Visual Planning is a new Integration partners by Hilti. In close collaboration with the tracking software Hilti ON!Track A smart solution has been developed to manage, schedule and track resources, devices, heavy equipment and vehicles within a kind of cycle.

By integrating the planning, management and monitoring of their operational resources, construction companies gain a new option for optimising the cost-effectiveness of their resource utilisation:

• Value-adding integration of resource planning and asset management
• Integration of the (existing) applications Visual Planning and Hilti ON!Track
• Creating efficiency through shared data and collaboration
• Avoiding redundancies and increasing transparency

A standard interface, known as the ‘Bridge from ON!Track to Visual Planning’, enables data to be loaded synchronously: on the one hand, for forward-looking resource planning in Visual Planning; on the other, for monitoring and reviewing the actual deployment of resources in the field via ON!Track. The Bridge was developed by the implementation partner Trojahn Horse GmbH which also provides long-term support for the Bridge for customer applications.

Applicable to products from all suppliers, not just Hilti. From a small hammer drill to a 40-tonne excavator, all equipment can be displayed according to company-specific, individual criteria.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Tagging of equipment, vehicles, etc., with allocation to base locations
   (Use of BLE tags and gateways)
2. Planning of construction sites, projects and the scheduling of resources, equipment and vehicles, as well as staff, capacity, etc.
3. Track the geolocation data of equipment, vehicles, etc.
   (Transmission via GPS positioning)
4. Visualisation the consolidated data from planning and tracking
   (in Visual Planning)

We would be happy to discuss the “Bridge from ON!Track to Visual Planning” solution with you in person should you have any questions or wish to find out more. Please contact us by telephone (+41 81 740 46 47) or via Email.

Your Visual Planning Team

Dear customers,

We would like to inform you that the latest official Oracle version of Java 8 no longer includes JavaFX, a component that is essential for the smooth operation of Visual Planning, particularly for event reports, web views and dashboards in VPDesk.
This change, over which neither we nor the software manufacturer Stilog have any control, makes it impossible to launch the latest versions of VPDesk via your browser.

To avoid this situation, do not upgrade to Java 8u451. If you have already done so, there are two ways to resolve this issue:

1. Reinstall Java using a compatible version that includes JavaFX
   Download: Java 8u441 for Windows 64-bit
2. Use the alternative solution, VPDeskLauncher, offered by Stilog
   Download: VPDeskLauncher – Support Portal

To avoid this dependency on Oracle’s Java 8 in future, we strongly recommend installing VPDeskLauncher, the VPDesk launch and execution tool developed by us, which ensures the optimal operation of our solution.

For assistance, please contact your respective Distribution partners.or contact us at info@planungstafel.com

Dear customers,

We would like to inform you that your Visual Planning installation may require maintenance before 8 January 2025.

The reason for this is that the digital Java certificate managed by STILOG is due to expire. The specific measures required depend on how you access your planning(s), which version of Visual Planning you are using, and where your installation is hosted (locally or on our servers).

If you are using Visual Planning version 8 or version 9 and access your planning(s) via the VPDESK Launcher, no further action is required on your part.

However, if you are using Visual Planning version 8 or version 9 in combination with JavaWebStart and a browser, and your installation is hosted locally on your premises (on-premises), you must, before 8 January 2025, either install the VPDESK Launcher on your client computer in order to access your planning(s) via this in future, or carry out a corresponding update (build update).

If you are currently using version 7, you will need to upgrade to version 9, as version 7 is no longer technically supported.

If your installations are running on our servers, you do not need to take any action.

For support, please contact your relevant sales partner.

Visual Planning is taking off with version 9. Discover the latest version of our multidimensional resource planning software.

Visual Planning 9 offers consistent further development in terms of functionality and user-friendliness. Planners, dispatchers and teams have quick, transparent and intuitive access to planning data and processes. Tasks can be organised even more efficiently.

AN OVERVIEW OF SELECTED FEATURES New features and a revamped UX design for the mobile access platforms VPPortal and VPGo; VPDocumentum for EDM-oriented features in VPDesk; a host of ‘small’ features with a big impact in VPDesk: ‘Today’ button, expandable utilisation plans, notification centre, and much more. Security: addition of MFA (multi-factor authentication) management and anonymisation functionality. Integration: support for webhooks and JSON formats
Visual Planning 9 stands out thanks to its cross-platform functionality with VPDesk (PC application) and the mobile modules VP Portal (Browser) and VP GO (App). The licence types currently available for editors, viewers and mobile access remain unchanged.

