A missed delivery, an overstocked warehouse, or an idle production line rarely happens by accident — it usually traces back to a planning gap somewhere upstream. Operations planning is what keeps demand, capacity, and resources moving in step with each other, and it is often the difference between an organization that scales smoothly and one that constantly firefights. This course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy in Operations Planning and Control is built around closing exactly those gaps.

Participants build a practical toolkit covering demand forecasting, capacity and scheduling techniques, inventory control, shop-floor management, and the performance metrics needed to keep operations aligned with supply chain partners in a constantly shifting environment.

Who Should Attend?

• Supply chain and logistics professionals.
• Operations and production managers across manufacturing or service sectors.
• Planning and scheduling officers.
• Business analysts and process coordinators.

Knowledge and Benefits:

After completing the course, participants will be able to master the following:

• Balance demand forecasting with capacity and resource planning.
• Apply master scheduling and material requirements planning to keep production on track.
• Control inventory levels without tying up unnecessary working capital.
• Manage shop-floor scheduling and monitor operations performance with the right KPIs.
• Align operations planning with supply chain partners to reduce disruption.

Module 1: Why Operations Planning Decides Delivery and Cost

• The role of operations in organizational strategy.
• Key functions and objectives of operations planning.
• Planning levels: strategic, tactical, and operational.

Module 2: Forecasting Demand Before You Plan Capacity

• Principles of demand forecasting.
• Quantitative and qualitative forecasting methods.
• Aligning forecasts with operational plans.

Module 3: Balancing Capacity with Demand

• Goals of aggregate planning.
• Capacity planning techniques and strategies.
• Balancing operational load with available capacity.

Module 4: Scheduling Production and Sourcing Materials

• Role of the master production schedule (MPS) and its inputs and outputs.
• Managing changes and constraints in schedules.
• Components and logic of material requirements planning (MRP), including bill of materials.
• Lot sizing and timing of material orders.

Module 5: Managing Inventory Without Overspending

• Types of inventory and their functions.
• Inventory models: EOQ, safety stock, reorder point.
• Managing stock levels to reduce carrying costs.

Module 6: Controlling the Shop Floor in Real Time

• Scheduling techniques for production floors.
• Sequencing jobs and minimizing delays.
• Real-time control of workflow and status tracking.

Module 7: Measuring Performance and Using the Right Tools

• Key performance indicators (KPIs) for operations: productivity, efficiency, utilization.
• Continuous monitoring and improvement.
• Role of ERP and planning software in data-driven decision making.
• Automation trends in planning and control.

Module 8: Aligning Operations with the Supply Chain

• Coordinating operations with supply chain partners.
• Lead times and logistics considerations.
• Managing external dependencies and disruptions.