The manufacturing industry is characterized by complex processes requiring precise resource management, production planning, and quality control. Polish manufacturing companies often face the challenge of adapting ERP systems to the specific needs of the domestic market and unique business processes. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a solid IT foundation for managing manufacturing companies, but its standard functionality does not always meet all the industry's requirements. During numerous implementations in Polish companies, we have repeatedly encountered the need to expand the system's standard capabilities. This experience has resulted in the development of dedicated extensions that significantly improve production process management. Our proprietary solutions were developed in response to real customer needs and have been tested in practice during individual implementations. In this article, we present key extensions that enhance Business Central's functionality with the capabilities essential for effective production management in the Polish business environment. These include N24 Core Manufacturing and Nav24 Shop Floor.
It's worth remembering, however, that extensions are simply sets of features designed to adapt the ERP system to the needs of a given organization. Therefore, new, custom options are often introduced in the system to address the challenges faced by specific companies. The fact that the same problems often arose in companies within the same industry – in this case, manufacturing – led us to the decision to build ready-made tools that could be applied to each of them. This is how N24 Core Manufacturing or NAV24 Shop Floor was created.
N24 Core Manufacturing
N24 Core Manufacturing is a solution that enhances Dynamics 365 Business Central with additional features for manufacturing process management. Let's be honest – a properly planned, managed, and maintained production process enables further automation, resulting in increased production, which translates into higher revenue. Furthermore, comprehensive knowledge of the individual stages and the functioning of specific components allows for quick identification of bottlenecks and defects, so they can be optimized and repaired. As for the tool itself, N24 Core Manufacturing offers a range of new system options, the key ones being:
- additional locations – by entering the route number, the system will fill in the locations taken from the work center;
- automatic batch number assignment – based on the production order number,
- production order line suggestions – if the production order contains only one line, the system will suggest the remaining data when entering the order number in the production journal,
- production order blocking – this refers to blocking manual insertion or interference in the lines of unfinished production orders.
In addition to the above, N24 Core Manufacturing includes options for additional verification:
- during production log registration, additional verification of data related to recording downtime, changeovers, and operations is performed,
- during production order processing, a check is made to see whether the lines have an assigned BOM, route, and warehouse,
- whether all items included in the production BOM have an assigned Route Association Code.
When describing N24 Core Manufacturing, it's impossible to ignore the set of printouts dedicated to the manufacturing industry, known as N24 Core Printouts – Manufacturing. They allow for standardized processes through a consistent information format in the form of Production Order Card printouts. Detailed instructions, comments, and photos can be attached to each printout to provide employees with clear guidelines for completing a given task or order.
Additionally, in the event of technical problems, the document can be printed – along with barcodes, ensuring continuity of work.
It's important to note that N24 Core Manufacturing and Core Printouts – Manufacturing are extensions that can be enhanced with additional features depending on the needs and requirements of a given company. Furthermore, the N24 Core Printouts – Manufacturing solution is available on the official Microsoft platform, which also hosts extensions for Dynamics 365 Business Central – Microsoft AppSource. There, you can find more details about it and initiate contact with us about its implementation.
Nav24 Shop Floor
The second solution we've built based on our experience with implementation projects in manufacturing companies is NAV24 Shop Floor. It is our proprietary system for recording production data utilizes low-code technology – Power Apps – and integrates with Dynamics 365 Business Central. Importantly, the tool is flexible, allowing it to be tailored to the specific requirements of a given company, allowing for maximum control over production processes and their optimization.
Nav24 Shop Floor can be used in two ways:
- Kiosk – different people can use one device, and after completing the task, the system automatically logs out the operator.
- Continuous mode – uninterrupted work enabling the execution of long-term processes at a given position.
The key features of the system include:
- registration of the time and quantity of production operations;
- recording of planned/ unplanned breaks and retooling;
- preview of technological recommendations (production guide, product FAQ, common faults);
- view historical records by operator, order or shift;
- registration of production waste and its causes;
- registration of material consumption with batch/ series traceability;
- auto logout for idle devices.
The use of the Nav24 Shop Floor brings a number of benefits, including:
- real-time information on current production status;
- information on the actual costs of finished products;
- reduced paper consumption in registration processes;
- simplified onboarding for front-line workers;
- increased employee efficiency;
- elimination of errors due to the inability of operators to modify defined data, - savings resulting from the lack of the need to hire additional staff.
Interestingly, NAV24 Shop Floor can be integrated with label printing applications like PrintNode or Zebra, weighing scales, and can serve as a data source for dedicated Power BI reports like the N24 Manufacturing Report, N24 Inventory Control Report, and N24 OEE Report. A full list of the tool's features, along with brief explanations, can be found on the dedicated solution subpage.
Are you interested in one of the presented extensions and have additional questions? Perhaps your company has specific needs in the field of production process, and would you like to talk about them? Do not wait – contact us and arrange a free consultation with our expert, who will provide you with the necessary information.
