D365 F&O Capacity Modeling Using Skills and Workers (Part 1)

During a recent project with a manufacturing client, we discussed how best to model their capacity. It quickly became clear that their capacity constraint was not their machines, but their workers. Specifically, the issue was the combination of skills that each worker had attained, and the challenge was how to schedule them feasibly. To satisfy the company's requirement, we used the Skills functionality to build D365 F&O capacity modeling.

In this first installment of a two-part tutorial, I will share the set-up required for this task. In the second installment, you will see the results of Master planning.

Before we dive into the details, here is the required set-up at a high level:

• Define the set of skills in the Human Resources module
• Assign the skills to workers in the Human Resources module
• Create resources linked to workers in the Production control module
• Assign the skills to the routes (instead of resources) in the Production control module

By linking the skills to the resources and then assigning the skills to the routes, Master planning can identify an available resource (from the set of all resources with the required skill).

An example with required steps

The first step in configuring skills is to define at least one rating (with at least one level) and one or more skills in the Human Resources module.

In this example, we'll set up one rating, Default, that we can use with our skills. (Note: Even if you do not require or desire splitting individual skills into ratings and levels, the setup requires that you must have at least one rating with at least one level, because it is a required field when assigning the skill to the worker.)

1. Navigate to Human resources > Competencies > Setup > Rating models.
2. Click New.
3. In the Rating field, enter a value, e.g., Default.
4. In the Description field, enter a value, e.g., Default.
5. In the Level field, enter a value, e.g., Default.
6. In the Description field, enter a value, e.g., Default.
7. Click Save.
8. Close the page.

Next, create one or more skills using the following procedure:

1. Navigate to Human resources > Competencies > Setup > Skills.
2. Click New.
3. In the Skill field, enter a value, e.g. Assembly, Testing, Packing, Inspection, etc.
4. In the Description field, enter a value (match the Skill ).
5. In the Rating field, enter or select DEFAULT.
6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for any additional skills you would like to add.
7. When finished, close the page.

The third step is to assign the skills created in the second step to workers.

1. Navigate to Human Resources > Workers > Workers.
2. Use the Quick Filter to find records by entering a name and then selecting the Name field in the dropdown.
3. Choose Worker action pane > Competencies section > Skills.
4. Click New.
5. In the Skill field, enter or select a value.
6. In the Level field, enter or select a value.
7. In the Level date field, enter a date.
8. Repeat steps 4 through 7 to assign more skills to the worker.
9. Repeat steps 2 through 7 to assign skills to other workers.
10. When finished, close the page twice.

Now that your workers are linked to the skills, you can create resources linked to our workers.

To do that, we first need a resource group, since every resource must be a member of one (and only one) resource group. We will create a generic one named Workers.

1. Navigate to Production control > Setup > Resources > Resource groups.
2. Click.
3. In the Resource group field, enter a value. For this example, enter Workers.
4. In the Site field, enter or select a value.
5. In the Calendars fast tab, click Add.
6. In the Calendar field, select a calendar to use.
7. Click Save.
8. Close the page.

Now it is time to create the resources and link them to the resource group we just created.

1. Navigate to Production control > Setup > Resources > Resources.
2. Click New.
3. In the Type field, select Human resources.
4. In the Worker field, open the dropdown and use the Name column filter to filter for a worker.
5. Copy the Personnel number and then click Select.
6. In the Resource field, paste the Personnel number copied from the Worker record in the previous step.
7. In the Description field, enter the worker's name (which can be copied from the Worker name field).
8. In the Calendars fast tab, click Add.
9. In the Calendar field, enter or select a calendar.
10. In the Resource groups fast tab, click Add.
11. In the Resource group field, select the Workers resource group created previously.
12. Click Save.

Last, we assign the skill to an operation on a route (as the resource requirement) instead of assigning a resource group or even a specific resource.

To do this, we select a Requirement type of Skill, then select from the list of skills in the Requirement field.

In this example, I have assigned the Assembly skill.

Note that Job scheduling is enabled but not Operation scheduling. This functionality works only with Job scheduling, so you will not be able to enable Operation scheduling or use it successfully with that scheduling method.

One last thing: If you now click the Applicable resources button positioned in the middle of the form, it will display all resources with that skill assigned.

In the next and final installment, we will review the results of Master planning using skills. Until then, I hope this tutorial on D365 F&O capacity modeling proves helpful to anyone who requires a similar setup.

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