The schedule method is a method of defining how you want the schedule to schedule the operations in a job. The schedule method is given on a job by job basis. 

Available schedule methods are:

Forward: schedules as close to the release date as possible to front load the shop.

Backward: schedules from the last operation first as close to the due date as possible attempting to load the entire job as close to its due date to complete just in time. Note: if there is not enough time or capacity between the jobs due date and release date the job will automatically schedule to be forward loaded 

Forward Throughput: is an iterative process that first schedules as close to the release date as possible to front load the shop.  The DMS scheduling engine then finds the greatest bottleneck in the process and re-schedules the job to subordinate the flow of the job through the greatest bottleneck. The goal of this method is to maintain the schedule completion date while reducing the overall WIP and waste due to non productive time. Note: the jobs bottleneck is determined by the resource or operation in the process with the biggest amount of queue (or waiting) time. Subordination of the operations through the bottleneck is achieved by forward loading downstream operations and backward loading upstream operations from the bottleneck.  

Backward Throughput: is an iterative process that first schedules as close to the due date as possible to backward load the shop.  The DMS scheduling engine then finds the greatest bottleneck in the process and re-schedules the job to subordinate the flow of the job through the greatest bottleneck. The goal of this method is to maintain the schedule completion date while reducing the overall WIP and waste due to non productive time. Note: the jobs bottleneck is determined by the resource or operation in the process with the biggest amount of queue (or waiting) time. Subordination of the operations through the bottleneck is achieved by forward loading downstream operations and backward loading upstream operations from the bottleneck.  

Forward Midpoint: is a process that subordinates the flow of the job through a user selected operation and resource from the jobs Release Date. The goal of this method is to maintain schedule compliance to the due date while trying not to add unnecessary queue (or waiting) time. An example of where this may be used is in the case of a Heat Treat Oven that may only be available on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. It may not make sense to complete the preceding operation to the heat treat oven on Saturday when it will have to sit idle until the oven is available on Wednesday.  

Backward Midpoint: is a process that subordinates the flow of the job through a user selected operation and resource from the jobs Due Date. The goal of this method is to maintain schedule compliance to the due date while trying not to add unnecessary queue (or waiting) time. An example of where this may be used is in the case of a Heat Treat Oven that may only be available on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. It may not make sense to complete the preceding operation to the heat treat oven on Saturday when it will have to sit idle until the oven is available on Wednesday.  

Forward Infinite: schedules as close to the release date as possible to front load the shop but can overload any resource the job requires up to the hours/operation capacity of that resource.  This method can be used to project overtime demand and also determine if there is enough lead time to complete the order if there was no other work in the shop consuming capacity. 

Backward Infinite: schedules as close to the due date as possible to backward load the shop but can overload any resource the job requires up to the hours/operation capacity of that resource. This method can be used to project overtime demand and also determine if there is enough lead time to complete the order if there was no other work in the shop consuming capacity. 

Backward JIT: this method is similar to Backward by scheduling from the last operation first as close to the due date as possible but the DMS scheduling engine  then determines the last possible start date and forward loads from the start date to complete the order as close to the Due Date as possible. The purpose of this method is to determine the JIT start date and front load each shift for the duration of the job 

Backward Inf. JIT: this method is similar to Backward Infinite by scheduling from the last operation first as close to the due date as possible but the DMS scheduling engine  then determines the last possible start date and forward loads from the start date to complete the order as close to the Due Date as possible and can overload any resource the job requires up to the hours/operation capacity of that resource.. The purpose of this method is to determine the JIT start date and front load each shift for the duration of the job.