You can open a Gantt chart from several different forms in Microsoft Dynamics AX:

In addition, Gantt chart functionality is also available from project scheduling. Click Project> Projects> Inquiry> Gantt.

The following tables provide descriptions for the controls in this form.

Buttons

When you select a job in the table, the other jobs that are related to the order are also selected. Likewise, when you select a project, other activities that are related to the project are also selected. The relationship among jobs or activities is also reflected in the links that connect the jobs and activities. You can use the following visual features to customize the way that information is displayed in a Gantt chart:

Order view and resource view

There are two ways to display the available jobs data. You can use the order view to display the jobs that are scheduled for a particular production order, or you can use the resource view to display the jobs that are scheduled for a particular work center. When you use the chart, you can switch between the different views.

For example, you can group all operations by order, regardless of the work center, and then sort the operations by start time. This might be useful if you want to see how a set of orders flows through various work centers before rescheduling the orders because of a delivery date change from a customer.

You can set up the detailed criteria for the different views in the Viewsform.

Sorting order for data

The fixed, sorting order for the data that is displayed is as follows:

• Data type (order, planned order, project)

• Order number

• Operation or activity number

• Job type

• Work center number for primary operations

• Priority

• Work center number for secondary operations

• Start date and time

Histogram

When you view a production order or a work center, you can display the work center load in a histogram. The histogram displays the load in relation to the available capacity. You can view the histogram by right-clicking a work center, and then by selecting Show histogram.

Navigating to the mainMicrosoft Dynamics AX forms

When you work in the table, you can right-click a job and access the following information and forms:

• Select a job, right-click, and then select Information. Detailed information about the particular job is displayed in a dialog box. This information is updated with the latest changes that are saved in the Gantt chart.

• Open the Job schedulingform where you can create and run job scheduling.

• Open the production order in the Production ordersform.

• Open the operation in the Routeform.

• Open the job in the Jobsform.

• Select all of the jobs that belong to a work center, right-click, and then select Open Dispatching formto open the Dispatchingform.

Visibility of working times and nonworking times

When you select a job, working times are displayed in the calendar grid by using the color white. Nonworking times are displayed by using the color gray. These colors cannot be changed. You can see which times are available and unavailable for job loading.

Working in the Gantt diagram

You can use the following features to facilitate the rescheduling activities in the diagram.

• In the timescale at the top of the diagram, right-click, and then select the Timescale intervaldialog box. Enter from and to dates to define the time interval that is displayed in the grid.

• In the timescale at the top of the diagram, right-click, and then select Timescale unit. Click to select the unit of time that you want to display in the diagram.

• In the timescale at the top of the diagram, right-click, and then select Gridto display a demarcation of time in the diagram. The grid markings are aligned with the Timescale unitthat you select:

  • Minutes are demarcated by hours.

  • Hours are demarcated by days.

  • Days are demarcated by weeks.

  • Weeks are demarcated by months.

  • Months are demarcated by years.

• In the timescale at the top of the diagram, you can select and drag the timescale grid to re-size the scale that is displayed. If you drag to the right, you increase the size of the scale. If you drag to the left, you decrease the size of the scale. This feature facilitates scheduling with accuracy.

• In the timescale at the top of the diagram, right-click, and then select 3D layoutto display the time scale in three-dimensional format.

• In the diagram, right-click, and then select Number of units. Enter a number of seconds that defines the minimum time increment that you can move a job. The default value is 1. The time unit is in seconds and cannot be changed.

• In the diagram, right-click, and then select 3D layoutto display the job load in three-dimensional format.

• In the diagram, right-click, and then select Zoom. You can select the percentage that you want to magnify by in the diagram within the Gantt chart.

Completion bar

You can use a completion bar to display the progress of an operation in the diagram. The progress is based on reported times compared with standard times. You can set up the Completionfield in the Gantt chart setupform.

Using colors in the chart

You can use colors to enhance the visual impact of the job data that is displayed in the diagram. You can set up a color scheme in the Colorsform.

You can perform the following scheduling activities by using the Gantt chart:

• Reschedule a work center

• Reschedule a job or operation

• Reschedule an order

• Cancel scheduling changes

For more information, see Schedule production using a Gantt chart.