Step-by-Step Setup for Advanced Manufacturing in Business Central
You will learn how to set up Advanced Manufacturing in Business Central step by step. This guide shows you easy steps you can use now. You can use it if you own a business or manage ERP systems. Companies say they get many benefits after switching:
Faster turnaround times help you get more done.
Technology integration helps keep production steady.
AI and machine learning let you react fast and lower waste.
Continuous improvement helps you use resources better.
Follow each step to get the best results. You will improve how you manage your production.
Key Takeaways
Turn on Advanced Manufacturing features in Business Central. This helps you manage resources better. It also helps cut down on downtime.
Set up user permissions with care. This keeps data safe. It makes sure each team member has the right access.
Check important settings often. Adjust things like demand forecasting and inventory management. This helps make production more accurate.
Make clear Bills of Materials (BOMs). This helps you track parts and costs well. It also helps keep quality and efficiency high in production.
Use automated replenishment to keep stock levels just right. This stops shortages and keeps you from having too much inventory.
Advanced Manufacturing Setup
When you set up Advanced Manufacturing in Business Central, you get more control. You can handle resources, check inventory, and make things run better. This part will show you how to turn on features, set who can do what, and change important settings.
Enable Manufacturing Features
First, turn on the manufacturing features in Business Central. These features help you plan, schedule, and watch your production. When you turn on Advanced Manufacturing, you get tools for production orders, capacity modeling, and inventory management.
Tip: Turning on these features helps you use resources better. You can see all your materials, workers, and machines in one spot. This makes planning easier and helps stop delays.
Some good things happen when you turn on manufacturing features:
You make sure all resources are ready when you need them, so you have less downtime.
You waste less and save money by using resources wisely.
You keep products good by using the right resources.
You can change plans fast if production or customer needs change.
You also get:
One place to see all your resources.
Smart tools to help you plan.
Live data to help you decide.
Custom reports to help you watch everything.
These tools help you make better choices and keep production moving well.
User Permissions
Next, set up user permissions. You want each person to have the right access for their job. In Business Central, you can make different permission sets for each role. This keeps your data safe and your process secure.
Handling permission sets can be hard if your team has many jobs.
The system lets you change permissions for each user, but this can make things tricky.
Ask people from different teams to help set job roles. This helps you cover all needs and avoid mistakes.
Note: Setting up permissions the right way helps you control who can see and change important information. This keeps your data safe and your process working well.
Essential Settings
Now, check and change the important settings. These settings help make sure your manufacturing data and reports are right. You need to set up forecasting, inventory management, and production tracking.
When you set these options, your data will be right. This helps you plan better and make fewer mistakes.
Tip: Training resources can help you learn these settings. For example, you can learn about capacity planning and how to set up work centers and machine centers. These skills help you get the most from Advanced Manufacturing in Business Central.
Items & BOMs
Setting up items and Bills of Materials in Business Central helps you manage production. You can keep track of every part and step. This makes your Advanced Manufacturing setup work better.
Create Items
You must create items before starting production. Items are the basic parts for your products. Follow these steps to make sure your setup works:
Write down your business steps. Know how each item fits in.
Set clear goals for your business. Decide what each item should do.
Track important numbers. Watch things like equipment use and inventory.
Learn about Business Central tools. Use things like Production Orders and Inventory management.
Make changes slowly. Go step by step to stop confusion.
Plan your change. Make sure your team knows each step.
Tip: When you make items, use easy names and codes. This helps you find items fast and avoid errors.
Build BOMs
A Bill of Materials lists all the parts and materials for each product. Making BOMs the right way helps you plan and control costs. Here is how BOM structure helps your production:
Watch out for common mistakes when making BOMs:
Forgetting parts or pieces.
Using wrong amounts.
Not updating BOMs.
Mixing up names or codes.
Not adding enough notes.
Note: Mistakes in BOMs can slow down production and cost more money. Always check your lists and keep them up to date.
Set Up Routings
Routings show the steps to make each product. You link routings with BOMs to help with scheduling and accuracy. When you set up routings, you:
Match each BOM part to a job.
Make a smooth flow from start to end.
Tip: Match routings with BOMs to make your production work better. This helps you react quickly and keep things running smoothly.
Work & Machine Centers
Setting up work and machine centers in Business Central helps you manage production. You can watch how things work, give out resources, and make things run better. This part of Advanced Manufacturing gives you tools to handle each step.
