Production planning and control - and why we should only talk about production planning
Misunderstandings in production planning - a common problem
Do you know this? In a meeting, someone talks about production control, someone else talks about production planning – and in the end everyone means something different? This confusion of terms not only leads to misunderstandings, but can also cause real problems in production. Terms such as production planning, production control, production planning or program planning are used differently depending on the company – and often have different meanings. While some terms are used synonymously, for other companies they have a clearly defined definition. This often leads to misunderstandings in communication between departments or even between science and practice.
Now you might think that at least in science there is a clear classification. But far from it! Even there, there is no consensus on how production planning and control should be systematically differentiated. This can be clearly seen in the comprehensive analysis by Meudt et al. (2017), which examines various models for classifying production planning and control.
We show you in this article:
- An overview of the most important terms and their meanings.
- A classification in three scientific schemes.
- Our recommendation for practice: Why it makes sense to talk about “production planning” as a generic term.
Production planning and production control - a clarification of terms
Production planning and control (PPC) encompasses all measures required to plan and control production processes. Traditionally, a distinction is made between
- Production planning – All preparatory measures that take place before actual production.
- Production control – Measures to implement and adapt planning during production.
However, within these categories there are numerous sub-categories, some of which are used synonymously or interpreted differently:
In practice and science, order release and process planning in particular are classified differently: Are they part of planning or already part of control? Depending on the model, there are different perspectives here.
20 Definitions - Scientific schemes for the classification of PPS
There are various concepts for structuring production planning and control in the scientific literature. Meudt et al. (2017) compared 20 definitions and identified three central schemes:
- Scheme 1: Order release and process planning are part of control (Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon, 2015)
- Scheme 2: Order release is part of planning, process planning is part of control (Kiener et al., 2009)
- Scheme 3: Order release is part of control, process planning is part of planning (Wiendahl, 2014)
These models show: There is no uniform classification. Each concept has its justification and reflects different points of view.
The Aachen PPS model - the best-known model in the German-speaking world
One of the best-known models in Germany is the Aachen PPS model, which was developed at RWTH Aachen University.
The Aachen PPS model
- Structured division of production processes into planning and control tasks.
- Strong focus on in-house production planning and control.
- Practice-oriented: Developed to improve the implementation of PPS systems in companies.
The Aachen Model is used as a reference model for PPC processes, particularly in teaching and in industrial applications.
Conclusion: Why we should only talk about production planning
As there is no standard definition of production planning and production control either in practice or in science, we recommend a simplified view for practical use:
When we talk about production planning, we mean all tasks – from program planning to order monitoring.
This simplification offers advantages:
- Clear communication: No misunderstandings between planning and control.
- Practical relevance: Companies often use flexible processes that cannot be strictly separated.
- Better integration into IT systems: Many ERP and MES systems do not take strict separation into account.
What does production planning mean in your company?
Many companies use different terms for similar processes. What is the situation in your company? Do you make a clear distinction between planning and controlling, or is everything managed under one umbrella term?
Write us your opinion in the comments or contact us directly – we look forward to hearing from you!
Sources: Meudt, T., Wonnemann, A., & Metternich, J. (2017). Produktionsplanung und -steuerung (PPS) – ein Überblick der Literatur der unterschiedlichen Einteilung von PPS-Konzepten [Report]. Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Darmstadt. LINK
Kiener, S.; Maier-Scheubeck, N.; Obermaier, R.; Weiß, M. (2009): Produktions-Management. Grundlagen der Produktionsplanung und -steuerung. 9., verb. und erw. Aufl. München: Oldenbourg
Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon: Stichwort: Produktionsplanung und -steuerung, online im Internet: Hg. v. Springer Gabler Verlag. Online verfügbar unter “LINK“, , zuletzt geprüft am 05.02.2025.
Wiendahl, H.-P. (2014): Betriebsorganisation für Ingenieure. 8., überarb. Aufl. München: Hanser. Online verfügbar unter “LINK”
