Today, more than ever, it’s critical for manufacturers and distributors alike to ensure product quality and compliance as new regulations continue to emerge and supply chains are increasingly complex. Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management offers many out of the box capabilities for quality and compliance, directly integrated with the execution of supply chain processes like procurement, production, and fulfillment. This April, we’re adding new, advanced features to enhance quality compliance in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. These provide extended quality control throughout the supply chain, ensuring compliance with regulations, boosting product quality, and enhancing customer satisfaction. These new features foster continuous improvements and risk mitigation through a feedback-driven approach. They also minimize reliance on third-party quality management solutions.  

What’s New

In Public Preview in Dynamics 365 version 10.0.44, these capabilities extend the existing quality management solution, adding support for the following requirements:  

• Enhanced user experience – New forms and fields introduced for registering test results for quality orders, enabling faster and more detailed data entry. Additionally, a new quality management workspace provides an intuitive interface for following up on quality orders and performing trending analysis. 

• Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) Management – Create and maintain records of actions taken to manage and resolve non-conformities or defects. Through structured planning, tracking, and analyzing CAPA cases, this feature helps develop efficient processes for handling recurring issues. CAPA management ensures a formal and controlled process for addressing issues arising from manufacturing, engineering, quality, or data sources. 

• Flexible sampling plans and triggers – Flexible sampling plans enable adjustments to item sampling over time based on test findings. For instance, initial rounds of testing may inspect 50% of a receipt, which can later be reduced to 10% based on consistent quality. Skip lot sampling allows you to bypass testing specific batches, such as inspecting 10 units and skipping the next 10. Additional event triggers are now available for quality orders. This includes transfer order processing and customer returns, alongside existing triggers like purchase receipts and sales picking. 

• Test instrument calibration – Time-based or usage-based plans ensure regular and precise calibration of instruments. Maintain their accuracy and compliance with defined schedules or usage metrics. 

• Electronic batch record (EBR) – EBR digitizes batch manufacturing documentation, replacing traditional paper records with electronic versions that enhance data integrity and accessibility. These records include quality test results, batch attributes, ingredients, work instructions, and electronic signatures for production journals. Ensure regulatory compliance and efficient production workflows. 

• Production dispensing – Advanced dispensing capabilities for hazardous or sensitive materials minimize contamination and maintain safety. Key features include setting dispensing thresholds, returning unused materials, restricting access to authorized personnel, and requiring electronic signatures for verification. 

• Approved customer list – Similar to the approved vendor list for items, the approved customer list now tracks which customers are authorized to purchase specific items, preventing unauthorized sales. 

• Customer-specific Certificates of Analysis (COA) – This feature enables customization of COAs to include data tailored to individual customer requirements. COAs can also be automatically printed when generating a sales order packing slip, ensuring compliance and improving customer satisfaction. 

• Electronic signatures – Expanded electronic signature capabilities now support regulatory compliance activities. This includes quality order validation, instrument calibration, production dispensing, and CAPA signoffs. Additionally, configurations are available for password formats and expiration dates for electronic signatures. 

Check out this video showing the new flexible sampling plans.

Learn more 

As of April 25^th, these features are now in public preview. Enhance quality compliance with Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management today! For more information, check out the Dynamics 365 release plan.

We will add a link to the user documentation shortly.

The post Enhance quality compliance with Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management  appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

We are thrilled to announce the public preview of Approvals management in Dynamics 365 in release 10.0.41. Approvals management is a mobile experience that unifies approval workflows across the Dynamics 365 product family. Along with Approvals management, we are releasing approval workflows for purchase orders and purchase requisitions in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management.

Add flexibility and efficiency with Approvals management mobile experience

Users who are responsible for approving purchase requisitions and purchase orders are now empowered with a mobile experience, built in Power Apps, that adds flexibility, efficiency, resiliency, and responsiveness to the approval process. Supported activities include approvals related to purchase requisitions, requisition lines, purchase orders, and order lines.

Next steps

Want to learn more about the new Approvals management mobile experience? Check out the release announcement: Approve POs and requisitions from mobile device

Get started today: Approvals Management mobile app overview (preview)

Not yet using Dynamics 365? Take a tour and get a free trial.

The post Approve on the go with Dynamics 365 Approvals management appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

Editor: Denis Conway

Empower your manufacturing journey with Tracked Components: Unveiling the future of precision, compliance, and efficiency in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management

Introduction

We’re thrilled to unveil the public preview of our latest feature, Tracked Components, as part of our manufacturing capabilities in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. This feature, released in version 10.0.40 on April 26 2024, streamlines the process of registering batch and serial numbers for components used in manufacturing processes, seamlessly matching them to the batch and serial numbers for the finished products being produced.

Enhanced track and trace capabilities in manufacturing offer a compelling value proposition. They provide real-time visibility into the supply chain, ensuring quality control, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, enhanced productivity, and improved customer satisfaction. These systems empower manufacturers to optimize operations, reduce errors, and base decisions on data, ultimately leading to increased efficiency and superior products.

