I use an excel worksheet to make a weekly graphical plan.
Therefore, I work in 4 columns, where each column presents a production-line
and is divided in 1 cell/hour.
In the columns I draw textboxes for the different articles dat are planned,
one under the other.
In the textboxes, I type the name of the article.
Depending on how the production lines are doing, I move the textboxes down-
or upwards.
Some periodes are fixed; ie: there's a maintenance planned for 8 hours, that
is fixed at wednesday 8am. When I move the textboxes down, I must be careful
to let the maintenance-time free!

Are there any suggestions to automate some things in such a planning? Note
that the length of the texboxes varies on the amount of needed production
for each article. There are weekly about 10 articles for each line.

Or should I use something else than excel?

Piet

Hi Piet -

You might like to try a gantt chart. You can build one in Excel, or use
a scheduling program, like MS Project or the like. For a few suggestions
in Excel, look he

Simple How To Article:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...cle.asp?ID=343

Links:
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/GanttLinks.html

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

piet wrote:

I use an excel worksheet to make a weekly graphical plan.
Therefore, I work in 4 columns, where each column presents a production-line
and is divided in 1 cell/hour.
In the columns I draw textboxes for the different articles dat are planned,
one under the other.
In the textboxes, I type the name of the article.
Depending on how the production lines are doing, I move the textboxes down-
or upwards.
Some periodes are fixed; ie: there's a maintenance planned for 8 hours, that
is fixed at wednesday 8am. When I move the textboxes down, I must be careful
to let the maintenance-time free!

Are there any suggestions to automate some things in such a planning? Note
that the length of the texboxes varies on the amount of needed production
for each article. There are weekly about 10 articles for each line.

Or should I use something else than excel?

Piet