the "Due Date" and "Required Due Date" fields in a Released Production Order

 

 

In Business Central, the "Due Date" and "Required Due Date" fields in a Released Production Order have distinct meanings and roles in the production planning and scheduling process. Let's break down the differences and purposes of these fields:

 

Due Date: Used by the system to schedule production activities.

Required Due Date: Used by customer service/production planning people to prioritize production orders to meet customer commitments.

 

Due Date

Definition: The Due Date is the date by which the production order is expected to be completed.

Purpose: This date is often used for scheduling and planning purposes within the production facility. It indicates when the final product should be finished and ready, whether for shipping, further processing, or stock replenishment.

Impact: The Due Date helps in aligning production schedules with demand forecasts, ensuring timely completion of production tasks.

Required Due Date

Definition: The Required Due Date is the date by which the customer requires the finished product. This is often driven by customer orders or project deadlines.

Purpose: This date is crucial for meeting customer expectations and ensuring that the production aligns with the delivery commitments made to customers or other departments within the organization.

Impact: The Required Due Date typically influences prioritization within the production schedule. Orders with nearer Required Due Dates may be prioritized to ensure timely delivery.

Example Scenario

In the provided image, we see a Released Production Order for a "Bicycle" with the following details:

 

Due Date: 1/24/2022

Required Due Date: 4/11/2022

Here’s how these dates would be used:

 

The Due Date (1/24/2022) is the internal target date for completing the production of the bicycle. This helps the production team plan their activities and ensure that the bicycle is ready by this date.

The Required Due Date (4/11/2022) reflects the date by which the bicycle is needed, possibly driven by a customer order or project requirement. This date is critical for customer satisfaction and planning logistics like shipping and delivery.

Coordination Between Dates

The production planning team uses both dates to balance internal efficiency with customer needs:

 

If the Due Date is earlier than the Required Due Date, it indicates that the production team has some buffer time to ensure the product is ready well before it is needed.

If the Due Date is later than the Required Due Date, it suggests that the production schedule needs to be adjusted to expedite the production process to meet customer requirements.

 

Conclusion

Understanding and appropriately managing the Due Date and Required Due Date helps ensure that production processes are efficient and aligned with business and customer needs. It aids in optimal scheduling, resource allocation, and meeting delivery commitments, ultimately contributing to higher customer satisfaction and efficient operations.