The hotfix in Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article 3093049, which is planned for release in mid-October, enables scenarios where registration of a component’s serial number can be postponed until the time of consumption in production. Here is one of the customer scenarios we have been looking at:

Most of the components we use for our machine assemblies are delivered from vendors. These components are typically received on pallets packed in a quantity of for example 200 pieces. Each component has a unique engraved serial number, but we don’t need to register the serial numbers at product receipt. We just register the receipt of the pallet, so that we don’t have to spend time breaking up the pallet and registering each serial number individually. The serial number also isn’t registered when the warehouse worker picks the component for the production order. However, when the assembly worker mounts the component in the assembly, she reads the engraved serial number on the component and updates it in the system. By registering the serial number at the time of consumption, we can print a list that shows exactly which component serial numbers were used in a given assembly. Then, if we receive a complaint, and the issue that is reported can be tracked to a specific component, we can communicate the serial number back to the vendor. In a worst-case scenario, if the issue is systematic (for example, a batch of bad-quality rubber sealing has been used in the component), the vendor will track all the components that are affected and communicate the serial numbers affected back to us. Because we can track the serial number that is used in a given assembly, we can now identify all the assemblies that are affected and take the necessary measures.

This scenario is now supported in Dynamics AX and can be demonstrated by using a simple bill of materials (BOM) that is named Assembly and a serial-controlled item that is named Component.

In the warehouse, the component is tracked only by location and license plate. The serial number of the individual components on the license plate aren’t known at this point.

A production order is released for the assembly, and warehouse work is created to pick up the component.

The warehouse work is processed without specifying the serial number of the picked component.

The production order is started, and the production picking list journal is created.

The picking list journal can’t be posted unless a serial number is specified. Any attempt to do so will cause the following error message:

This message indicates that a serial number must be registered before the picking list journal can be posted. The new Register serial numbers menu item that has been added to the Inventory Action Pane button can be used to resolve this error.

The journal can now be posted, and the serial number is updated on the issue transaction for the production material line.

The bill of serial for the assembly can now be printed from the tracing tool.

A new field Register serials before consumption has been added to the Tracking dimension groups form to enable this scenario. This field works together with the Capture serial field for the values Picking and Packing. For example, when Picking is selected in the Capture serial field, the serial number also needs to be provided at the time of picking.

With KB-3164415 a new work flow for the hand held device has been introduced. This work flow enables the user to report raw material consumption for production and batch orders.

This work flow is for example relevant when there is a strict requirement for material traceability. In that case e exact time and quantity for must be reported for the consumption. This process can be seen opposed to back-flushing .

Let’s look at a simple scenario that explains how the new work flow can be used. A production process is consuming a raw material RM that is stored on a license plate 4543 with two batches B1 and B2. The material is registered consumed on a continuous basis.

Configuration of the new flow

First create a new Mobile device menu item with the activity code: Register material consumption

Add the menu item to a Mobile device menu

Make the consumption registration on the hand held device

Create a production order for the finished product FG

The production order has a simple bill of material with a raw material RM The Bill of Material line is set up with a flushing principle: Manual.

The raw material is on-hand with two batches on a license plate on location 00901.

The production order is started.

The production order is now in status: Started.

Let’s look at an example where the user registers the consumption of 100 lbs. of the raw material RM.

Some additional comments to the flow:

• If the user cancels the flow after a journal line is created, then the journal is in an un-posted state.
• If the same user starts up the flow again, for the same production order, then any new line will be created in the existing open journal.
• The new flow is also supporting the registration of serial numbers.
• It is only possible to register an item number that is defined in the bill of material or formula for the selected production or batch order.
• It is possible to over-consume a material. If a material for example is estimated to be consumed with the quantity of 100 lbs., then it is possible to over-consume with a quantity of for example 105 lbs.

