Automating production planning based on SAP PP/DS
Manual input in the Excel production schedule for the preparation line was replaced by a direct link with SAP PP/DS. The result is an automated planning file that works reliably and can be handed over internally with clear instructions.
Domain
Process automation
Tooling
Excel and SAP
Deliverable
File and guide
Perfetti Van Melle uses SAP PP/DS as its planning system at its production site in Breda. On the preparation line, however, the daily planning still depended on a manually maintained Excel file, which cost time and increased the risk of errors.
There was already a proven approach elsewhere in the operation. In the packing department, a working setup existed, and the goal was to bring that same logic to the preparation process without changing the underlying SAP structure.
The challenge
The existing planning file had no direct connection to SAP exports, so every cycle required manual re-entry. That created unnecessary effort and the constant risk of mismatches between system planning and what was used on the shop floor.
Blackbear's role
Blackbear helped keep the assignment tightly scoped from the start. The focus stayed on automating the Excel planning file for the preparation line only, without expanding into SAP redesign or broader process questions. From there, the work was structured around analysis of the current file, use of the packing setup as a reference, testing with realistic SAP exports and final handover.
Result
The preparation line now works with a planning file that is automatically generated from SAP PP/DS exports, without manual input. The approach fits the logic already used in the packing department, which made adoption easier and reduced the risk of planning errors.
