Resources are the machines, tools and people required to do a job. The scheduler is a finite capacity one. This means it will only allocate time from the available time for a resource. It will not permit a resource to become overloaded. Instead, it will wait for the resource to become available, stretching the job out as necessary. The only exception to this is when allocating time to a sub-contractor. The system assumes sub-contractors have infinite capacity. However, it does take the sub-contractor’s lead-time into account, and that lead-time can be dependent on the quantity involved.

Also, if a production step requires more than one resource at once (a lathe, a tool and an operator for example), the scheduler will only allocate time when all are available. Again, it will stretch the job out as necessary to wait for all required resources to be available.

When a choice of suitable resources is available, it will choose the one(s) that will do the job the cheapest.