The hotfix in Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article 3093049, which is planned for release in mid-October, enables scenarios where registration of a component’s serial number can be postponed until the time of consumption in production. Here is one of the customer scenarios we have been looking at:

Most of the components we use for our machine assemblies are delivered from vendors. These components are typically received on pallets packed in a quantity of for example 200 pieces. Each component has a unique engraved serial number, but we don’t need to register the serial numbers at product receipt. We just register the receipt of the pallet, so that we don’t have to spend time breaking up the pallet and registering each serial number individually. The serial number also isn’t registered when the warehouse worker picks the component for the production order. However, when the assembly worker mounts the component in the assembly, she reads the engraved serial number on the component and updates it in the system. By registering the serial number at the time of consumption, we can print a list that shows exactly which component serial numbers were used in a given assembly. Then, if we receive a complaint, and the issue that is reported can be tracked to a specific component, we can communicate the serial number back to the vendor. In a worst-case scenario, if the issue is systematic (for example, a batch of bad-quality rubber sealing has been used in the component), the vendor will track all the components that are affected and communicate the serial numbers affected back to us. Because we can track the serial number that is used in a given assembly, we can now identify all the assemblies that are affected and take the necessary measures.

This scenario is now supported in Dynamics AX and can be demonstrated by using a simple bill of materials (BOM) that is named Assembly and a serial-controlled item that is named Component.

In the warehouse, the component is tracked only by location and license plate. The serial number of the individual components on the license plate aren’t known at this point.

A production order is released for the assembly, and warehouse work is created to pick up the component.

The warehouse work is processed without specifying the serial number of the picked component.

The production order is started, and the production picking list journal is created.

The picking list journal can’t be posted unless a serial number is specified. Any attempt to do so will cause the following error message:

This message indicates that a serial number must be registered before the picking list journal can be posted. The new Register serial numbers menu item that has been added to the Inventory Action Pane button can be used to resolve this error.

The journal can now be posted, and the serial number is updated on the issue transaction for the production material line.

The bill of serial for the assembly can now be printed from the tracing tool.

A new field Register serials before consumption has been added to the Tracking dimension groups form to enable this scenario. This field works together with the Capture serial field for the values Picking and Packing. For example, when Picking is selected in the Capture serial field, the serial number also needs to be provided at the time of picking.

With KB-3164415 a new mobile device work flow for registration of raw material consumption has been introduced.

Material consumption, for production or batch orders, is in Dynamics AX done with the use of the production picking list journal. A material can be configured to be consumed either as a manual or automatic process with the use of the Flushing principle on the Bill of material or Formula lines. By selecting the principle Start or Finish it is indicated that materials should be consumed automatically, either by production order Start or when Reporting as finished. By selecting the principle Manual, it is indicated that the user should manual account for the material consumption. The reason why manual registration is sometimes required, is to secure that the actual time of the consumption corresponds with the time of registration, so material traceabiltiy can be maintained. Traceabiltiy is a typical requirement in the food industry, where all food ingredients and packaging materials that are in contact with the food ingredients, must be traceable.

The new hand-held flow works as an interface to the production picking list journal. With the hand-held device the users scans the materials on the locations and accounts for the quantity and dimensions. For each registration a production picking list journal line is created for the production order. When the user confirms the registration as completed the picking list journal is posted.

Let’s walk through a simple scenario that shows how the new work flow is configured and how it works.

The figure below shows a production process that is consuming a batch controlled raw material RM-100. The material is on-hand on location Bulk-001 on license plate PL-1 with two batches b1 and b2 both with a quantity of 100 Lbs. Warehouse work is released and processed for RM-100, picking the material from Bulk-001 to the production input location PIL-01. From the production input location consumption of the material is registered as a manual operation by the machine operator.

First create a new Mobile device menu item with the activity code Register material consumption

Add the menu item to the Production Mobile device menu

Create a production order for the finished product

The flushing principle on the bill of material line is set to Manual

The production order is Estimated and Released and warehouse work is created. After the work is processed the material is in status: Picked at the production input location.

After the production order is Started, material consumption can be registred with the new work flow. We start by consuming 25 ea of Batch B1 and after that 50 ea of batch B2:

Some additional comments to the flow:

• If the user cancels the flow after a journal line is created, then the journal is in an un-posted state.
• If the same user starts up the flow again, for the same production order, then any new line will be created in the existing open journal.
• The new flow is also supporting the registration of serial numbers.
• It is only possible to register an item number that is defined in the bill of material or formula for the selected production or batch order.
• It is possible to over-consume a material. If a material for example is estimated to be consumed with the quantity of 100 lbs., then it is possible to over-consume with a quantity of for example 105 lbs.
• In this example material that was in status Picked or Reserved physical on the production input location, but it is also possible to register consumption of material that is not picked or reserved from a location.

