Taking your first steps
Now that you know the basics of planning and control, let’s look at how it works inside planeus.
This chapter gives you a guided tour: the big picture, the first steps to set things up, and how to move around the interface with confidence.
The Two Levels of Planning
One of the smartest things about planeus is how it separates planning into two levels.
These two levels are:
- Process Planning – the big-picture activities around production
- Production Planning – the step-by-step execution of how products get made
Level 1: Process Planning
The Big Picture
Processes are all the activities that happen before or after the actual manufacturing — like:
- Designing the product
- Ordering materials
- Shipping the finished goods
These steps are managed using Process Templates, which you can customize per product (or Article).
You’ll see these in the Timeline Gantt View, giving you a high-level view of how your non-production tasks fit into the bigger schedule.
Good to know:
- Processes are not tied to specific resources (no machines or operators needed)
- They don't track quantities — they’re about progress milestones
- Think of them as planning anchors across your project timeline
Level 2: Production Planning
The Core Operations
This is where the core operation takes place — and where your Technologies & Resources come into play.
Each Technology acts like a recipe. It defines:
- All the Work Steps needed to build your product
- Which resources are used for each step (machines, people, tools)
- How long each step takes, including setup and buffer times
Every time you plan production, a Production Order is created for the product. That order includes all the required Work Steps.
Good to know
- Work Steps are directly tied to Resources (unlike Processes)
- They can be scheduled down to the minute
- They're Visible in the Manufacturing Planning Gantt View, where you can see who’s doing what — and when
How Both Levels Connect
Here’s how the two levels come together in planeus:
- You start by creating a Project
- That Project contains one or more Order Items, which define:
- What you’re making
- How many units are needed
- When they’re due
From each Order Item:
- Production Orders and Work Steps are generated based on the Technology
- Processes are added based on the Process Template for that product
This layered approach helps you stay in control from start to finish — from project planning and design to the final delivery — with every detail in between mapped out and easy to follow.
Everything starts with knowing what you need to make — and by when.
Setting Up the Basics
Now that you know the two levels, let’s see how you get started. Planning always begins with demand (what needs to be done) and supply (what you have to work with).
Step 1: What Needs to Be Done (Demand)
Order Items
Think of Order Item like a customer order at a restaurant!
Each one tells you:
- What article needs to be made
- How many units you need
- When they should be ready
This forms your "to-do list" in the production world.
Articles & Technologies
If the Article is the dish you offer on the menu, then the Technology is your existing recipe.
Each Article has at least one Technology, which lays out:
- The exact steps to make it (called Work Steps)
- How long each step takes
- Which machines, tools, or people you’ll need
- Any setup or buffer times in between
When you add all this up across all your orders, you get a clear picture of your capacity demand — how much work is on your plate, and what it will usually take to get it done.
Step 2: What You Have to Work With (Supply)
Next, look at your resources — everything you rely on to get the job done. Good planning means tracking resources and their limits so you don’t overbook or run into surprises.
Resources
Resources are anything you rely on to get the job done — machines, people, tools, even storage space.
A Resource can be:
- A machine (e.g. CNC machine, paint booth)
- A person (e.g. skilled operator, inspector)
- A tool or accessory (e.g. mold, fixture, adapter)
- A vehicle or storage (e.g. rack, cart, forklift)
- Even an abstract thing (e.g. a calibration setting)
Step 3: What's Actually Available
Availability
Just because you have a resource doesn’t mean it’s always usable
A Resource in planeus is anything that has limits on availab, like:
- Limited capacity (e.g. can only handle two jobs at a time)
- Limited quantity (e.g. only one specific mold available)
- Limited time (e.g. only available during certain shifts)
- Limited space (e.g. weight or size constraints)
- Limited wear and tear (e.g. tools that need maintenance)
Modern planning systems track these limits and give you realistic picture of supply —so you don’t overbook anything or run into surprises.
Bringing It All Together
In short, planeus connects both sides:
- What needs to be done (orders, articles, work steps)
- What you can actually use (resources, time, shifts)
When demand and supply are in sync:
- Deadlines are realistic
- Resources aren’t overloaded
- People know what to work on and when
Working Inside planeus
All in your browser
planeus runs entirely in your web browser — no downloads, no installations.
For the best experience, we recommend using the latest version of Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
Navigating the interface
- The main menu is on the left side of the screen.
- Click the hamburger icon (three stacked lines) to open or close the menu.
Closing the main menu gives you more space to work, especially on smaller screens.
Want to access Administration or Configuration settings? Just click your user icon in the top-right corner.
How to Edit Anything
See the three-dots icon (⋮) next to an item? That’s your editing menu.
Click it to:
- Edit or update details
- Add new entries
- Access extra actions depending on the module
Working with lists
Lists are everywhere in planeus — they help you manage:
- Order Items
- Articles
- Production Orders
- And more
All list views follow the same structure, making them easy to use and understand.
The displayed columns and their order in the planning object lists can be configured in the Settings.
Users can also adjust the column widths directly in the list. These column width settings are saved in the browser cache, so the view stays the same the next time the user opens it. If needed, the column widths can be reset at any time from the gear menu.
Click on any row to open a detail panel on the right. From there, you can:
- View full item information
- Make edits and changes
From a detail panel, you can jump straight into the Gantt chart to see where that item fits in your plan.
Filters & Sorting made easy
You can filter and sort any list however you like. planeus will remember your setup for next time.
Tip: Hold Shift to sort by multiple columns at once.
Need to sort by several columns at once? Simply hold down the Shift key while clicking the column headers.
Batch-editing multiple items
planeus makes it easy to edit many items at the same time.
- Check the boxes next to the items you want to change.
- planeus will show how many items you’ve selected.
- Click the Select Icon for batch actions.
Want to edit multiple items at once?
- Check the boxes beside the items you want to change
- planeus will show you how many are selected
- Click the Select icon to open batch actions
For example, you can batch-schedule or unschedule several Order Items in just a few clicks.
Recap and ready to start
With just a few clicks, you can:
- Navigate the workspace
- Open and edit items
- Use filters to stay focused
- And manage tasks in bulk
planeus is designed to feel easy from the first day — and powerful for everything that comes next.
That’s it for Getting Started! 🎉
You’ve now got the foundation you need to begin using planeus with confidence. Ready for more? Jump into the next sections to dive deeper into advanced planning, shop floor workflows, or explore integration possibilities.
Let’s plan something great together.