episode: Why Your ERP Can't Build an Optimal Production…

Glossary

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Feed for this topic (RSS): entity/infinite-capacity-planning/feed.xml
M365.FM episodes on this topic: 4
Articles on this topic: 2

Maintained by Mirko Peters (Microsoft MVP) · Last updated: 2026-11-03