A new feature that enables advanced warehouse processes for the Withdrawal Kanban has been released together with KB 4016114 for AX2012. The feature is general available for Dynamics 365 for finance and operations.
Previously, the Withdrawal kanban could only transfer a material between fixed locations. Now it’s possible to release a withdrawal kanban for picking to a warehouse that is managed with flexible location storage. This feature introduces the following capabilities

• Enable the user to configure warehouse processes for raw material picking for the withdrawal Kanban with the help of work templates and location directives.
• Enable the user to process work for raw material picking for the withdrawal Kanban with the hand-held device
• Enable the user to process an Empty Kanban signal with the hand-held device
• Provide the user a status of wave and work in the Picking list section in the Kanban transfer board.
• Enable the user to configure the Kanban transfer activity of the withdrawal Kanban to be automatic completed, when the Kanban pick work is completed.

In the following section, it is described in detail how a withdrawal Kanban is set up for material replenishment, for material that is managed on a warehouse for advanced warehouse processes.

Scenario

A withdrawal Kanban is set up to transfer material L0100 between locations in warehouse 51 to a production input location 001 in warehouse 61. When a new Kanban is created, the Kanban is automatically released to a wave in warehouse 51. When the wave is processed, warehouse work for Kanban picking is generated, directing the warehouse worker to pick L0100 on a location in warehouse 51 and put it to the TrFrom51 location. The Withdrawal Kanban is now ready to be completed. In the Complete step the material is transferred from location TrFrom51 in warehouse 51 to the production input location 001 in warehouse 61.

Prepare the demo

Use company USMF

Create production input location PIL-01 in warehouse 61.

Add on-hand inventory for item L0100 in warehouse 51.

Create a new Lean production flow for transferring L0100 from warehouse 51 to warehouse 61.

Define transfer activity
(Click: Activities -> Create a new activity plan -> Follow the wizzard)

Activate the flow
(Click: Activate)

Create a Kanban rule for L0100

• Type: Withdrawal
• Replenishment strategy: Fixed
• First plan activity: Transfer 51 to 61
• Product: L0100
• Default quantity: 1
• Fixed Kanban quantity: 2

Check location directive for Kanban picking

Note: The two types of kanbans Manufacturing Kanban and Withdrawal Kanban shares the same location directive and work template. If separate processes for the two types of kanbans is required, then the configuration can be separated in the queries for work templates and location directive by filtering on the Kanban activity type (Transfer or process).

Demo

From the Kanban rule create two new Withdrawal kanbans for L0100

Note: After the Kanban’s are created, you can see from the message details that the Kanban’s have been released to a wave and warehouse work has been created.

Go to the Kanban board for transfer jobs to see the details for the two Withdrawal kanbans. Filter on the production flow created for this scenario

Look in the Work details (Tab: Transfer-> Group: Warehouse -> Work details)

Work of type Kanban picking has been generated to transfer from the bulk location to the transfer location TrFrom51. Tak a note of the Work-ID that you should use later, when you process the pick work on the hand-held device.

Go to the Picking list section in the Kanban board for transfer jobs

Note: In the picking list section, you can see from the Item pegging status, that Work has been created but not yet processed.

Use the hand-held device to process the pick work for one of the Kanban’s

Go back to the Kanban board and look at the item pegging status in the Pick list section

Note: The status has changed from Work created to Inventory.

From the Kanban board complete the Kanban by selecting the Complete button

L0100 is now transferred to the production input location and is ready to be consumed.

Kanban empty signal

The signal to replenish L0100 can now be given with an empty scan. The empty scan indicates that a Kanban has been consumed at the production location and is now empty. The empty signal can be configured to happen either automatically when a Kanban is completed or as a manual registration. This is set up in the field Register as empty in the Kanban rule (Section: Kanban rule -> Group: Material handling unit -> Register empty). Make sure the Manual (includes scanning empty) option is selected on the Kanban rule for L0100. The Manual empty signal can be done from the Kanban transfer board, but there is also an option to make the make the empty signal on the mobile device. Here is how to configure the empty signal for the hand-held device. First create a new Mobile device menu item with the below settings:

Add the new menu item to a mobile menu, for example the menu for Production.

