Optimize Dynamics 365 Advanced Warehouse Management
Optimizing your Dynamics 365 advanced warehouse management in Finance and Supply Chain Management (FSCM) doesn’t always require a full system overhaul. Oftentimes, small, targeted changes that require little to no code can unlock the biggest efficiency gains.
In this blog, we’ll walk through practical ways to improve efficiency and visibility in your advanced warehouse, including:
- Fine-tuning mobile device steps
- Leveraging data inquiries
- Using the Warehouse Implementation Tasks workspace
- Quick tips and tricks you can start using right away
- Practical examples of how you can use this feature
Let’s start with one of the most accessible tools for quick impact—Mobile Device Steps.
Fine-Tune the Dynamics 365 Advanced Experience with Mobile Device Steps
Mobile Device Steps offer a straightforward way to shape the user interface and experience of the warehouse mobile app, without calling in a developer. Whether you want to add helpful instructions, simplify what’s on screen, or streamline user decisions, this tool gives you control where it matters most.
Out of the box, you can enable Mobile Device Steps to surface clear instructions at each point in a warehouse process. Beyond that, you can tailor step titles and instructions to match your specific operations or prompt users with relevant questions at key steps.
For even greater clarity, promoted fields let you reduce clutter by hiding unnecessary inputs and highlighting the most important ones, no more scrolling or second-guessing. And with detours, you can insert a quick jump to another task, like looking up an item or location, without losing your place.
Configuration is flexible: changes can be made globally or at the specific menu item level. To get started, navigate to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device steps, then create the default setup and tailor it to your needs.
Notable Use Cases for Mobile Device Steps
Here are some examples of where you might use mobile device steps in your Dynamics 365 advanced warehouse management process:
Modifying Step Title or Instructions
- Replacing terminology to add clarity - remove "license plate" and replace it with "pallet ID"
- Giving more context to a step - Prompt the user: "Is the truck clean and was inventory received free of damage?"
Promoted Fields
- Remove the need to scroll on the mobile device to see relevant fields
- Hide fields a user does not need to change or view to complete work
- Cleaner user views
Detours
- Opening a location inquiry, adding a detour directly to an inventory movement
- Opening an item inquiry, add a detour to select the tile you'd like to perform an inventory adjustment in/out for
- On production report as finished, allow for lookup of items on order when co- or by-products are present
Once your mobile device fits your needs, the next step is ensuring your data is just as accessible and actionable, right from the warehouse floor.
Unlock Visibility with Data Inquiry
Data Inquiries in D365 give warehouse users real-time access to inventory and location details, without needing to leave the mobile app or run a report from a workstation. It’s a simple, no-code feature that empowers users to answer their questions on the fly, improving speed and reducing dependency on back-office teams.
Data inquiries can be configured for various needs, including item lookups, location inquiries, and license plate details. With just a few clicks, users can access key information like on-hand inventory, locations, and recent transactions. This is especially helpful in high-volume environments where time spent walking to a terminal or calling for support adds up quickly.
These inquiries can also be linked via detours in your mobile device steps, offering seamless navigation between task execution and real-time information retrieval without disrupting the workflow. One common use of a data inquiry set up as a detour is a lookup to all purchase orders from within the purchase receive menu item. This setup allows a user to see a list of open purchase orders from their device, without printing out a receipts list or relying on a vendor to list purchase order numbers on documentation. Let’s walk through the setup process.
Add Visibility with a PO Data Inquiry
First, set up a Data Inquiry screen for the warehouse mobile app to let users check remaining purchase order (PO) lines without disrupting their workflow:
- Create a new menu item - Go to Warehouse Management > Setup > Mobile Device > Mobile Device Menu Items
- Name it something like “PO Remaining”
- Set the Activity Code to Data Inquiry
- Use Edit Query to control which PO lines show on the inquiry
- Configure the Field List to show key info (e.g., item, quantity remaining)
- Add a mobile device step - Go to Warehouse Management > Setup > Mobile Device Menu Items > Mobile Device Steps
- Create a step configuration for Purchase Receive
- Add a detour that points to the PO Remaining menu item
- Select which fields to send into the detour (e.g., PO number)
Warehouse users can now view the remaining PO details from the mobile device—no need to leave the process or call for backup. In addition, choosing fields to send to and from the detour eliminates the need to write down or manually key in important fields, such as an item number or PO number, which can prevent data entry errors.
Once your team has the tools to execute and inquire, the next challenge is managing the setup, especially when multiple warehouses or team members are involved.
Stay Organized with the Warehouse Implementation Tasks Workspace
Setting up a new advanced warehouse can quickly become overwhelming without a structured approach. The Warehouse Implementation Tasks workspace in D365 offers a built-in, ERP-native checklist to keep your team aligned and on track. Think of it as a project management hub tailored specifically to warehouse setup.
This workspace allows you to create one or more implementation projects, each with its own set of tasks, progress tracking, and visibility into completion metrics. Whether you're launching one warehouse or several, the workspace makes it easy to monitor how far along each project is, and where support may be needed.
You can start with Microsoft’s default task list and tailor it to fit your operation. Tasks are editable, movable, and fully customizable to match your internal processes. Many include direct links to configuration pages, so users can jump straight into action without hunting through menus.
Best of all, this task list supports collaboration. Multiple team members can work from the same list, update progress, and add notes, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks as you build out a fully functioning advanced warehouse.
Now that your warehouse setup is underway, it’s worth identifying some quick wins, simple changes that make a big impact without heavy configuration or customization.
Quick Wins to Streamline Your Warehouse Setup
Even small adjustments can boost efficiency in an advanced warehouse. These built-in features can be configured quickly and deliver meaningful benefits right away:
1. Replenishment Templates
Managing inventory levels becomes easier with Min/Max and Wave Demand replenishment templates. Min/Max ensures items are restocked automatically when they hit predefined thresholds. Wave Demand triggers replenishment only when inventory is missing at the time of wave execution, ideal for just-in-time scenarios.
2. Warehouse Groups
Stop duplicating setups for similar warehouses. Warehouse Groups let you apply wave templates or location directives across multiple warehouses without needing to configure each one separately.
3. Default Label Printers at the Mobile Device Level
New in version 10.0.41, you can now assign default label printers to specific mobile devices. This eliminates unnecessary steps for workers and ensures labels print in the right location every time, no more printer switching or warehouse laps.
4. Work Creation History Log
A hidden gem during implementation, this log helps troubleshoot work templates and location directives. Just remember: it turns off after a week by default. Set a calendar reminder to re-enable it regularly while you're refining your configuration.
Optimizing your advanced warehouse doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing effort. With tools already available in D365, you can drive real improvements through smarter configurations, cleaner user experiences, and better visibility, with no custom code required. Start small, stay focused, and build momentum as your team gets more confident with the system.
Talk to the Stoneridge Team Today to Optimize Your Dynamics 365 Advanced Warehouse Management
If you’re looking to take the next step in optimizing your warehouse setup, or want help getting started, reach out to our experts today!
Our team has deep experience with advanced warehouse management in D365 and can help you turn everyday challenges into opportunities for efficiency.
Co-Author: Shannon Perko
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