Discover new ways to make your resource planning even more powerful and user-friendly.

Please contact us – we are here to help.

VP PORTAL – web-based access to planning

There is some exciting news in version 9, particularly for users of VP Portal. This makes working with Visual Planning from any location even more convenient:

• New look and feel: A complete overhaul of the user interface ensures a modern, uncluttered and appealing look.
• Extension using the KendoUI Framework: Thanks to the integration of the latest generation of the KendoUI JavaScript framework, you benefit from a smoother and more powerful application.
• Multi-view function: You can now position views flexibly – at the top, bottom, left or right – and customise your working environment to suit your needs.
• Continuous scrolling in the planning views: Experience seamless scrolling for a significantly improved overview and user experience.

New map view (geolocation): With the new map view, you can geolocate events and display content based on external information (e.g. URLs).

VP Desk – the comprehensive PC application

Visual Planning 9 – your multi-dimensional planning tool, tailored specifically to your business and its resource management requirements, team-oriented and intuitive. The classic PC application also boasts new features. Here are a few examples: A fresh ‘look and feel’ whilst ensuring high recognisability of the previous version
  Highlight selected events in a single row of your own planning view
  Terms and conditions with individual Icons as a warning signal
  Asynchronous synchronisation parallel planning views based on two different sets of data
  Simplified display and accessibility of information by saving views or clicking on the ‘Today’ button
  PDF documents Convert to PDF/A directly from Visual Planning and sign documents directly from Visual Planning
  New JSON formats for import/export

Visual Planning 9 – your multi-dimensional planning tool, tailored specifically to your business and its resource management requirements, team-oriented and intuitive.

New features in VP 9 – available as a PDF download

Staff planning means determining when the right number of staff, with the right skills, need to be in the right place at the right time. For schedulers, this often presents major challenges, and it is easy to lose track of the big picture. Digital tools such as the staff planning software Visual Planning offer simple yet ingenious solutions.

Visual Planning – the effective staff planning software for businesses of all sizes

Staff resource planning is a key element for every firm, organisation and business. In today’s increasingly complex world, planning and forecasting the need for regular teams or additional staff requires the use of precisely tailored, modern tools. Organising assignments and tasks, managing qualifications, training or shifts, whilst simultaneously keeping track of holiday periods and absences, must not cost unnecessary time and money. Rather, efficiency in resource planning is essential.

A simple staff planning tool for optimisation

Modern, digital solutions such as the Visual Planning staff planning software offer simple yet ingenious possibilities for this. Without the need for programming and suitable for any industry, the resource planning programme is tailored to the individual needs of the company. The integration with mobile devices such as tablets, laptops and smartphones is also practical and up-to-date. The staff planning app is available for both Android and iOS.

Visual Planning is a team-oriented, flexible Staff deployment planning software for the scheduling and planning of company resources. Timetables and data can be edited in real time with colleagues, business partners and even customers. Individual permissions control access.

Staff are assigned to tasks, duty rosters, projects or roles using drag-and-drop. Thanks to its graphical interface and ease of use, the workforce planning software simplifies planning tasks, regardless of the working time models used.

In addition, the electronic planning board makes it easier to manage available or newly available capacity, the promotion of qualified staff and departmental restructuring.

For all staff planning and for every project

With clear staff deployment planning and a visual representation of the planning processes, the planners responsible at Visual Planning have access to all relevant information at all times: working hours, absences, overtime, downtime or time recording.

Furthermore, the electronic planning board also caters to the need for flexible working hours. It therefore also provides an overview in the face of fluctuating staff planning.

A variety of freely selectable time scales assist with planning. Hourly, weekly, monthly or annual views ensure you always have a clear overview. Capacity utilisation plans highlight bottlenecks.

Manage the staff deployment planning software from anywhere

Thanks to its multi-client capability, users can log in and work simultaneously, depending on the licence type.

In addition to the mostly stationary PC workstations, there is great flexibility when it comes to planning via mobile devices: with additional licences, users can access Visual Planning at any time and work on their planning in online or offline mode. It’s very simple – whilst travelling by train, on a building site, in other operational areas or whilst out on field service.

Visual Planning offers ‘value for money’ and is a workforce planning software solution available both as an on-premises solution and as SaaS. With a comparable range of features, its value for money is unrivalled in the market. Thanks to its modular structure, the licensing model can be tailored precisely to the needs of a company or project and expanded in a fully scalable manner.