As the material L0100 is now in warehouse 61, we need to change warehouse to 61 on the mobile device. This is done by granting the warehouse worker in warehouse 51 access to also work in warehouse 61 in the Work users page

Select Warehouses in the action pane

Go to the mobile menu and select Change Warehouse

Select the Empty scan option in the mobile menu

Going back to the Kanban board for transfer job, you can see the new Kanban that was created by the empty signal

Option to auto-complete the Withdrawal Kanban when completing pick work

There is also an option to setup the transfer activity for the withdrawal Kanban to auto-complete when the put transaction for the Kanban pick work is completed. This option can for example be used if the warehouse worker, who picks the material in warehouse 51, also delivers the material to the production input location on warehouse 61. With this option the hand-held work flow for Kanban picking is first directing the worker to pick-up the material from the pick location in warehouse 51 and then directing him to deliver the material to the put location in warehouse 61. The warehouse worker will not notice that the Withdrawal kanban is automatically completed, when the put transaction is completed.

Go to the definition of the transfer activity in the production flow and select the Auto complete by put option.

Go to the Kanban board for transfer job and find one of the un-processed Kanban's

Open the Work details and note the Work-id

Process the work from the hand-held device (user should be in warehouse 51)

Note: From this flow you can see how the user is directed to put L0100 to warehouse 61 on location PIL-01.

Go to the Kanban board for transfer jobs and verify that the Kanban is completed

This blog post includes the system requirements and Sales solution setup for Prospect to Cash Integration between Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales and for Finance and Operations, Enterprise Edition.

To learn more about the Microsoft Dynamics Data Integrator for Common Data Service (CDS) and Prospect to cash see the links below:

• Information about Data integrator
• Information about Prospect to cash templates

Prospect to cash integration - System requirements:

Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise Edition

• Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise edition July 2017 update with Platform update 8 (App 7.2.11792.56024 w/ Platform 7.0.4565.16212)
• Apply the following two KB for July 2017 update:
  • KB4036461 Enable sales order synchronization with Data integrator from Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations to Sales
  • KB4036524 Enable sales order line synchronization with Data integrator from Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations to Sales

Dynamics 365 for Sales, Enterprise Edition

• Solution was developed for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales Version 1612 (8.2.1.207) (DB 8.2.1.207) online
• Use Prospect to Cash Solution for Sales, version 1.14.0.0 or later

Install the Prospect to Cash Solution for Sales

• Download the P2C CRM Solution Package Deployer zip - DOWNLOAD: from CustomerSource
• Make sure that the zip file is unblocked (right click on zip file > properties > Unblocked) - otherwise you might get the error 'No import packages were found.' when running the PackageDeployer.
• Unzip and run PackageDeployer.exe
• Install the Prospect to Cash Integration Solution into your own Sales instance.

1. Choose Deployment type: Office 365
2. Choose Show advanced
3. Select the region (fast) or select Don’t know (it will search in all regions – takes a little longer)
4. Enter User name and Password for an admin user with privilege to install solution on the target Sales instance.

Christian Rytt

This blog post describes a new flushing principle Available at location that was introduced in Dynamics 365 for finance and operations, Enterprise edition for the spring release 2017.

The flushing principles reflect different consumption strategies for raw materials that are used in production processes. Consumption is the process that deducts material from the on-hand inventory and sets the value of the consumed materials to Work in progress (WIP) for production orders and batch orders. Raw materials are usually consumed from a location that is configured for the process that consumes the material. This location is known as the production input location. Material consumption for production and batch orders is accounted for in the Production picking list journal.

Flushing principle available at location

The Available at location flushing principle indicates that the material will be automatically consumed when it's registered as picked for production. The material is registered as picked from location when work for the raw material picking is completed, or when material is available on the production input location and the material line is released to the warehouse. The picking list that is generated during the process is posted in a batch job. This principle is relevant if, for example, you have many picking activities against one production order. In this case, you don't have to update the picking list manually, and you can get a current view of the WIP balance.

Let's walk through some simple scenarios that shows how the new flushing principle works.

In the following example we will be using product L0101 from the USMF demo data.

1. Go to the BOM version for L0101 and remove product L0100 and M9204, so the resulting bill of material looks like below.