Boosting Manufacturing Precision with Tracked Components

At Contoso Inc., Jody, responsible for assembling loudspeakers, must register the serial numbers of the components used and match them to the speaker’s serial number during assembly.

Jody selects the assembly job she is working on in the Production Floor Execution interface and open the Tracked components page. First, Jody scans the serial number of the speaker, and then the serial numbers of the two tracked components used in the assembly. The association between the serial numbers of the components and the serial number of the speaker is now complete. As Jody completes the assembly job, all the serial numbers Jody registered are automatically deducted from inventory and consumed.

During quality inspection, an issue is discovered with on one of the speakers Jody assembled early that day. Peter, the quality supervisor, opens the Item tracing report and scans the serial number of the affected speaker to trace the component serial numbers used for further inspection.

Additional information

• Batch and serial numbers can be registered as tracked components in both production and batch orders.
• This feature is accessible in both the web client and the production floor execution interface. Within the web client, the interface for registering tracked components is accessible from various points such as routes, jobs, picking list journals, start and report as finished dialogs, and the current operations page.
• Batch and serial numbers can be registered using either the keyboard or barcode scanning operations. The feature supports GS1 barcodes, enhancing efficiency by reducing the number of scans required during the registration process.
• This feature is prepared for integration to the Traceability add-in for Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. The Traceability feature (coming in 2024) seamlessly integrates with the tracked components feature, offering visibility into the genealogy tree, also known as the As-Built BOM structure. This integration enables tracking of the assembly process throughout manufacturing. Furthermore, the feature includes forward and backward search capabilities against the genealogy tree. This empowers manufacturers to not only trace product histories but also manage component associations with greater precision.

Key Business benefits to utilizing Tracked Components

Benefits of Introducing Tracked Components in Manufacturing for Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management:

• Enhanced Efficiency: Tracked Components streamline the process of registering batch and serial numbers for components used in manufacturing processes. This efficiency boost translates into time savings and smoother operations on the production floor.
• Improved Quality Control: With real-time visibility into the supply chain, manufacturers can ensure that components meet quality standards before they are used in production. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of defects and rework, ultimately improving the overall quality of the finished products.
• Regulatory Compliance: Tracked Components help manufacturers stay compliant with regulations by providing accurate documentation of component usage and traceability throughout the production process. This ensures that products meet regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of fines or penalties.
• Risk Mitigation: By enabling quick and accurate tracing of component serial numbers, manufacturers can promptly identify and address any issues that arise during production. This proactive approach minimizes the impact of potential disruptions and reduces the risk of product recalls or warranty claims.
• Enhanced Productivity: The seamless integration of Tracked Components into existing workflows allows manufacturers to optimize operations and minimize errors. This increased productivity translates into faster production cycles and higher output levels, ultimately improving overall efficiency.
• Improved Customer Satisfaction: With better quality control and more efficient production processes, manufacturers can deliver products that meet or exceed customer expectations. This leads to higher levels of customer satisfaction and strengthens relationships with clients.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Tracked Components for Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management offer a significant boost to manufacturing efficiency and transparency. This feature enables seamless batch and serial number registration and tracing, ensuring quality control and enhancing productivity. With real-time visibility and barcode scanning support, it streamlines operations and integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. The integration with the Traceability add-in further enhances functionality, promising improved efficiency and compliance. Overall, Tracked Components revolutionize manufacturing processes, optimizing operations and customer satisfaction.

Learn more about Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management

Modernize your supply chain to enhance visibility, improve planning, streamline procurement, and optimize fulfilment: Supply Chain Management | Microsoft Dynamics 365

Dynamics 365 increases agility and resilience through supply chain modernization. Plan with confidence, maximize asset uptime and streamline fulfilment to improve overall profitability learn more here with our Supply Chain Modernization Guided Tour

Learn more about how to register and track batch/serial numbers for finished products and their components (preview) – Documentation

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We are thrilled to announce the public preview release of the Asset Management mobile app for Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. The app is available for all commonly used mobile platforms, devices, and form factors.

The app enables maintenance workers to review their assigned jobs, mark tasks as complete, enter notes, and log the time and materials consumed. Other staff can use the app to quickly file maintenance requests by scanning a barcode, entering notes, and submitting photos.

The Asset Management mobile app in action

Jody, a production manager at Contoso Inc., is preparing a presentation and notices that the monitor cable in the meeting room is broken. She immediately launches the Asset Management mobile app so she can report this incident. She scans the bar code on the monitor to identify it in the system. Then she fills out the required information, marks the issue as high severity, and takes some photos to document the damage. Finally, she selects Submit to file the report.

Roger, the maintenance supervisor, is working in Supply Chain Management and receives a notification about Jody’s maintenance request. He notices that it is high severity, so he immediately creates a work order from the request and assigns it to Peter, who is the maintenance worker responsible for that office.

