Calculate CRP by summing planned and released order hours per work center per period. Validate detailed capacity against production plans.
Capacity Requirements Planning (CRP) is a detailed capacity validation tool that sums the hours from all planned and released production orders at each work center for each time period. Unlike rough-cut capacity planning (RCCP), CRP uses actual routing data and order quantities for precise load calculations.
CRP answers the question: given all the orders we plan to run and are already running, do we have enough capacity at each work center in each week? It provides a work-center-level, period-by-period load profile that shows exactly where and when capacity constraints will occur.
This calculator performs a simplified CRP for one work center, letting you enter planned order hours and released order hours, then comparing the total against available capacity. It shows load percentage, overload, and remaining capacity.
Precise measurement of this value supports data-driven planning and helps manufacturing professionals make informed decisions about resource allocation and process optimization strategies. Quantifying this parameter enables systematic comparison across time periods, shifts, and production lines, revealing patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed in routine operations.
CRP catches detailed capacity problems that RCCP misses. By using actual order data and routings, it provides the most accurate picture of whether your production plan is executable at each work center. Regular monitoring of this value helps teams detect deviations quickly and maintain the operational discipline needed for sustained manufacturing excellence and competitiveness.
CRP Load = Planned Order Hours + Released Order Hours Load % = (CRP Load / Available Capacity) × 100 Capacity Position = Available Capacity − CRP Load
Result: 180 hrs load, 112.5% — overloaded by 20 hrs
Total load = 120 + 60 = 180 hours. Available capacity is 160 hours. The work center is at 112.5% loading, overloaded by 20 hours that need to be resolved through scheduling changes or overtime.
CRP pulls data from three sources: (1) planned orders from MRP, (2) released orders from the shop floor control system, and (3) work center capacity from the capacity calendar. The intersection of these three data sources produces the CRP load profile.
Standard CRP performs infinite loading — it piles all orders onto the work center timeline regardless of capacity limits. Finite loading then levels the load by moving orders to periods with available capacity. Most ERP systems offer both views.
CRP accuracy depends on production reporting. When operators report completions, released order hours decrease. Late reporting makes CRP show more load than actually exists. Ensure timely production reporting for accurate CRP.
RCCP uses MPS quantities and aggregate load factors for quick validation. CRP uses detailed planned and released order data with actual routing times. CRP is more accurate but requires MRP to have run first.
Use RCCP first to validate the MPS before running MRP. After MRP generates planned orders, use CRP to validate the detailed capacity implications. Both are needed — they serve different stages of planning.
Planned orders are generated by MRP but not yet committed — they can be changed freely. Released orders are committed and usually have materials allocated and a shop packet. Both consume capacity.
Options include: delaying non-urgent planned orders, using alternate routings, splitting orders across periods, adding overtime, outsourcing, or negotiating delivery date changes with customers. Documenting the assumptions behind your calculation makes it easier to update the analysis when input conditions change in the future.
Basic CRP sums total hours without regard to priority. Advanced scheduling systems layer in priority-based sequencing. For simple CRP, manually check that high-priority orders have capacity first.
Run CRP every time MRP regenerates — typically weekly for full regeneration and daily for net-change updates. The fresh CRP report reflects the latest order changes.