This should help understand the process:

5. Scheduling.

Scheduling usually happens Thursday night (allocation happens Wed night and we get the results sometime Thursday). Basically it’s all done by computer (unless something like a priority 01 may be manually scheduled first to make sure it gets scheduled). It lines all the dealers (that have allocation) in some sort of random order. If there are no commodities, this is easy, first dealers unit scheduled, second dealers, third dealers, etc, Once all dealers first allocation has been scheduled they go to the next round and do the same for the dealers that have a second allocation, once everyone's second is done they go through those with a 3rd and so on. Now that’s in a perfect world where there aren't any commodities.

Here in the real world it works a little different. Commodities screw this all up. Right now most vehicles only have 1 or two commodities so it’s not as big of deal. At times there might be 10 different commodities that are all separate and different and can make things difficult.

If when scheduling gets to a dealers allocation, and his order has a commodity that has already run out, they skip him for that pass. He doesn't loose his allocation, it gets used in the next pass, but it can cost him in other commodities. Let me do an example. This is PURELY SAMPLE, not actual numbers.

Lets say commodities

5% Crew Cab
30% Two tone
50% Power Stroke
25% V-10

now we're going to use Dealer A and dealer B. Lets say they both got 3 allocations.

Dealer A
F-250 V-10 Supercab with 2 tone priority 20
F-350 V-10 Regular cab with 2 tone priority 25
F-250 PowerStroke priority 30

Dealer B
F-250 V-10 Crew Cab priority 10
F-250 V-10 Crew Cab priority 11
F-250 Supecab Two tone V-10 Priority 12
F-250 Regular cab PowerStroke priority 13
F-250 Supercab 5.4L priority 17
F250 Regular cab 5.4L priority 18
F350 supercab 5.4L priority 20

OK now to schedule. Let’s say dealer A is toward the beginning of scheduling and dealer B is at the end (supposed to be a random order, but someone has to be first and someone last, but the dealer has no say in this).

1. System looks at dealer a's first order, Commodities still available so it gets scheduled.
2. System gets do dealer b's first order and is out of Crew cabs before it gets there so dealer b doesn't get a unit scheduled

3. Dealer A's up again and gets his second scheduled as both are available.
4. Dealer B's second order is a crew cab again so nothing schedules again this pass

5. Dealer A's 3rd order is still OK so it also gets scheduled and uses up his final allocation.
6. Dealer B's 3rd order isn't a Crew cab, but after 2 and 1/2 passes 2 tone is exhausted so again nothing scheduled.

7. Dealer B's Power Stroke order doesn't schedule as they are used up in previous passes so he has yet to have a unit schedule.
8. Dealer B gets the next three units scheduled in the next three passes as the commodities ordered are still available (in this example).

So when it’s said and done Dealer A got 2 V-10's 1 Power Stroke and 2 two tone orders where dealer B got nothing off of the control list. He gets his three units that he was allocated, but doesn't get any of the hard to get stuff due to the way his order bank was prioritized. This is why a dealer would want to put some of the moderately difficult items in the middle instead of all the hardest to get stuff at the first priority. If I had set up my order bank (in this example) I would have had a and some a two tone second.

This example was a little extreme, but it shows how the system works.

This info doesn't really help you as a customer as there aren’t much you can do to affect this, but I thought people would find it interesting on how the system works. With current commodities, there isn't a lot of risk because after the only major commodities (not holds) are two tone and SuperCrew so after they run out you can still get some decent vehicles. But in years passed, they tried to stick dealers with some stuff that wasn't worth ordering. If you don't want something you can pass on your allocation, but many dealers will take slow moving trucks instead of passing on allocation. This can hurt worse thought as now the system shows you with that truck in inventory so it can cost you future allocation (remember the turn and earn system). Sometimes vehicles are excluded to get dealers to take them. In years passed, V-6 F-150's were excluded and 6 speed diesels didn't count against you.

 

The whole process is here:
The Ford ordering process explained from start to finish

 

That's great info.

Thanks

 

For ford - when allocations are given - can the trucks options be changed or is it locked at that point.

 

My dealer says no vin on my truck yet. My original order was April 21, I altered it twice with the last time being May 20-something...24th?

I'm surprised by this. Chances are that it will not be built in July at this point.

 

I share the same feeling.

 

I'm with you Troverman....order done on April 20th....no VIN for mine either. Maybe if I drive to the dealer and stand there....the VIN will magically appear....LOL. But hey...we ARE getting closer...whoo hooo !!!

 

Did you order a 450? Mine is a 350 DRW. I'm wondering if they just aren't building a certain line yet?

 

I understand the new build orders come out on Thursdays. It seems the ones posted here are all Platinums and the few priorities listed have been 20's. I am a lowly Lariat SC SRW with a priority 10. Maybe sooner, maybe later. I hope there is no foul up with the order and it has to be redone....maybe DRW, maybe CC, maybe Ultimate Lariat plus a small fortune for LED head lamps. Waiting sure brings out the "what if's", and it hasn't even been a week since the first round was announced.

 

No....I ordered a 250 Platinum. Short Bed/6.7/4x4

 

I ordered a 450 platinum. No vin yet.

 

Well, I can bug the dealer again next Friday. I thought I saw an XLT being built on here?

Mine is a Lariat Ultimate (had to for the LED lights) 6.7 4x4. Oh well, later delivery means more time to build up money for the new truck.

 

Mine is a Lariat CC SWB ordered on May 20th and got my Vin last week. Still haven't gotten a build date yet from my dealer though as I've been to busy to ask today.

 

Good idea...keep yourself busy and the time will go by quicker.

 

Yeah I'm sure you'll be able to struggle through driving the new truck you're driving right now.