Planning, Scheduling and Productivity Software

Planning, scheduling and productivity software is designed for monitoring and improving scheduling, efficiency, productivity and project management activities. Products differ in terms of architecture, features, and applications. Web-based applications do not require the installation of planning, scheduling and productivity software on employee workstations, personal computers (PCs), or handheld devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet PCs, and pocket PCs. Instead, employees use a browser to connect to a remote web server. Most PC-based applications use the Microsoft Windows operating system, client/server architecture, and network protocols such as Ethernet or token ring. Standalone products such as personal productivity applications are commonly available. Some planning, scheduling and productivity software runs under the MacOS operating system. Other products use Linux. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. MacOS and Apple are registered trademarks of Apple Computers, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Selecting planning, scheduling and productivity software requires an analysis of features and applications. For example, some Web-based applications allow customers to schedule appointments through the Internet. Others restrict access to an organization’s own personnel. Some PC-based products are designed to manage shift schedules, time off requests, attendance, absence and vacations. Others allow managers to analyze past activities and prepare data for payroll processing. Shift management software is used to improve the scheduling of tasks in organizations where employees work in multiple shifts and on multiple projects. Construction software is used by homebuilders, general contractors, property managers, developers, and service companies.

There are many applications for planning, scheduling and productivity software. Examples include labor, workforce, task, and resource scheduling software; medical, manufacturing, accounting, business, dispatch, facility, job shop, machine shop, and maintenance planning software; and business, office, personal and financial productivity software. Applications for scheduling classes, appointments, fleet movement and maintenance, special events, meetings, and training are commonly available. The most popular products are employee scheduling software, appointment scheduling software, construction scheduling software, event scheduling software, personal productivity software, and financial productivity software. Many other types of planning, scheduling and productivity software are also available.

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