The planning segment is the line segment that controls how the order quantities are displayed in the planning table. The planning table displays a row for the planning segment in the Material data section of the screen. In this row, you can check the planned orders dispatched to the line segment and, if necessary, change them.

You define the planning segment in the line hierarchy. You can change the planning segments from the planning table.

The planning segment is the basis of scheduling for lead time scheduling in conjunction with capacity planning. In lead time scheduling, the system carries out mid-point scheduling around this work center. In other words, the operation with the planning segment is the mid-point, and this is scheduled first. Starting from this operation, the system schedules the preceding and subsequent operations. The planning segment is usually the bottleneck work center.

• Sequencing

The planning segment is the basis of scheduling in Sequencing. The production start and finish dates in the planning table always refer to the first or last takt of the planning segment, depending on whether you have set the view to line-on or line-off.

The system defines the line hierarchy header as planning segment as default.

• If you do not define a planning segment, the system uses the line hierarchy header as planning segment for the planning table. If you use Sequencing, the system determines and displays the production start and finish dates for the whole production line.
• If you work with lead time scheduling, you can define any line segment as planning segment.

• For Sequencing, it only makes sense to define a planning segment if you have inserted sort buffers in the line hierarchy. You can then define a line segment from the hierarchy level directly below the line hierarchy header as planning segment. The system then only determines the production start and finish times for the buffered section.

• The system displays the planning segment graphically by shading the appropriate line segment in the line hierarchy.

In the line hierarchy graphic, select a line segment and then choose Planning segment.

The following diagram shows a line hierarchy with no sort buffers. The planning segment is the line hierarchy header. The planning table therefore displays the production dates for the whole production line between "takt 1" and "takt 7".

The following diagram shows a line hierarchy with a sort buffer. You have defined "line segment 2" as planning segment. The planning table therefore displays the production dates for "line segment 2", between "takt 3" and "takt 5".