Add Work Centers
First, you add work centers. Work centers are places where things get made, like assembly lines or stations. When you set up a work center, you look at three main things:
These things help each work center reach your production goals. You can see where you need more help and where you can do better.
Add Machine Centers
Next, you add machine centers. Machine centers are special machines or equipment in your factory. You set up each machine center to watch how well it works. You can make machines work better by:
Planning regular checkups. This helps you fix problems before they stop work.
Using live data with IIoT. You can watch machines and study how they work.
Automating data and reports. This lowers mistakes and keeps your numbers right.
You can watch important numbers for each machine center, like total capacity, how well it works, run time, and stop time. These numbers show how your machines are doing.
Assign Resources
After you set up work and machine centers, you give out resources. You connect workers, tools, and materials to each center. This step helps you make more products. You can:
Make OData loading faster for quicker API calls.
Make NumberSequence work better to stop locking problems.
When you give out resources the right way, you get better results and fewer slowdowns. You can watch output, scrap rates, and real costs for each center. This helps you plan and change things fast.
Tip: Check your resource assignments often. You can find problems early and keep production working well.
Planning & Scheduling
Good planning and scheduling help you keep things running well in Business Central. You can use built-in tools to plan work, manage inventory, and stop mistakes. This part shows how to use planning worksheets, set up automatic restocking, and use advanced scheduling.
Planning Worksheets
Planning worksheets in Business Central help you organize what to make and buy. You can see what you need, when you need it, and how much to order. First, check your master data. Wrong data can mess up your plans and waste resources.
The Enhanced Planning Worksheet app makes planning easier. This app puts many planning tools in one place. It has a simple screen to track inventory, plan buying, and work with vendors.
You can see supply and demand together.
You can set planning rules for your business.
You can track vendor history and order limits.
You can set orders to start when you need more stock.
You can control inventory at different places.
To help lean manufacturing, do these steps:
Make a long-term plan every two weeks. Skip short-term needs.
Build a buying plan that matches your production plan. Think about lead times and stock.
Change your short-term plan by hand or run a net change plan for some items.
Run the short-term buying plan again to fix supply orders.
Tip: Always check your planning settings. Good settings help you get better results from planning worksheets.
Automated Replenishment
Automated replenishment in Business Central helps you keep the right stock. You do not have to guess when to order more. The system uses smart rules and AI to guess what you need.
Business Central uses reordering policies to make supply orders for you. These rules help you avoid too much or too little stock. The system looks at old sales and trends to guess what you will need. You can set limits so you never run out of key items.
Here is how automated replenishment works with supplier management:
Note: Automated replenishment helps you avoid running out or having too much. You save money and keep production going.
Advanced Scheduling
Advanced scheduling in Business Central helps you plan with smart tools. You can use algorithms to make the best use of machines and workers. The system helps you change plans fast if something goes wrong.
You can use these advanced scheduling features:
You can avoid mistakes in material planning by following these tips:
Keep your planning settings up to date. Wrong settings give bad advice.
Use a Dampener Period to stop too many changes in orders.
Set Planning Flexibility so the system does not change orders already started.
Tip: Check your planning and scheduling settings often. This helps you find problems early and keep your Advanced Manufacturing process working well.
If you follow each step in Advanced Manufacturing, you can make production work better. This setup helps lower mistakes, fewer warranty problems, and less waiting. Look at the table to see how things get better:
Business Central helps by tracking inventory and using AI to watch things as they happen. You can use workflow templates, set up automatic schedules, and try out what-if ideas for extra help. Test your setup and ask for training if you want to keep getting better.
FAQ
How do you enable advanced manufacturing features in Business Central?
Go to the setup menu. Find the manufacturing module. Turn on advanced features. You will see new options for production orders, BOMs, and scheduling. This helps you manage your factory better.
What is a Bill of Materials (BOM) and why do you need it?
A BOM lists all parts and materials for each product. You need it to plan, control costs, and keep quality high. It helps you make sure every product uses the right parts.
How can you assign resources to work centers?
Open the work center setup. Choose the center. Add workers, machines, and tools. Check assignments often. This helps you keep production running smoothly and spot problems early.
What does automated replenishment do for your inventory?
Automated replenishment tracks stock levels. The system orders more items when you need them. You avoid running out or having too much. This saves money and keeps production moving.
Can you change production schedules if something goes wrong?
Yes! Use advanced scheduling tools. You can move jobs, change times, or add resources. The system helps you react fast and keep your factory working.