The Spreadsheet Was Supposed to Be Temporary

Which machines can run each product? How do changeovers affect available capacity? Does material count as available if it is awaiting a quality release? Who can approve a priority change?

We work through those questions with the people responsible for the process.

The existing spreadsheet can provide valuable clues. A color code may indicate an exception. A hidden tab may hold a capacity assumption. A manual adjustment may compensate for a constraint the ERP does not represent.

We examine which rules reflect sound operating judgment and which habits the business should reconsider before carrying them into a new application.

Faster development makes that judgment more consequential. We still need to define the right process and test how the software behaves when conditions change.

We choose the first project around a decision

At Streamliners Studio, our starting point is a recurring decision with a clear user and a measurable consequence.

“Improve visibility” is too broad to guide a useful first release.

“Help planners identify material shortages before releasing tomorrow's schedule” gives us something specific to work with.

We can establish the information required, the systems involved, and the action the planner needs to take. We can also agree on how to measure progress.

That might mean less time preparing the schedule, fewer changes caused by unavailable materials, or faster resolution of planning exceptions.

We assess the available options before deciding to build. An existing feature, a configuration change, or an established product may provide the best answer.