Optimization of Mode Costs 

You can use the optimization to optimize the schedule according to the sum of the mode costs for the activities. The mode costs for an activity are the costs that are incurred when executing an activity in a particular mode; they are calculated as follows from the fixed and variable costs:

Mode costs = Fixed costs + Variable costs x Duration of activity in seconds

You maintain the fixed and variable costs in the optimization profile depending on the mode priority; as the priority decreases, the costs must either increase or remain the same. The system uses the activity duration in seconds for calculating the mode costs.

In order to reduce the costs for an activity, the system can choose a mode with lower costs for the activity during optimization; that is, it reschedules the activity to an alternative primary resource with lower costs and to the corresponding secondary resources.

Prerequisites

·        You defined the fixed and variable costs depending on the mode priority in the optimization profile or when calling up the optimization on the Costs tab page. If you do not enter any mode costs, the system uses the system default value.

·        You have weighted the mode costs in the optimization profile, on the Basic Settings tab page, in the objective function.