FAQ – Features & Answers about MCP Workforce Management

• Alignment of production demand with available skills
• Automated validation: Is sufficient qualified staff available?
• Early identification of bottlenecks
• Suggested alternative staffing options

• Avoidance of unnecessary overtime
• Optimized shift allocation
• Assignment of appropriate skill levels instead of overqualification
• Reduction of idle times

• Immediate recalculation in case of absences or order fluctuations
• Automated suggestions for replacement staffing
• Transparent impact on the production plan

• Improved on-time delivery
• More stable shift operations
• Better utilization of workforce and machinery
• Fewer unplanned downtimes

• Each employee has defined skills (e.g., machine, line, task)
• Each workplace requires specific qualifications
• The system automatically matches: requirements vs. skills vs. availability

Scheduling is performed at the push of a button. The integrated algorithm assigns employees to workplaces in order to cover demand defined by the production schedule as comprehensively as possible.
The algorithm considers:

• Qualifications
• Availability
• Working time models
• Priorities

When an employee absence is entered into the absence list or imported from another source, the employee’s capacity is immediately removed for the affected days.
In workforce planning, the user receives a warning and can either intervene manually or use the repair assistant to generate a proposal.

The Shopfloor Monitor displays tasks for a selected work center, categorized by status in the columns Todo, In Progress, and Done.

Production employees start, pause, and complete tasks by moving them to the corresponding column.
They can also record (partial) quantities and actual working times.

Yes. ERP systems can serve as a source for production orders as well as employee absences.
MCP Workforce Management provides REST APIs to push and pull data.

The production plan from the APS, including workforce requirements (for setup and processing), is transferred to Workforce Management.
Planned workforce capacity per workplace is fed back to the APS and can be used as a planning constraint.

Independently of detailed workforce scheduling, available capacities—grouped by team or qualification based on shift and duty schedules—can be transferred to the APS and used for capacity planning.

MCP Workforce Management always operates on live data.
Workforce schedules can be exported over a freely definable period via an export function for use in other systems.

Interfaces exist for:

• Employee master data and absences
• Production plans
• Capacities per workplace
• Capacities by team or qualification
• Feedback data from the Shopfloor Monitor

Typically between 2 and 12 weeks, depending on complexity and scope of use.
Initial modules are often available within a few days.

• Analysis & goal definition
• Data collection (employees, skills, workplaces)
• System configuration
• Integration
• Pilot phase & user training
• Rollout

Depending on objectives and modules:

• Employee master data
• Qualification matrix
• Workplaces & qualification requirements
• Shift and duty models

Generally low. The better the existing data quality and the clearer the objectives, the lower the effort required.

Absolutely. High usability and intuitive interfaces are top priorities in product design.
Training requirements are minimal.

Yes. Especially the Shopfloor Monitor is designed for ease of use by all production employees.

• Employees can be assigned to workplaces via mouse
• The system automatically validates qualifications and rules

• Simple user interface
• Involvement of employees in configuration and display settings
• Increased transparency across the production process
• Fast, visible improvements

Both are possible:

• Cloud → scalable, lower IT costs, easier upgrades
• On-premise → full control and data sovereignty

Yes, with a focus on:

• Data minimization
• Role-based access control
• Clear responsibilities

• Access control concepts (RBAC)
• Encryption
• Audit logs
• Secure interfaces

Typically:

• 5–15% savings, primarily through improved planning and reduced overtime

• Fewer short-term deviations from plan
• More stable shift staffing
• Reduced operational disruptions

• Higher workforce productivity
• Improved machine utilization
• Reduced idle times

• No real-time capability
• No automated optimization
• Error-prone
• Not scalable

• HR systems: master data, payroll, time tracking
• MCP WFM: operational workforce scheduling in production

• Shift scheduling = who works when
• Workforce management = who works when, where, with which qualifications, and how capacity supply and demand are balanced

• Access to a demo system
• Pilot project with real data
• Use case-based evaluation

• Analysis of current planning processes and challenges
• Evaluation of savings and optimization potential
• Simulation of typical scenarios
• Business case & ROI estimation