Upgrading a mobile warehouse system is rarely just a software question. Partners and warehouse managers want to know whether existing scanners still work, whether every device has to change on the same day, and how much disruption workers will see. Here is how Warehouse Insight for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central handles it.
Existing hardware
Warehouse Insight runs on the scanners you already have. You can buy hardware from Insight Works, but there is no requirement to, and existing devices continue to work. It also runs on consumer Android phones using the camera for scanning.
How devices get updated
The upgrade starts in Business Central. Once the newer Warehouse Insight extension is installed in your Business Central environment, devices take care of themselves. The next time a worker logs in on a device running the older app, Warehouse Insight detects the newer version and asks whether to update. When the worker accepts, the device updates automatically. This works whether or not you use mobile device management.
If you do use mobile device management through Insight Works, administrators can also update devices in bulk. You can select every device in the fleet and send a single update command instead of touching each one.
Mixing older and newer device apps
You do not have to switch every device at once. Warehouse Insight is designed so that older device apps continue to work against a newer extension in Business Central, and the newer device app can run against an older extension. That gives you room to update devices in stages during a transition.
The cleanest approach is still to update in bulk: install the newer extension in Business Central and move all devices to the newer app together. Mixing versions is a safety margin, not a long-term plan.
What workers will notice
For the most part, workers will see the same applications they already use. The look and feel stays consistent, so retraining needs are modest. Changes tend to show up as added options, such as additional screen layouts or spacing and font size settings, rather than a different way of working.
Test before you roll out
Run your key workflows in a sandbox before upgrading production, including any modifications your Business Central partner has made. That applies to any significant upgrade in the Business Central world, not just Warehouse Insight. Your Business Central partner or Insight Works support can help you plan the testing.
Bottom line
Warehouse Insight upgrades start in Business Central, and devices prompt workers to update automatically. Existing hardware keeps working, older and newer device apps can coexist during a transition, and mobile device management can update a fleet in one step. Test your workflows in a sandbox first.