--- title: What-If Planning In Infor CloudSuite Industrial description: Learn about Backward vs. Forward Scheduling options in Infor CloudSuite Industrial. image: https://www.visualsouth.com/hubfs/capable%20to%20promise.png --- [![Visual South](https://www.visualsouth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/VisualSouthLOGOvector3015%20175w.png?width=175&height=88&name=VisualSouthLOGOvector3015%20175w.png "Visual South")](https://www.visualsouth.com/) [![Free Consultation](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2623780/3beafe61-57b9-446b-8079-719c3dce1e3a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2623780/3beafe61-57b9-446b-8079-719c3dce1e3a) ![Fotolia_143852246_XXL.jpg](https://www.visualsouth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Fotolia_143852246_XXL.jpg?width=1688&name=Fotolia_143852246_XXL.jpg "Fotolia_143852246_XXL.jpg") # Visual South Insights This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. # [What-If Planning In Infor CloudSuite Industrial](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/what-if-planning) 6/19/25 6:48 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![what-if planning](https://www.visualsouth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/what-if%20planning.png?width=700&height=300&name=what-if%20planning.png) This article is part of our **CloudSuite Industrial Feature Focus** series. Each post highlights a specific feature within [**Infor CloudSuite Industrial (CSI)**](https://www.visualsouth.com/cloudsuite-industrial). 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](https://www.visualsouth.com/cloudsuite-industrial-syteline-demo-gallery).   ## Related CloudSuite Industrial Resources - [Available to Promise (ATP)](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/available-to-promise) - [Capable to Promise (CTP)](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/capable-to-promise) - [Infinite vs. Finite Scheduling](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/infinite-vs-finite) - [Backward vs. Forward Scheduling](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/backward-vs-forward) Want to explore more about CSI’s planning capabilities? [Let’s talk](https://www.visualsouth.com/contact). Want to see CloudSuite Industrial in action? Access the full demo gallery below. [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2623780/40c5de5f-ee94-406e-83c6-d728381d37ee.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2623780/40c5de5f-ee94-406e-83c6-d728381d37ee) Topics: [CloudSuite Industrial](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/topic/cloudsuite-industrial) [CSI Features](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/topic/csi-features) ![Nick Mendolia](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/75653e503ec504d99073dd77fc6dc5f7) #### Written by [Nick Mendolia](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/author/nick-mendolia) Nick is the Director of Client Solutions at Visual South and has been working in the Manufacturing industry for over 35 years, including roles as Tool & Die Maker, Machine Shop Foreman, and Director of Manufacturing. He has been involved in many ERP implementations as a customer and consultant. Nick has been with Visual South since 2003. 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Remember: - Bullets are great - For spelling out [benefits](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/what-if-planning#) and - Turning visitors into leads. ## Something Powerful ### Tell The Reader More The headline and subheader tells us what you're [offering](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/what-if-planning#), and the form header closes the deal. Over here you can explain why your offer is so great it's worth filling out a form for. Remember: - Bullets are great - For spelling out [benefits](https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/what-if-planning#) and - Turning visitors into leads. ![](https://imaginativeacute52.com/816670.png) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Nick Mendolia", "url" : "https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/author/nick-mendolia" }, "dateModified" : "2025-06-19T22:48:43.210Z", "datePublished" : "2025-06-19T22:48:43.000Z", "headline" : "What-If Planning In Infor CloudSuite Industrial", "image" : [ "https://www.visualsouth.com/hubfs/capable%20to%20promise.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.visualsouth.com/blog/what-if-planning", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.visualsouth.com/hubfs/VisualSouthLOGOvector3015%20175w.png" }, "name" : "Visual South" } } ```