Rough-cut planning can be described as scheduling without capacity constraints. Scheduling results are used to get a rough time frame when the order item and its work phases should be executed. These time frames are also used in detail scheduling.
A backward scheduling method is used in rough-cut planning. The starting point for backwards scheduling is the due date of the order item. From this date, the system calculates in a backward direction to determine the required start and end dates for each work phase. The work phase specific flow time defines the amount of time calculating backwards for each work phase. The flow time is an estimate of the time in which a work will pass the work phase. Flow time can be either a constant value or a value calculated by a rule (a constant by default). Possible units for integer flow time value are days, shifts, or hours.
Rough-cut planning is done for the first time to an order when it is made a production order. The due dates can be modified, and rough-cut planning can be recalculated in Order Input.