When planning and scheduling tasks form part of a larger enterprise system, it is important to integrate the day-to-day data and communication flows as effectively as possible. The Visual Planning software is a leading planning tool that integrates seamlessly and reliably with Office tools, document storage systems and centralised ERP systems.

Whether connecting to Excel, Word or Outlook, or linking to Dropbox, OneDrive and many more – Visual Planning’s integrated import/export functions enable easy data exchange. Naturally, this has also been the case for many years with core business applications such as ERP, CRM, CMMS and others.

Integrated enterprise IT makes planning and working more effective for end users and ensures that information is more reliable. This prevents duplicate entries and automates updates between systems. The REST and SOAP APIs built into Visual Planning enable even deeper, seamless integration within the organisation. This applies to both applications developed in-house and those from third parties.

Copyright: Stilog I.S.T.

Ad hoc solutions
for everyday problems

With the latest version – Visual Planning VP8 – customers of the resource planning software now also have access to a dedicated developer API (‘API Designer’). This allows Visual Planning to be integrated with a company’s own applications, or even enables the creation of bespoke applications.

Business-critical problems can be solved using automated functions and newly developed features. External triggers can also be used to create or amend any resources or schedules.

Mobile devices have become universal and indispensable tools. On building sites, in project teams, in the office, whilst on business trips, on a train journey or in the production hall. Mobile communication devices are a core element of the modern business world. Visual Planning offers its users convenient access to the company’s own resource planning system from a PC, notebook, laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Location-independent resource planning

Visual Planning® is a multidimensional planning board software. The electronic planning board helps businesses in every sector to manage their own resources. As a multidimensional tool, it optimises workflows, duty rosters, material usage and capacity utilisation plans.

When planners or project managers are away from the office but still need access to the schedule, Visual Planning makes this possible easily, securely and in real time via a tablet, laptop or smartphone. With the easy-to-integrate modules VP Portal (for tablets and laptops) and VP Go (for Android and iOS smartphones), staff gain quick access to the electronic planning board. Designed to be fully team-oriented, multiple users can access the data simultaneously, depending on their authorisation. Main access to and configuration of the planning system are carried out as usual via a PC.

VP Portal: the gateway to greater flexibility in planning with tablets and laptops

In addition to the impressive features of the VP Portal planning application, the ‘look and feel’ has been further improved in the latest version, Visual Planning 8. Side menus, new UI components and a good selection of colour schemes. All in all, a superb result in the form of a refined user interface that matches the look and feel of Microsoft Office. A responsive mode with excellent adaptability for smaller screens and a dynamic switch between portrait and landscape orientation are particularly impressive. User convenience is also a top priority here: a clear display of resources on the schedule, the ability to edit resources directly from the schedule, and the option to create events via drag and drop.

VP GO: Work on the go, whether online or offline, whilst on the phone

VP GO allows users to access their plans from a smartphone, using their preferred phone, email or internet applications. VP GO is available for iOS and Android in the respective app stores. Even without an internet connection, users can access the data; they can view, edit or amend it, depending on their authorisation. The data is updated as soon as the device is back online. A notable feature of the VP GO module is the dashboard view with its popular tile layout. Users can search for or filter their resources using a barcode or QR code. Phone notifications can be set up to alert them to relevant changes in the schedule.

Fig. 2: Examples of VP GO views

The replacement for paper and whiteboards: the electronic planning board
Visual Planning® has been on the market for over 20 years and has undoubtedly grown to become one of the leading independent software programmes for efficient resource planning. Whether for projects, processes or capacities – in staff scheduling, on construction projects, in printing works or for machine capacities – every employee and team member can learn to use the software intuitively and operate it with ease. The latest version, 8.0, has been available since early 2022; for eligible customers, the free upgrade to Visual Planning® is included in their maintenance contract.

Clear, process-oriented, simple – simply brilliant features

“Mobile, efficient, team-oriented, responsive. Over the past few years, the developers have further refined Visual Planning® with the right features and responded to the needs of the dynamic business world. Our customers gain greater flexibility for their planning tasks because the software takes today’s mobility into account. They become more efficient because the user interface is even more process-oriented. They become more effective because resource planning can be carried out with confidence even on small screens, such as smartphones,” says Andreas Pohl, Managing Director of Advanced Solutions GmbH. “Our customers are the most valuable source of technical improvements. Whether they are staff planners, transport operators, builders or field staff – working together with them, Visual Planning® has developed into a highly valuable resource planning software.”