Peter has just finished his previous assignment, so he opens the job list on his mobile app to see what his next job should be. Jody’s request appears right at the top of the list because it’s marked as high severity. When Peter selects the job, he can see the details, including Jody’s description and the pictures she took of the broken cable. Peter opens the job check list and goes through each step, marking them complete as he works. When the job is done, he logs the time it took and the materials he used. The monitor is now ready for use for Jody’s presentation.

Architecture and licensing

The Asset Management mobile app is built as a Canvas app in PowerApps, and doesn’t require any additional licenses to use. The app leverages the security roles already established in Supply Chain Management to grant the appropriate users access to the maintenance request and/or job management functions as needed.

System requirements

To run the Asset Management mobile app, you must be running Supply Chain Management version 10.0.32 or higher. The app is available for all commonly used mobile platforms, devices, and form factors.

More information

For more information about how to deploy and use the app, see Asset Management mobile app overview on Microsoft Docs.

Not yet a Supply Chain Management customer?

 Take a guided tour. to see what Supply Chain Management can do for you today.

The post Introducing New Asset Management Mobile App for Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

Sensor Data Intelligence, a new feature of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, helps you drive business processes based on automated IoT (Internet of Things) signals from machines and equipment on the production floor. With Sensor Data Intelligence, you can:

• Drive predictive maintenance with details collected from machines and equipment.
• Use a simple onboarding wizard instead of manually installing and configuring components in Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services (LCS).
• Configure, scale, and extend the solution as business logic running on your own Azure subscription.

Sensor Data Intelligence supports a variety of automated IoT scenarios

Sensor Data Intelligence supports several specific business scenarios, each with its own set of configuration options:

• Asset downtime: Accurately track the efficiency of machine assets by using sensor data to track machine downtime.
• Asset maintenance: Minimize maintenance cost and extend asset life by improving maintenance plans based on sensor readings of critical control points.
• Machine status: Ensure operation efficiency by using sensor readings to notify planners about machine outages and provide options for mitigating potential delays.
• Product quality: Ensure the quality of product batches by comparing sensor readings for properties of each product batch, such as moisture, temperature, or custom-defined quality metrics. The system notifies operators when deviations occur.
• Production delays: Use sensor readings to compare actual cycle time to planned cycle time, and notify supervisors when production isn’t on schedule.
• Custom scenarios: The architecture of Sensor Data Intelligence allows you to customize the out-of-box scenarios and even create new automated IoT scenarios to meet your unique business needs.

Fit equipment with automatic sensors for real-time monitoring and decision-making

You can fit your organization’s assets with a variety of automated IoT sensors, each designed to provide information for a specific purpose. For example, you might fit a metal stamping machine with a sensor that counts each stroke. You could then configure your system to receive a signal from that counter and set a threshold (for example, 40,000 strokes) at which Supply Chain Management should automatically generate a maintenance work order.

Enjoy fast, wizard-based setup for automated IoT scenarios

Sensor Data Intelligence is simple to onboard. Deploy a template of resources (including an Azure IoT hub and Azure stream analytics) by walking through a few steps in a wizard.

It’s just as fast and easy to add a new sensor to your system. Choose a scenario, identify the new sensor, and map it to the required system functionality.

Flexible and extendible Azure architecture lets you fine-tune the system

Because everything is deployed on your own Azure subscription, the solution is easy to scale and configure to your own requirements.

The following architectural diagram provides an overview of Sensor Data Intelligence and its components:

Learn more

Sensor Data Intelligence is a public preview feature of Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. For more information, check out the Dynamics 365 release plan and the documentation.

The post Automated IoT sensors keep equipment running safely and effectively appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

We are excited to announce that Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management can now display product names and descriptions in your users’ preferred languages. Supply Chain Management already offered a localized user interface (UI) but showed product information in the system language. We have now made it possible to show localized product information throughout the UI. This has long been one of the most requested capabilities from customers using our Dynamics 365 Application Ideas portal.

You might already have your product information available in multiple languages for use in printed documents. If you do, you’re ready to take advantage of this new feature. All you have to do is turn it on.

Localized product information avoids frustration and lost time

There are many scenarios where local users find it difficult to understand product names and descriptions in the system language. This affects many roles, from sales and purchasing agents to machine operators on the shop floor. Misunderstandings can lead to frustration, lost time, and, in the worst case, can even lead users to create transactions using the wrong products.

Imagine an international organization that uses English as its system language. At the plant in Stockholm, where workers use Swedish as their preferred language, all UI elements are shown in Swedish—but product names and descriptions have always been shown in English. Now they can be shown in Swedish, too.

Before: The following screenshot shows how the production floor execution interface used to appear at the Stockholm factory. As you can see, the UI is in Swedish, but the product name in English.

After: The user interface is still in Swedish, and the product name is now in Swedish, too!

Learn more

Localized product information is a public preview feature.

For more information, check out the video introduction, Dynamics 365 release plan article, and technical documentation for this feature.

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