Master production schedule

✅ Why this step aligns everyone on what’s being built—and when

You've finalised the design, locked the methods, and validated the prototype. Now it's time to scale production with clarity and control.

The Master Production Schedule (MPS) is a central plan that defines what is produced, in what quantity, and on what timeline. It balances demand, supply, and production capacity—ensuring your product gets built efficiently, without chaos, missed deadlines, or overproduction.

📘 What you’ll define

  • SKUs and quantities scheduled for each production window
  • Timing for pilot, batch, or mass production runs
  • Resource allocation across machines, suppliers, or assembly teams
  • Links to procurement, inventory, and delivery planning
  • Flexibility and buffers for handling delays, defects, or demand changes

🛠️ Tools and methods

  • Production Schedule Table

    Rows by product/SKU, columns by date/week—showing quantities to build and status.

  • Capacity Planning Model

    Match MPS against tooling, labour, and supplier limits.

  • Make-to-Stock vs. Make-to-Order Strategy

    Define what’s prebuilt vs. built on demand (based on forecast or POs).

  • Linked Procurement Tracker

    Sync MPS with purchasing schedules for materials, packaging, and components.

  • Change Control Workflow

    Manage updates to the MPS due to supply, design, or demand shifts.

⚠️ Scheduling mistakes to avoid

  • Planning without real capacity data. MPS must reflect what’s actually buildable—not ideal conditions.
  • No buffer time. Always allow time for rework, QC, or part shortages.
  • Conflicting priorities. Align MPS with marketing, sales, and fulfilment—not just engineering.
  • Outdated documents. MPS must be live and version-controlled—especially in multi-SKU production.

💡 From operations leads

“We had a product launch deadline—but no schedule. Everyone assumed ‘someone else’ was building it. With an MPS, there’s no guessing—only confirmed timelines.”

– Hardware Ops Manager, Mobility Tech Startup

💡 Make your MPS a shared source of truth. Post it, update it weekly, and review it cross-functionally.

🔗 Helpful links & resources

✍️ Quick self-check

  • Have we defined what units need to be built, when, and in what quantity?
  • Does our schedule reflect real-world capacity and lead times?
  • Are sourcing and stock timelines aligned with our production blocks?
  • Is the MPS reviewed and updated regularly across teams?

🎨 Visual concept (optional)

Illustration: A whiteboard calendar shows production weeks with colour-coded blocks: “Week 22 – 500 units”, “Week 24 – packaging delay risk”. A laptop shows a Gantt-style MPS spreadsheet, and sticky notes flag “Supplier ETA?”, “QC slot needed”, and “Lock tooling by Friday.”

Visual shows how a master production schedule brings alignment, accountability, and clarity to the build phase—before it's too late to course-correct.
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