Decision Point: Scheduling Problems

When Sugar$-$N$-$Spice was a small operation, scheduling was quite fluid. You'd download the orders from the website each evening, check your inventory of supplies, and post the orders on the bulletin board in the cutting area.

If online orders were slow, you'd have your seamstresses make aprons to be sold at the boutiques in town.

You don't have that luxury now. The retailer has sent you the following purchase order schedule:

Line Ordered Item Quantity Request Date Scheduled Ship Date Status

$1\mathrm{.}104-975482006/179/25$

$1\mathrm{.}204-968462006/179/25$

$1\mathrm{.}304-845762006/179/25$

$1\mathrm{.}404-565472006/179/25$

$1\mathrm{.}504-975482006/1710/15$

$1\mathrm{.}604-968462006/1710/15$

$1\mathrm{.}704-845762006/1710/15$

$1\mathrm{.}804-565472006/1710/15$

$1\mathrm{.}904-975482006/1711/01$

$1\mathrm{.}1004-968462006/1711/01$

$1\mathrm{.}1104-845762006/1711/01$

$1\mathrm{.}1204-565472006/1711/01$

In addition to the retailer's ambitious schedule, you still need to produce the aprons ordered online by customers as well as keep the boutiques stocked with a variety of your aprons. You realize that your daily "flexible" schedule is going to have to become a thing of the past.

One of your employees suggests that you incorporate a master operations schedule. You ask her to explain what the master operations schedule will do$.$

Select an option from the choices below and click Submit.

It shows daily work assignments with start and stop times for assigned jobs at each work station.

It shows which products will be produced and when in upcoming time periods.

It breaks down large projects into steps to be performed and specifies the time required to perform each step.

It specifies the sequence of activities, time requirements, and the critical path for performing the steps in a project.