2. Go to the details for the line item for M9203 and change the flushing principle to “Available at location”

3. Create a production order for L0101 with the default quantity 20.
4. Estimate and Release the production order
a. Verify that work has been created for M9203
5. Start the production order with the below setting

Note: When starting the production order, no picking list was created. This is because no material has yet been made available on the production input location by completion of warehouse work.
6. Process the warehouse work with the help of the hand-held device
7. After completing the work, go to the picking list of the production order

Note: Because the bom line has the flushing principle Available at location the picking list journal was automatically created when the pick work was completed. The posting of the picking list is inserted into a batch job, and that is why it can appear as not posted when opened just after the work is completed. After a couple of minutes after work completion the picking list will be posted by the batch job.

8. Create a new production order for L0101
9. Estimate and Release the order
Note: No work was created, because M9203 is available at the production input location, because we staged the full quantity of the license plate (200 pcs) when we processed the work for the first production order and we only consumed 20 pcs, so 180 pcs are remaining.
10. Start the production order with Auto BOM Consumption = Flushing principle
Note: A production picking list was created and posted. When material is already available at the production input location, the flushing principle “Available at location” has the same behavior as the flushing principle “Start”.

In the spring release of 2018 for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations, Multi-column layout is now available for the Product configurator's runtime dialog.

To enable this functionality, select a model and open the Model properties form.

In the Model properties form, there is now a new field Maximum number of columns. This field allows you to specify how many columns should be used display the attribute groups of each component of the selected product configuration model.

Now, when the model is loaded in the configuration dialog in Test or via any of the order forms (Sales, Purchase etc.) it will look like this:

With this feature more of the user interface real estate is being put to use, to providing a better overview of the attributes of the selected component.

I hope you find this useful

Introduction

In the spring release of 2018 for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations a significant investment in improving performance of the constraint evaluation has been made.

The result of this investment is the introduction of the Z3 sovler strategy. Z3 is a theorem prover from Microsoft Research, that has won several awards and has an active open source community.

The Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations team, teamed up with the Microsoft researches to develop new algorithms targeted at the Product configuration scenarios for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3

The Z3 solver strategy is also available for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 with the following KB article numbers:

• 4341629 - Additional performance improvement of loading models

• 4046549 - Performance improvement of loading models

• 4034024 - Fix to support customization related to system defined table constraints

• 4012892 - Introduction of the Z3 Solver strategy

Usage

The applied solver strategy for a product configuration model is selected by accessing the Model properties form.

From the Model properties form the Z3 solver strategy can be selected as illustrated below:

The Z3 solver strategy will currently not have a functional impact, the impact will be on performance.

In this post we will summarize what is new in Product configuration for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations in 2018.

Performance

The Z3 Solver strategy is now available in  Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations.

For details on the Z3 Sovler strategy read the dedicated blog post here: LINK

Usability

The configuration dialog can now be configured to have a multi column layout.

For details on the multi column layout read the dedicated blog post here: LINK

In this blog post we will explain the key performance influences for the Demand Forecasting feature for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations, which are under the user's control.

It is important to read and understand this blog if you are implementing Demand Forecasting for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations or if you are experiencing the a timeout during generation of the statistical baseline. The error message will be:

Forecast generation in Azure Machine Learning timed out

Number of enabled forecasting dimensions

The Forecasting dimensions are accessible via Demand forecasting parameters form under the Master planning menu, as illustrated below:

Enable only the must have forecasting dimensions. If you experience a timeout in the Azure Machine Learning when generating the statistical baseline forecast, one of the first things to consider is, if any of the enabled forecasting dimensions can be disabled.

Number of items in Item allocation keys

The Item allocation key form is accessible under the Master planning menu, as illustrated below:

Each allocation key will currently be executed in isolation on the Azure Machine Learning web service, this implies that the number of items in each allocation key, will have a direct impact on the performance of processing each allocation key.

Typically, which items are assigned to which item allocation key is a business decision, however to the extent possible try to keep number of items in each group below 1 thousand or at least in the low thousands.

Historical Horizon

The historical horizon is assigned before running the generation of the statistical baseline forecast.

The size of the historical horizon has a direct impact on the performance of the generation of the statistical forecast.

It is worth considering if historical data is representative of what is expected in the future. For example, 3 years of historical data may be available, but in some cases it can be better (result in a more accurate forecast) to use just last year's historical data. It requires insight into the historical data to make this decision but is something that should be considered.

Selecting a single forecast model

As a last resort a single forecast model can be selected, the options are:

• STL
• ARIMA
• ETS