Production planning involves three main stages: 1) compiling and recording information about customer orders, material stocks, and production capacities; 2) developing production plans by forecasting sales and breaking them down into detailed factory and departmental plans; and 3) putting the plans into operation by issuing work instructions and monitoring progress against plans. The complexity of a production planning department depends on the type of industry and product - in mass production industries it focuses on balancing material flows, while in batch production it requires continual adjustment to maintain balanced workloads amid varying batch sizes and delays.