Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing movement of work-in-process materials between processing units in an automated manufacturing environment are provided. A system includes a host system in communication with a work-in-process (WIP) material lot. The system also includes an application executing on the host. The application implements a method that includes tracking a position of the WIP material lot, receiving a list of the processing units designated to be inoperative during a down time, and receiving a start time and a duration of the down time. The method also includes determining a maximum dwell time for each of the designated processing units and scheduling movement of the WIP material lot during an interim between a current time and the start time of the down time based on current position of the work-in-process material lot, the current time, the start time and duration of the down time, and the maximum dwell time.