One current plan for the office and the floor.
A plan that knows what is really happening on the floor. Orders come from your ERP, progress comes from the line, and when something moves the warehouse, sales and the customer know straight away.
One planning board for orders, lines and warehouse.
Orders come from your ERP into the backlog. You drag them onto a line and Frontlink works out the rest: which lines can do it, how long it takes, when there is a changeover and what the warehouse needs to prepare.
- 1 / 7The backlog
Everything still to be planned, straight from your ERP. Each order shows whether it is ready to schedule. If not, it says why: a material shortage, or timings that still need to be set up.
- 2 / 7Drag and drop
You drag Luma Skincare's rush order onto the lines. Frontlink puts each operation only on a line that can do it, in the right order: mixing, then filling, then labelling. What was behind it moves along.
- 3 / 7Changeovers and maintenance
Durations come from set timings per item and line, and the changeover between two orders counts too. Frontlink keeps planned maintenance and the line's working hours free.
- 4 / 7The warehouse knows
If an order can't be made because a material is missing, you see it in the backlog. For what starts tomorrow, the warehouse stages the materials at the line an hour before the start, by shelf life.
- 5 / 7The floor falls behind
Filling line A runs two hours late. Frontlink sees it from the counters and the operator and moves the rest of that line along. What has already started stays put.
- 6 / 7A proposal from Frontlink
Frontlink sees that 88236 will be late as a result, and that Filling line B has room on Wednesday. It proposes moving the order. The planner approves and the delivery stays on time.
- 7 / 7Kanban: where every order is
The same orders, per stage from new to completed. Frontlink sets some of the columns itself, from stock, production and completion. So the whole company sees at a glance where the work is.
The backlog. Everything still to be planned, straight from your ERP. Each order shows whether it is ready to schedule. If not, it says why: a material shortage, or timings that still need to be set up.
Can this order be scheduled?
Every order in the backlog has a status. If something blocks it, it says what, so you know what needs sorting first.
- Ready to schedule
Timings, lines and materials are known.
88240 · Luma Skincare - Resolves on placement
What is still open follows from the line you place the order on.
Line choice sets the timing - Blocked
Something is missing that needs sorting first.
Timing setup requiredNo capable lineAssign materialsUnit conversion required - Partially planned
Some operations are already on a line.
Mixing planned, filling not yet - Frozen
Started or done. Stays put and no longer moves.
88213 · filling running
How long does an order take?
No estimate each time, but set, approved timings per item, line and operation. This is how Frontlink calculates order 88240 on Filling line B:
- Changeover
- 45 min
- Setup
- 30 min
- Production
- 6 h12,000 bottles, 2,000 per hour
- Teardown
- 20 min
= 7 h 35 on the line
- Fixed time
Always the same, whatever the quantity.
- Per quantity
Time grows with the amount.
- Per machine cycle
In whole machine cycles, such as per blend.
Timings from your ERP come in as a suggestion. What is set in Frontlink takes precedence.
Every line has its own calendar.
Working hours and planned maintenance per line. Frontlink only schedules in the hours that work happens and skips the rest.
Order 88251 needs twenty hours. It starts Tuesday afternoon, pauses at night and around Wednesday's maintenance, and is done on Thursday.
What planning asks of the warehouse.
Planning and stock belong together. Frontlink shows what can be made, and puts the warehouse to work for what is coming.
- 88240Can produce
- 88251Can produce
- 88255Lemon fragrance: 2.1 kg short
- 3 materials for 88240Filling line B → Staging CB-1
- Bottles and labels for 88213Labelling line E → Staging VF-2
- 4 materials for 88236Mixing vessel 01 → Staging M1
When the plan moves, the staging tasks move with it.
Together on one plan.
- Everyone sees the same
When a colleague moves an order, you see it straight away. No spreadsheet versions.
- Back with one key
Undo and redo, even after a series of changes.
- Never at cross purposes
If the plan changed in the meantime, you see the latest version first before your change goes through.
- Filter what you need
By customer, operation, line, priority or site, and by stock.
Ask Frontlink.
Frontlink knows the context of your orders, lines and stock. You ask a question in plain language, Frontlink works it out and prepares what is needed. Where it matters, you decide.
Can we still make order 88220 this week?
- Checked capacity per line
- Material checked: bottles in stock
- Calculated the effect on other orders
Yes, on line 2 on Tuesday. Order 88213 then moves one day, and the Friday delivery date still holds. Shall I put the proposal in the plan?
Frequently asked questions.
Can we replace our planning in Excel or on the whiteboard?
Yes. We start with the orders and lines you now keep in Excel or on the board. Frontlink puts them on a digital planning board that the office and the floor both see live.
Does this replace the planning in our ERP?
Frontlink plans at line and hour level below your ERP. Orders come from the ERP and completions go back. Your ERP stays the source for orders and stock.
Does Frontlink plan automatically?
Frontlink makes suggestions, for example where a new order fits best. The planner decides and can move everything.
Can we start without machine connections?
Yes. Operators can record progress and downtime on the tablet. We connect machines later when you want.
Which process takes you the most time?
Book a 30-minute call. We look at your own examples together.
Book a call