How It Works

From Signup to Scheduled in Under 30 Minutes

No implementation consultants. No months of onboarding. Three steps to a visual, organized shop floor schedule that your whole team can follow.

The Process

Three Steps. That's It.

Every feature in MachineScheduler exists to support this workflow. Nothing extra, nothing missing.

01
1

Add Your Machines

Set up your shop floor in minutes.

02
2

Create Routing Templates

Codify your operation sequences.

03
3

Schedule on the Gantt

Drag, drop, and deliver on time.

Step 1

Add Your Machines

Set up your entire shop floor in minutes — machines, work centers, shifts, and operating hours. CSV import for larger shops.

Add Machines Manually

Enter each machine with its name, type, and work center assignment. Perfect for shops with a handful of machines that can be set up in a couple of minutes.

1
Add Machines Manually

Organize Work Centers

Group machines into logical work centers — CNC Mills, Lathes, Grinders, Inspection. Work centers let you filter the Gantt chart and view utilization at the department level.

1
Organize Work Centers

Define Shifts & Operating Hours

Set the operating schedule for each machine or work center. Define first shift, second shift, or 24/7 operation. Available time feeds directly into your utilization dashboards.

1
Define Shifts & Operating Hours

Bulk Import via CSV

For shops with 10+ machines, upload a CSV file with machine names, types, and work center assignments. The system validates every row and reports any errors before importing.

1
Bulk Import via CSV
Step 2

Create Routing Templates

Define reusable operation sequences that capture your shop's tribal knowledge. Apply them to new jobs with a single click.

Define Operations in Sequence

Build ordered operation steps — Op 10: Mill, Op 20: Lathe, Op 30: Grind, Op 40: Inspect. Each operation specifies the operation name, default machine, and estimated duration.

2
Define Operations in Sequence

Set Default Machines & Durations

Assign a default machine to each operation so new jobs auto-populate with your most common routing. Set estimated durations that carry through to the Gantt chart for accurate capacity planning.

2
Set Default Machines & Durations

Apply Templates to Jobs

When a new job comes in, select the matching routing template and apply it with a single click. All operations are created with the correct sequence, machines, and durations instantly.

2
Apply Templates to Jobs

Codify Tribal Knowledge

Your best scheduler's mental model — which operations happen in what order, on which machines, and for how long — gets captured in reusable templates that anyone on the team can apply consistently.

2
Codify Tribal Knowledge
Step 3

Schedule on the Gantt

Drag and drop operations onto machines. See your entire shop floor at a glance with real-time conflict detection and utilization tracking.

Drag-and-Drop Scheduling

Pick up any operation and drop it onto a machine at the time slot you want. Move jobs forward, backward, or between machines with a single drag. The Gantt updates in real time.

3
Drag-and-Drop Scheduling

Connector Lines Between Steps

Directional connector lines visually link each operation to the next step in the routing. You can trace any job's path across machines at a glance — no clicking required.

3
Connector Lines Between Steps

Instant Conflict Warnings

When two operations overlap on the same machine, both blocks highlight red immediately. Conflicts are warnings by default — not hard blocks — because sometimes intentional overbooking makes sense.

3
Instant Conflict Warnings

Real-Time Utilization Tracking

As you schedule operations, utilization percentages update live for each machine and work center. Spot bottlenecks and idle capacity before they become problems on the shop floor.

3
Real-Time Utilization Tracking

Print Daily Views

Generate a printable daily schedule view filtered by machine or work center. Post it on the shop floor so operators know exactly what's running and what's next — no logins required.

3
Print Daily Views
Prerequisites

What You'll Need to Get Started

No special hardware, no IT department involvement, no training sessions. Just three things.

W

A Web Browser

Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge. No software to install, no IT tickets required.

M

Your Machine List

Names and types of your production equipment, and how they're organized into work centers.

R

Your Common Job Routings

The typical sequence of operations your parts go through — even a rough list works to start.

Ready to Stop Losing Capacity?

Join the waitlist for early access. Be among the first shops to replace the whiteboard with real scheduling intelligence.

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