A method and apparatus for scheduling in an automated manufacturing environment,
comprising are disclosed. The method includes detecting an occurrence of a predetermined
event in a process flow; notifying a software scheduling agent of the occurrence;
and reactively scheduling an action from the software scheduling agent responsive
to the detection of the predetermined event. The apparatus is automated manufacturing
environment including a process flow and a computing system. The computing system
further includes a plurality of software scheduling agents residing thereon, the
software scheduling agents being capable of reactively scheduling appointments
for activities in the process flow responsive to a plurality of predetermined events.
