In today’s CNC environment, speed isn’t optional. It’s survival.

And yet most shops still rely on the one tool that can’t keep up with constant change:

the ERP scheduler.

The result is predictable:

• Jobs start late
• Operators scramble
• Machines idle
• OTD slips
• And the team rebuilds the schedule every morning

Let’s break down why this keeps happening — and why AI-driven scheduling is finally making ERP schedules obsolete.

ERPs Weren’t Designed for Dynamic Production Scheduling

ERPs are excellent at what they were built for:

• storing orders
• tracking inventory
• managing BOMs
• keeping revision control
• recording transactions

But production scheduling is not their core competency.

Every ERP on the market shares three very real limitations:

1. ERPs Assume Infinite Capacity

MRP logic pretends every machine is always available.

It’ll happily schedule five jobs on your bottleneck mill at 8:00 AM — because in ERP land, that’s possible.

In the real world?
That mill is booked solid for the next 36 hours.

2. ERPs Use Fixed, Static Lead Times

Setup time is always “30 minutes.”
Cycle time is always “12 minutes.”
Inspection is always “20 minutes.”

But on the floor:

• operators vary
• tools wear
• programs change
• fixtures break
• parts scrap
• machines drift

Static inputs → inaccurate schedules → expensive surprises.

3. ERPs Can’t Model Real CNC Logic

Modern production is not a straight line.

A real CNC job may involve:

• alternate machines
• shared fixtures
• programming queues
• inspection bottlenecks
• operator availability
• lights-out vs staffed strategies
• outside processing
• mid-process quality checks
• parallel operations
• setup families
• batching rules

Try representing all that inside the ERP.

You can’t.
That’s why 99% of shops still run the real schedule in Excel.

When the Schedule Is Wrong, Everything Falls Apart

A flawed plan cascades into chaos fast:

• Operators waste time re-sequencing
• Machines bounce between setups
• Job queues pile up at the bottleneck
• WIP spikes
• OTD drops
• Customers lose trust

The ERP shows a plan on paper.
The shop runs a completely different plan in reality.

And that gap is expensive.

What Shops Actually Need: A System of Action, Not Just a System of Record

Your ERP is your system of record.

But your scheduler needs to be your system of action:

• real capacity
• real constraints
• real priorities
• real-time updates
• real bottlenecks
• real alternative plans (Plan A/B)

This is exactly where Skody steps in.

Skody: The Scheduler CNC Shops Actually Needed

Skody sits on top of your ERP.
Your data stays where it belongs.
Skody transforms that data into a realistic, optimized plan.

Here’s what Skody does that ERPs simply can’t:

1. Finite Capacity Modeling

Every machine
Every shift
Every operator
Every fixture
Every constraint

Modeled accurately.

Result:

A schedule you can actually run.

2. Auto-Optimized Job Sequencing

Skody sequences jobs based on:

• due dates
• setup family grouping
• bottleneck stress
• programming readiness
• outside processing
• fixture conflicts
• shift changes
• priority overrides

No more Excel firefighting.

3. Plan A vs Plan B (Scenario Mode)

Skody automatically generates alternative paths:

• normal load
• extended shift
• lights-out strategy
• expedite mode
• bottleneck relief
• late-job rescue plan

You can compare scenarios before committing.

4. Real-Time Execution Powered by Machine Data

Skody ingests live signals from monitoring systems:

• cycle time drift
• idle time
• downtime
• setup overruns
• actual vs theoretical time
• WIP stagnation
• job blockers

When reality shifts, the schedule updates.

Automatically.

The Result: A Shop That Runs on Truth, Not Assumptions

Shops running Skody see the same three outcomes:

1. Higher OTD
2. Lower chaos
3. More throughput without more machines

The ERP still manages the business.
Skody manages the motion.

And motion is where money is made.

The Bottom Line

ERP scheduling is static.
CNC shops are not.

Using the ERP for day-to-day scheduling is like navigating a race with last week’s map.

Skody gives you a live one.

A scheduler that reacts, adapts, optimizes, and keeps the team in sync.

If your mornings still start with Excel, whiteboards, or crisis re-sequencing, there’s a better way forward. And it doesn’t require changing your ERP — only upgrading your scheduler.