The system schedules the sales order using delivery scheduling. On the basis of the customer requested delivery date, the system performs backwards delivery scheduling to calculate the date on which shipping activities must be started so that the requested delivery date can be kept to.

The following data is taken into account

• route

• shipping point

• material

• ship-to party

The following times are taken into account:

• transit time from the shipping point to the customer location

• loading time

• pick/pack time

• transportation lead time

If backwards scheduling determines a date for starting one of the above activities to be in the past, forwards scheduling is initiated. Forwards scheduling determines the earliest possible date after the current date on which the shipping activities can begin. The date calculated is known as the material availability date. This date is used as the basis for scheduling the activities in the assembly order.

When you create a sales order with assembly processing, scheduling is automatically carried out. The purpose of scheduling is to find out, whether it is possible to meet the requested delivery date entered by the user.

If the requested delivery date cannot be met, scheduling automatically determines the earliest date on which the sales order quantity can be confirmed (i.e. committed).

Scheduling in assembly processing, i.e. delivery scheduling in the sales order and scheduling of the procurement element (production order, planned order or network) is always carried out in the same scheduling run: The user enters the requested delivery date and scheduling determines the confirmed date.

Internally, the scheduling run can be split into two parts:

1. Starting at the requested delivery date, the system first determines the basic finish date of the production order, planned order or network.
2. Starting at the basic finish date, the system then determines the committed date of the sales order

Starting at the requested delivery date, the system subtracts the delivery scheduling time, goods receipt processing time and in-house production time.

The next step depends on the in-house production time:

• If the start of the in-house production time does not lie in the past (case 1), the in-house production time finish is the basic finish date.

• If the start of the in-house production time does lie in the past (case 2), the system adds the in-house production time to today’s date in order to determine the basic finish date.

The system now starts at the basic finish date (see case 1 or 2) and schedules the order or network backwards to determine the basic start date.

The next step depends on the basic start date:

• If the basic start date does not lie in the past (case 3), the system adds the goods receipt processing time and the delivery scheduling time to the basic finish date. The result is the committed date of the sales order.

• If the basic start date does lie in the past (case 4), the system takes today’s date as the new basic start date.

• In productions orders and networks the system carries out "today" scheduling to determine a new basic finish date. It then adds the goods receipt processing time and delivery scheduling time in order to determine the committed date of the sales order.
• Planned orders use the original basic finish date. The goods receipt processing time and the delivery scheduling time is then added in order to determine the committed date of the sales order.