If you’re logged into warehouse mobile, and you’re working on a location code that requires full warehouse functionality, warehouse received, etc, shipments, you have the warehouse receive functionality and put away functionality on the inbound side.
When you use warehouse mobile to receive goods in Business Central, you work with the standard warehouse receipt and put-away flow. The mobile device guides you through receiving items against a purchase order, registering the received quantities, and posting the warehouse receipt. Business Central then automatically creates a warehouse put-away document so the goods can be moved from the receiving bin into the warehouse.
You start the receive flow by selecting the purchase order, either by entering the number or picking it from a list. The purchase order is used as the identifier because that is what warehouse staff have on hand when goods arrive from the vendor.
You scan each item physically rather than looking it up on screen, register the quantity you actually received, and post when you are done. The posting reflects the received quantity back on the purchase order and creates a put-away document on the receiving bin code, ready to be moved to a storage bin.
When the warehouse receive flow applies
The warehouse receive functionality in warehouse mobile applies when you are logged in and working on a location code that requires full warehouse functionality. That means a location set up for warehouse receipts and shipments. On the inbound side, this gives you both warehouse receive and put-away functionality.
This mirrors the standard functionality of Business Central. The mobile flow does not change how Business Central handles receipts and put-aways. It gives you a device-based way to carry out the same steps.
Preparing the purchase order and warehouse receipt
The starting point is a purchase order. In this example, the purchase order has three lines. You release the purchase order, which is all standard functionality, and then create a warehouse receipt from it.
The warehouse receipt is the first step before the item is put on inventory. Once created, the warehouse receipt is ready to be handled in warehouse mobile.
Running the receive flow in warehouse mobile
In warehouse mobile you start the warehouse receive flow. You can enter the purchase order number directly if you know it, or select it from the purchase order list.
The purchase order is the normal identifier the warehouse staff have when the item is received, which is why the flow is built around it.
Once you have selected the purchase order, you start selecting items. You scan the physical item rather than looking it up on screen. In real-life terms, the physical item you have in hand determines what to do, so you let the goods guide you rather than the list on the device.
If the vendor has supplied a shipment number, you put it in the warehouse header. You can also assign a warehouse user if you want to.
For each item you register the quantity received. In the example, item 1150 was received with a quantity of 35, and another line was received with a quantity of 22. You can register a partial receipt if you only receive part of what is on the order.
Posting the receipt and the automatic put-away
When you are done, you post the warehouse receipt from the device. This does two things using standard Business Central functionality. It handles the warehouse receipt, and it creates a warehouse put-away document.
After posting, the quantity received shows on the warehouse receipt line, exactly as you entered it. The same quantity is reflected back on the purchase order. This is all standard Business Central behaviour.
The put-away document reflects the quantity you just received. It sits on the receiving bin code and is ready to be moved into the warehouse on a storage bin code. The standard warehouse put-away works as a take and a place: you take the goods from the receiving bin and place them in their storage location.
Q&A
What location setup is needed to use the warehouse receive flow in warehouse mobile?
You need a location code that requires full warehouse functionality, meaning a location set up for warehouse receipts and shipments. This gives you both warehouse receive and put-away functionality on the inbound side.
Why is the purchase order used as the identifier when receiving goods?
The purchase order number is the normal identifier warehouse staff have when goods are received from the vendor, so the receive flow is built around selecting the purchase order, either by entering the number or picking it from a list.
Should you scan the item or look it up on screen during receiving?
You scan the physical item rather than looking it up. The goods you actually have determine what to do, so you let the physical item guide you instead of the list on the device.
What happens automatically when you post the warehouse receipt from warehouse mobile?
Posting handles the warehouse receipt and creates a warehouse put-away document using standard Business Central functionality. The received quantity is reflected on the warehouse receipt line and back on the purchase order.
Where does the put-away document place the received goods?
The put-away document sits on the receiving bin code and is ready to be moved into the warehouse on a storage bin code. It works as a take and a place: take the goods from the receiving bin and place them in their storage location.
Can you register a partial receipt?
Yes. You register the quantity you actually received for each item, which can be less than the quantity ordered. In the example, item 1150 was received with a quantity of 35.