Solving Warehouse Chaos in Dynamics 365 Business Central with Mobile Barcoding

Introduction and Webinar Overview

Hey, good morning or afternoon everyone. This is Mark, and today we’re going to go through solving warehouse chaos—or more accurately, how to use automated data collection with Business Central to improve inventory management.

We’ll briefly cover who we are and what we do, talk about why barcoding matters, and then spend most of the time in the demo. If you have questions, feel free to drop them in the GoToWebinar panel and I’ll answer them as we go.

This transcript is based on the uploaded webinar file :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.

Who We Are and What We Offer

We’ve been around for over 10 years, working in warehousing, manufacturing, and retail—basically anywhere products are physically handled. We offer a wide range of solutions, many of which are free.

We now have more than 30–40 free apps and add-ons, depending on your setup. These include tools for planning, forecasting, barcode generation, cloud printing, data management, and more.

Examples of Free Tools

• Enhanced Planning Worksheet for better planning in warehouse environments
• Forecasting tools
• Graphical production scheduling
• Document management with SharePoint integration
• WMS Express for basic warehouse operations
• Order Ship Express for shipping labels and tracking

Why Barcoding and Automated Data Collection Matter

If you’re using paper-based processes, your data won’t be timely or accurate. You might think you’re out of stock when items are actually sitting in receiving, or think something hasn’t shipped when it has.

Barcoding solves this by providing real-time updates and physical verification. It ensures you’re picking the right items, in the right quantities, from the right locations.

Accuracy and efficiency go hand in hand. Poor inventory accuracy leads to wasted time, rework, and increased costs. Barcoding helps eliminate these issues.

Process Flexibility and Performance

When choosing a system, flexibility is key. Some systems force you to change your processes, but ideally, the software should adapt to your best practices.

Performance also matters. You need to know what you can realistically ship today. Without that, you risk inefficiencies like partial shipments, increased costs, and bottlenecks.

Barcoding Options and Text Scanning

Ideally, vendors provide barcodes, but if not, you can generate your own. The system supports GS1, UPC, QR codes, and more.

You can also scan plain text instead of barcodes. For example, you can scan bin labels or lot numbers printed on packaging without needing to relabel anything.

Hardware Considerations

Choosing the right hardware depends on your needs. Consider factors like scanning distance, device type, and whether you need text recognition.

Some devices can scan from long distances, which is useful for forklift operations. Others are more compact and cost-effective for general use.

Software Overview

Key software components include:

• Enhanced Planning Pack for planning and forecasting
• Order Fulfillment Worksheet to determine what can ship
• Warehouse Insight or WMS Express for warehouse operations
• Dynamic Ship or Order Ship Express for shipping

Order Fulfillment Worksheet

This tool determines what you can and should ship today. It dynamically allocates inventory across orders and prioritizes based on shipment dates.

It automates pick creation and can run on a schedule, ensuring warehouse teams always have up-to-date tasks.

Receiving Process

Receiving is simple: scan items, optionally enter quantities, and update Business Central in real time.

You can:

• Scan vendor barcodes
• Create barcode cross-references on the fly
• Print labels during receiving
• Scan text instead of barcodes

You can also capture lot numbers, serial numbers, and take photos for damaged goods or discrepancies.

Picking Process

Picking involves scanning bins, items, and quantities. The system ensures accuracy and can guide users step-by-step or allow flexible picking.

Features include:

• Auto-assignment of picks
• Real-time tracking of pick progress
• Error alerts for incorrect scans
• Voice guidance and feedback
• Tote and license plate picking

Inventory Counting

Inventory counts are streamlined using scanning. Users can either count predefined items or scan everything in a location.

The process is simple: scan bin, scan item, enter quantity. Reconciliation is handled within Business Central.

Shipping Process

Shipping can be done via handheld devices or within Business Central. You can scan items for verification, package them, and generate shipping labels.

Key capabilities include:

• Package building and validation
• Weight and dimension capture (manual or automated)
• Carrier rate comparison
• Automatic label generation and tracking
• Signature capture and photo documentation

Why Choose This Solution

This is a complete end-to-end solution covering planning, receiving, picking, and shipping. You can mix and match components based on your needs.

Many tools are free, and even the paid options are modular and scalable. Hardware, software, support, and implementation are all available.

Closing and Next Steps

If you have questions, visit the website, use the chat feature, or contact your Microsoft partner. Pricing guides are also available online.

Thanks for attending, and we hope to connect with you again soon.