How to Use the MRP Planner Workbench in SyteLine
how to use the planner workbench in SyteLine to release planned orders
Also searched as
- SyteLine MRP planned orders release
- SyteLine planner workbench reschedule
- SyteLine firm planned order
- SyteLine MRP action messages
Short answer
After MRP or APS generates planned orders and exception messages, a planner reviews them item by item in the planner workbench, then firms, changes or releases them into job orders, purchase requisitions or transfer orders. The skill is reading the messages in the right order and releasing only what is real demand.
Applies to: Infor SyteLine 8.x and CloudSuite Industrial 9.x and 10.x with MRP or APS planning. Screen labels differ slightly by release and configuration.
A planner's daily workbench routine
- 1Confirm the latest MRP or APS run completed successfully and note its date. A workbench full of stale rows usually means an old or failed run.
- 2Open the planner workbench and filter by planner code, buyer or item range so you only see your items.
- 3Sort by exception: past-due planned orders and reschedule-in or reschedule-out messages first, cancel messages next, then new planned orders.
- 4For one item, review the supply and demand time line: on hand, scheduled receipts, planned orders and requirements by date. Confirm the shortage is real before acting.
- 5Firm the planned orders you want to protect from the next MRP regeneration, so quantity and date stay put.
- 6Release planned orders to the right target: job order for manufactured items, purchase requisition or PO for purchased items, transfer order for items supplied from another site.
- 7For exception messages on existing supply, change the due date or quantity on the actual job, PO line or transfer order, rather than on the planned order.
- 8Re-check the item time line after release to confirm the shortage is covered and no duplicate supply was created.
Planned orders are suggestions, not supply
A planned order is MRP's recommendation, and the next regeneration may delete or recalculate it. It is not a commitment to the shop or to a supplier. The workbench exists so a human can convert the right recommendations into real, firm documents. Until a job, PO or transfer exists, nothing is ordered.
Firming a planned order is the middle step. A firmed order is kept by the next planning run, but it still has no downstream document. Use firming for items with long lead times where you want the date to hold while you negotiate quantity with a supplier.
Reading exception messages
Reschedule-in means existing supply is due later than demand needs it, so ask the supplier or shop to pull it forward. Reschedule-out means supply is due earlier than needed, a cash and space issue rather than a shortage. Cancel means existing supply has no demand against it at all, often after a sales order was cancelled or a forecast dropped.
Treat these by cost of being wrong. Past-due supply and shortages inside lead time come first. Reschedule-out and cancel messages on cheap items can wait or be handled in batches. Do not accept all messages blindly with a bulk action, since a single bad forecast or wrong lead time can flood the shop with jobs.
Why the numbers look wrong
If planned orders are far larger than expected, check the item's planning parameters: lot size, minimum order quantity, order multiple, safety stock and lead time on the item and item-site record. A minimum order quantity of 1,000 on a part you use 10 a month will always produce 1,000.
If demand is missing, check that the sales order lines are not on hold, that the forecast is included in the planning run options, and that the item's planning source and warehouse settings include the stocking site. For multi-site setups, confirm each site's planning is run, as covered in the multi-site configuration page.
-- Quick look at planned supply for one item (table names vary by release, verify first) SELECT item, whse, due_date, qty_planned, ref_type FROM planned_supply_view WHERE item = 'WIDGET-200' ORDER BY due_date;
Common pitfalls
- !Releasing every planned order without checking the time line, creating duplicate supply for demand already covered.
- !Editing a planned order's date instead of the real job or PO, so the next MRP run reverts the change.
- !Working from an old MRP run, then releasing orders for demand that no longer exists.
- !Ignoring item planning parameters, so lot size or minimum order quantity inflates every planned order.
- !Releasing purchased items as jobs, or manufactured items as requisitions, because the item's source was set wrongly.
How an ERP-grounded AI assistant handles this
ERPray over SyteLine can summarise a planner's list in plain language: which items have past-due supply, which planned orders are driven by a single large sales order, which items are inflated by minimum order quantity. It shows the query behind each answer and respects the planner's ERP role. Releasing orders stays a human action in the workbench. If your planners are comfortable with the standard filters and sorting, the workbench alone is usually enough.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between firming and releasing a planned order?
Firming keeps the planned order from being recalculated by the next MRP run but creates no document. Releasing converts it into a real job order, purchase requisition or transfer order. Firm to protect a date, release when you are ready to commit.
Why did my planned orders disappear after MRP ran?
Unfirmed planned orders are regenerated on each run, so old ones are deleted and new ones created. Firm the ones you want to keep. If they vanish because demand dropped, the new run found no requirement.
Should I accept all exception messages?
No. Review past-due and shortage messages first. Bulk accepting reschedule and cancel messages can cancel supply that is needed because of a bad forecast or lead time. Use filters by planner and sort by value or lead time.
Can the workbench plan multiple sites?
Yes when planning is run for each site and transfer sourcing is set up. Always confirm which site you are viewing, since the same item can show different on hand and demand per site.
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