Transfer orders between locations

What must be set up first

You must have created locations and transfer routes. The Transfer Route can contain an in-transit location, shipping agent and shipping agent service, so the fields are filled in automatically on the order. Transfer orders cannot be used for empty locations.

Transfer with an in-transit location

If Direct Transfer is turned off, you first post shipment and then receipt. After shipment the items are in transit and cannot be used. The steps are:

• Create a transfer order, and choose the from and to location and the in-transit code.
• Add lines manually, with Select Items, or retrieve them from bin contents or receipt lines.
• Choose Post, then Ship. The items are now in transit.
• On receipt you choose Post, then Receive. The lines are the same and cannot be edited.

Direct transfer

If Direct Transfer is turned on, the Direct Transfer Posting field decides what happens. The default value comes from Inventory Setup, and a route can have its own. There are two choices:

Direct Transfer gives one document and two item ledger entry lines, but you cannot undo, post partial quantities or change serial number and lot number on receipt. Receipt and Shipment gives two documents and four entries, and here you can post partial quantities if Qty. to Ship equals Qty. to Receive. Here you can also choose an in-transit code.

Microsoft Learn has a comparison table that you should read if you use warehouse documents or tracked items.

When you have made a mistake

If the items have not been received yet, you can use Undo Shipment on the posted transfer shipment. Quantity Shipped decreases and Qty. to Ship increases accordingly. Open the order, correct the quantity and post again. If you have many orders, you can post in batch and see errors in the Error Messages register. You can also schedule batch posting in the job queue, but set filters on status and posting date, so orders that are not ready are not posted.

Item reclassification journal as an alternative

The Item Reclassification Journal can move items directly between locations and between bins. It can also change lot, serial number and expiration date. It gives no transit, lead time or documents for the shipping agent. If you use the transfer order, you instead get date calculation, planning and the ability to track the quantity along the way.

Dimensions, planning and tracking

Transfer orders are part of planning. Planning can suggest transfers, and they can be created through Carry Out Action Message. Dates are calculated from the shipment date, the shipping agent's transport time and the locations' handling times.

Note that the locations' default dimensions are copied from the last location you enter, and that the in-transit location is ignored. The order in which you fill in the from and to location can therefore give different dimensions on the order.

If you transfer tracked items, remember that you cannot change lot or serial number along the way if you use an ordinary direct transfer. If you need to change the number on receipt, you must use a transfer with an in-transit location or the item reclassification journal. Also consider who may post the receipt at the to location. It should be the employee who actually received the items, so the quantity in the system matches the shelves.

Next steps

Addverk builds its own apps for Business Central, but they are not on Microsoft AppSource yet. On the apps page you can see what we are working on. If you want help with the setup in standard BC, you will find the services and the open prices on the prices page.