Business Central is a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution that helps small and medium-sized businesses manage their finances, operations, sales, and customer service. Business Central also offers a rich ecosystem of apps that extend its functionality and provide industry-specific solutions. In this post, we will explore some of the top apps for supply chain and manufacturing businesses that can help you optimize your workflows, reduce costs, improve quality, and increase customer satisfaction.
I have always been asked, “Steve what apps do you implement and why when it comes to Supply Chain and Manufacturing businesses?” I thought it would be useful to write a post on the apps I always install, and the ones I turn to for supply chain and manufacturing companies. First, let’s start off with some generic apps that are excellent to install:
Generic Apps
- DocXtender (Insight Works): DocXtender allows users to attach various documents to any compatible Business Central page using a simple drag-and-drop feature. It supports unlimited attachments, multi-user access, and integrates with SharePoint, making essential files easily accessible and enhancing collaboration and efficiency. With DocXtender, you can effortlessly link customer POs to orders, invoices to POs, quality documents to receipts, or any other file to pages in Business Central.
- Inventory Availability Indicators (Apportunix): For most wholesale companies, maintaining low inventory levels without compromising delivery reliability is crucial. Quick and easy decisions need to be made regarding shipping dates and which orders can be shipped immediately. This app offers powerful insights by adding a colored indicator to document lines (sales, transfer, assembly, production) to show whether an order line can be shipped.
Supply Chain Management Apps
Supply chain management (SCM) is the process of planning, executing, and monitoring the flow of materials, services, and information from suppliers to customers. SCM involves activities such as sourcing, procurement, inventory management, logistics, distribution, and customer service. SCM apps can help you streamline your supply chain processes and improve your visibility, efficiency, and agility. Here are some of the best SCM apps for Business Central:
- Warehouse Insight (Insight Works): This app enables you to automate your warehouse operations and eliminate paper-based processes. You can use barcode scanners, mobile devices, or voice commands to perform tasks such as receiving, picking, packing, shipping, and counting. You can also track inventory movements, monitor warehouse performance, and generate reports and dashboards.
- Order Fulfillment Worksheet (Insight Works): Optimize your order fulfillment process by focusing on in-stock orders. Optimize your order fulfillment operations with the Order Fulfillment Worksheet for Business Central. This dynamic tool provides real-time insight into what can be shipped today, automating warehouse shipments and picks creation. It prevents wasted time on orders held back by stock unavailability. Prioritize orders, manage backorders effectively, and gain comprehensive order details. It’s your compact solution for a streamlined, proactive order fulfillment process.
- Advanced Inventory Count (Insight Works): This app simplifies your inventory counting and reconciliation process. You can use barcode scanners, mobile devices, or RFID tags to perform physical inventory counts, cycle counts, or spot checks. You can also compare the counted quantities with the expected quantities, identify discrepancies, and adjust your inventory accordingly.
Manufacturing Apps
Manufacturing is the process of transforming raw materials into finished products or components. Manufacturing involves activities such as production planning, scheduling, execution, quality control, and maintenance. Manufacturing apps can help you enhance your production capabilities and quality standards and meet your customer demands. Here are some of the best manufacturing apps for Business Central:
- Shop Floor Insight (Insight Works): This app enables you to capture and analyze your shop floor data and activities. You can use barcode scanners, mobile devices, or touch screens to record labor, material, and machine usage, track production orders and operations, and monitor quality and scrap. You can also generate reports and dashboards to measure your productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
- Advanced Manufacturing: This app helps you optimize your production planning and scheduling. You can create and manage production orders, routings, and bills of materials, and use advanced algorithms and simulations to generate optimal production plans and schedules. You can also integrate with external systems and platforms, such as CAD, CAM, and IoT.
- Quality Management: This app helps you ensure your product quality and compliance. You can define and manage quality standards, specifications, and tests, and perform quality inspections and audits throughout your production process. You can also track and resolve quality issues, non-conformances, and corrective actions, and generate quality certificates and reports.
Conclusion
Business Central is a powerful and versatile ERP solution that can help you manage and grow your supply chain and manufacturing business. By using the apps mentioned in this post, you can further enhance your business performance and competitiveness and achieve your strategic goals. To learn more about these apps and how to install and use them, visit the Microsoft AppSource website or reach out to me.
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