This article is part of our CloudSuite Industrial Feature Focus series.

Each post highlights a specific feature within Infor CloudSuite Industrial (CSI). In this one, we’re highlighting What-if Planning, a powerful tool that helps manufacturers simulate changes to capacity, shifts, and bottlenecks—before making real-world decisions.

Here’s what we’re focusing on today:

• Feature: What-if Planning
• Module: Advanced Planning & Scheduling
• Product: Infor CloudSuite Industrial ERP

What-iff Planning Overview

CSI’s What-if Planning feature lets manufacturers simulate changes to their production environment without altering the live schedule. It enables planners to explore scenarios like adding machines, working overtime, changing shifts, or adjusting labor availability. You can evaluate the impact of those changes on late jobs, bottlenecks, and capacity, then decide whether to apply them in the real schedule.

What-if plans are completely separate from the active plan. Run as many scenarios as you like, compare them to the baseline, and choose the best path forward. It’s a risk-free way to test scheduling and capacity decisions before committing.

Expert’s Take: Nick Mendolia on What-if Planning

Nick Mendolia, Director of Client Solutions at Visual South, describes how What-if Planning gives decision-makers insight before making high-cost changes:

“What-if Planning is exactly what it sounds like—‘What if I added a shift? Bought a machine? Worked the weekend? You run those scenarios and see what it changes in the schedule.”

Nick explains that these simulations often lead to surprising insights. “People assume adding overtime will fix the problem—but sometimes it just shifts the bottleneck to another resource.”

He also notes that material availability can be a bigger constraint than capacity. “You might find that the problem isn’t the machine—it’s that you don’t have the parts. What-if planning helps uncover those blind spots.”

It’s not just for long-term strategy either. According to Nick, “If you’re short on time or facing late jobs, What-if Planning gives you a fast way to decide whether adding labor, buying capacity, or adjusting priorities will actually help.”

Planning & Scheduling Micro Demo

Want to see how planning and scheduling work in CloudSuite Industrial? Watch this short micro-demo, part of our 20-video demo series on CSI.

Related CloudSuite Industrial Resources

• Available to Promise (ATP)
• Capable to Promise (CTP)
• Infinite vs. Finite Scheduling
• Backward vs. Forward Scheduling

Want to explore more about CSI’s planning capabilities? Let’s talk.

Want to see CloudSuite Industrial in action? Access the full demo gallery below.