The PC-Topp Corrugator Scheduling page looks a little different now: Next to each grade there appears a percentage plus two new buttons.

A closer look reveals that the percentage equals the trim result of Optimisation, provided the automatically preselected orders are left unchanged. In effect, PC-Topp tells you up front what result Optimisation will show:

	Good results are shown on a green background.
	Bad results appear red.

The primary interest for the planner is that he can concentrate on the difficult grades, i.e. the bad results, from the start. Once those grades are done, the remaining ones will be easy.

In effect, if he wants to, the planner can use the arrow button next to a good result to transfer it to Program Memory without going through Optimisation. And if he is happy with all remaining results, he can transfer them all at once by clicking on the arrow button on the top of the page.

The pre-calculated results use the white must orders and blue optional orders of the days preset for the grade's flute type in the Optimisation Parameters page (in the Settings menu). Manual changes of the preset number of days with blue orders (with the slider) are taken into account by the pre-optimisation. But you have to press the Recalculate button to see how this will affect trim.

Red icons appearing in front of the optimisation result warn you if any of the orders selected for optimisation have been ignored or only partially scheduled.

	The optimisation result will lead to leftover medium priority orders.
	The optimisation result contains partially scheduled low priority orders.

Whenever the orders of a grade change, the pre-optimisation automatically reassesses the situation and displays a new result. In particular, this can mean that - when you use upgrades to solve a problem on one (red) grade, a previously green result will turn red. (Grey results show that PC-Topp is aware that the previously calculated result must change, but a new result hasn't been calculated yet.)

A new feature of PC Topp.NET in Conversion Machine Scheduling performs a repetitive and time-consuming task that so far had to be done by the planner. The new link "Optimize This!" (displayed below the cart as soon as you select an order) helps the planner by automatically putting the orders in an optimum sequence, making sure that all orders are on time, similar jobs are together, minimizing the number of ink changes, etc.

The resulting schedule is optimized in many ways, and you will not very often find a sequence that would be more logical or better. However, you may have reasons to make manual changes for certain orders, reasons that will often be unknown to the system. So, let PC-Topp create a good sequence as a starting point, and then refine it further with a few manual modifications.

This is how you can use the new feature:

Usually, you will want to keep the beginning of the schedule as it is, because it is already at the machine. So, select the first order in the schedule that can be moved, and click "Optimize This!". PC-Topp will establish an optimized sequence, and eliminate any overlaps, gaps, or other mistakes.

Or, mark the first order as before, plus select other orders to integrate into the schedule. To add all orders of a day, click on the first order, then Shift-click on the last order of that day. Again, "Optimize This!" will give a good schedule that makes sure all orders are on time, and in the best possible sequence.

If you want more in-depth information on this subject please read our page "Automatic Optimisation in Conversion Machine Scheduling".