GANTTPLAN rethinks material flows, covering minimum shelf life, storage locations, and batch handling.

New advanced features in the latest release of DUALIS’ detailed planning tool

• Integrated minimum shelf life: Automatically checks that materials meet shelf life requirements at the time of demand.
• Smart batch management: Incorporates shelf life data and traceability for dependable planning.
• Optimized storage location selection: Chooses the best storage location based on transport routes, costs, and shelf life.
• Industry-focused: Ideal for food, aerospace, electronics, and medical technology where time-critical materials matter.
• Enhanced planning reliability: Material availability is assessed in context – location, quality, and timing

Dresden, December 08, 2025 – In modern production, it is not only important that materials are available, but also that they are available at the right time, in the right quality, and with the right shelf life, in the right place. The new version of the GANTTPLAN detailed planning tool from DUALIS expands material flow planning with new functions for taking minimum shelf life into account and for context-sensitive batch and storage location management.

“In many companies, materials are spread across multiple warehouses, making planning a balancing act between inventory, transport costs, delivery times, and shelf life. Our new storage location feature in GANTTPLAN ensures the system automatically selects the optimal location – factoring in transport routes and shelf life windows – creating planning reliability,” says Dr. Kirsten Hoffmann, Product Manager at DUALIS GmbH IT Solution.

Minimum shelf life automatically in view

GANTTPLAN now automatically checks whether materials are still within their shelf life window at the planned time of demand. Each batch can have an expiration date integrated into planning. Orders are scheduled so that the required remaining shelf life is guaranteed – significantly reducing misplanning and waste.

Shelf life isn’t considered in isolation: precise batch management is essential to incorporate minimum shelf life dates (MSLDs) into planning. GANTTPLAN differentiates batches by shelf life dates and accounts for different shelf life types – for example, whether the end product’s shelf life depends on its materials or has its own. This creates realistic time windows for production orders and order networks.

When time is critical: shelf life, out time, open time

These features are especially relevant in industries with intermediate products that have limited shelf life. In the food industry, raw materials like fruit concentrates or milk powder must be processed within defined timeframes to ensure quality and safety. Precise batch and storage location planning is essential. What’s called a “best-before date” in food production may be referred to as “shelf life,” “open time,” or “moisture sensitivity level” (MSL) in other sectors.

In aerospace and automotive, sensitive materials such as pre-resin-coated fiber composites, adhesives, sealants, paints, or battery cells must be processed under strict conditions and within narrow time windows to maintain quality and processability. In electronics manufacturing, solder pastes, underfills, and moisture-sensitive components are time-critical and must be processed or dried within specific timeframes. Mechanical engineering and medical technology also rely on timely provision of lubricants, seals, or sterile components for quality and safety.

Batch management: traceability meets shelf life

The new batch management feature in GANTTPLAN enables precise tracking of materials with varying properties – such as quality levels, chemical composition, or shelf life. Batch data flows directly into material relationships in planning and forms the basis for scenarios that consider characteristics such as minimum shelf life and processing windows. This makes detailed planning smarter and more reliable – especially for time-sensitive materials.

Storage locations in the context of shelf life

Storage location management is equally critical when shelf life matters: materials with limited usability must not only arrive on time but also from the right warehouse. GANTTPLAN automatically prioritizes storage locations, considers transport times and costs, and assigns materials accordingly. If production shifts to an alternative workstation, the supplying warehouse adapts dynamically – ensuring shelf life isn’t compromised by unnecessary delays.

“With these new APS features, we’re taking detailed planning to the next level: Material availability is no longer just ‘available or not,’ but evaluated in context – location, quality, and time. This gives planners a clear view of where materials come from, their properties, and how long they’ll last. The result is realistic, resource-efficient production planning,” says Heike Wilson, Managing Director of DUALIS GmbH IT Solution.