Operations Management and Strategic Management · Designing of Operational Systems and Control

Production Planning and Control (PPC) Functions and Stages

Updated 10 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Production Planning and Control (PPC) is the system that decides what to make, how, when and where, and then checks that work follows the plan. Its stages are planning (including routing and scheduling), then control (dispatching, follow-up and corrective action). Answer questions by naming each stage, defining it and giving its output.

Understand Production Planning and Control (PPC)

Production Planning and Control (PPC) is the work of organising materials, machines, people and time so that goods are made in the right quantity, at the right quality, by the promised date. Planning decides in advance. Control makes sure the plan is actually followed.

Think of a small garment unit in Tiruppur with an order of 5,000 shirts due in 30 days. Someone must decide which fabric, which machines and which workers to use, and in what order. That is planning. Someone must then issue the orders, watch progress and fix delays. That is control.

PPC is usually explained in stages:

Planning phase: prior planning (what, how much, with what materials), routing and scheduling.
Action phase: dispatching, which releases the work.
Control phase: follow-up (progress checking) and corrective action.

Routing fixes the path of the work: the operations needed, their sequence, the machines and the place of each operation. Its output is route sheets and bills of material. Scheduling fixes the time: when each operation starts and finishes. Its output is a schedule, often shown on a Gantt chart. Dispatching is the issue of orders and instructions that start the work: job cards, material requisitions, tool issues and drawings. Follow-up (also called expediting) compares actual progress with the schedule, finds delays and reports them so corrective action can be taken.

The four are linked. Poor routing gives an unrealistic schedule. A good schedule fails if dispatching is late. Without follow-up, nobody learns about the delay until the customer complains. Textbooks differ slightly on grouping the stages, so write the stages you name clearly and define each one.

Key rules to remember

Sequence of PPC functions: Planning → Routing → Scheduling → Dispatching → Follow-up; Learn this order. Routing answers 'how and where', scheduling 'when', dispatching 'start now', follow-up 'is it on track?'.
Core question for each function: Routing = path; Scheduling = time; Dispatching = release; Follow-up = check; Use these one-word keys to avoid mixing up definitions in written answers.
Outputs of each function: Routing: route sheet, bill of materials | Scheduling: schedule, Gantt chart | Dispatching: job card, requisition | Follow-up: progress report; Naming the document earns marks in descriptive answers.

How to solve Production Planning and Control (PPC) questions

Use this method for any descriptive or MCQ question on PPC functions.

1Read the question and note the verb: define, explain, distinguish, or apply to a case.
2Start with a one-line definition of PPC: planning what to produce and controlling that it is done as planned.
3List the stages in order: routing, scheduling, dispatching, follow-up.
4For each stage give meaning, main activities and the document or output it produces.
5If a case is given, link each stage to the case facts, for example the product, machines and due date.
6Mention how the stages connect, and that follow-up feeds corrective action back into planning.
7Close with the benefit: timely delivery, better utilisation, lower inventory and cost.

Quickest way: Four-word recall: Path, Time, Release, Check

When to use it: Use for MCQs and for the opening lines of a written answer when time is short.

Match the key word in the option: path or sequence of operations means routing.
Start and finish times or Gantt chart means scheduling.
Issue of job cards, materials or instructions means dispatching.
Comparing actual with planned progress or expediting means follow-up.
If two options look alike, pick the one whose output document fits.

Common mistakes in Production Planning and Control (PPC)

Treating scheduling and routing as the same thing.
Both are planning steps and both deal with operations.
Fix: Routing decides the path and sequence. Scheduling attaches dates and times to that path.
Defining dispatching as delivering goods to customers.
The everyday meaning of the word is used.
Fix: In PPC, dispatching means releasing work orders, materials and tools to start production.
Leaving out follow-up or calling it a one-time check.
Students stop at the plan and forget control.
Fix: Follow-up is continuous. It finds deviations, reports them and triggers corrective action.
Writing the stages in the wrong order.
Memorising names without logic.
Fix: Ask: path first, then time, then release, then check.
Giving only definitions with no outputs or example.
Students rely on memory of the textbook lines.
Fix: Add the document each stage produces and one short example to earn the step marks.

Worked examples

Example 1

Explain the functions of production planning and control with reference to routing, scheduling, dispatching and follow-up.

Show the solution

Define PPC: it plans production in advance and controls operations so the plan is achieved.
Routing: decides the operations, their sequence, the machines and the location. Output: route sheet and bill of materials.
Scheduling: fixes start and finish times for each operation and job, considering capacity and due dates. Output: master and detailed schedules, Gantt chart.
Dispatching: authorises start of work by issuing job cards, material requisitions, tools and drawings as per the schedule.
Follow-up: monitors actual progress against the schedule, finds delays and shortages, and reports them for corrective action.
Link: follow-up information feeds back to planning so schedules can be revised.

Answer: PPC works as Routing (path) → Scheduling (time) → Dispatching (release) → Follow-up (check), with feedback for corrective action.

Example 2

A Pune firm gets an order for 200 gearboxes due in 20 days. The works manager issues job cards and releases materials on day 1, and on day 10 compares output with the plan and finds a lag. Identify the PPC functions shown and what should happen next.

Show the solution

Issuing job cards and releasing materials to start work is dispatching.
Comparing actual output on day 10 with the planned output is follow-up.
Finding a lag means a deviation from the schedule has been detected.
Next, the cause is identified, such as machine breakdown or material delay, and corrective action is taken, such as overtime, extra shift or expediting material.
If the delay cannot be recovered, scheduling is revised and the customer informed.

Answer: Day 1 is dispatching, day 10 is follow-up. The lag should be investigated and corrected, and the schedule revised if needed.

Exam tips

Write all four functions in order, even if the question names only one. It shows you know the system.
Name the output document for each function. Examiners look for route sheet, job card and progress report.
In MCQs, look for a definition keyword: path, time, release, check.
For case questions, tie each stage to the facts given instead of writing generic text.
Use a short flow of the stages in your answer so the sequence is visible.

Practice questions from Designing of Operational Systems and Control

Production Planning and Control (PPC) in other exams

The same ground in other exams, if you are preparing for more than one or want another angle on it.

Production Planning and Control (PPC): frequently asked questions

What are the main functions of production planning and control?

They are routing, scheduling, dispatching and follow-up, supported by prior planning of materials and capacity. Planning decides what to make and when. Control makes sure the work is carried out as planned.

What is the difference between routing and scheduling?

Routing decides the path of work: the operations, their sequence and the machines. Scheduling decides the time: when each operation starts and ends. Routing comes first because a schedule needs a route.

What is dispatching in PPC?

Dispatching is the release of work to the shop floor. It covers issuing job cards, materials, tools and instructions as per the schedule. It is not delivery of finished goods to customers.

Why is follow-up important?

Follow-up compares actual progress with the plan and finds delays early. This lets managers take corrective action before the delivery date is missed.