Frequently Asked Questions
Here you find frequently asked questions related to Microsoft Dynamics NAV. I am working on adding FAQs to this list (based on questions I receive when I am implementing NAV); feel free to contact me if you have a question that you think would fit here.
The description field of an item in Dynamics NAV is 50 characters long. There is also a description 2 field that can be used (also 50 characters long) and extended texts that can be attached to an item.
No, you can use production orders without production BOMs (with only the routing).
The two global dimensions are stored directly on the records such as documents and transactions while the shortcut dimensions are just displayed on the lines of documents and journals but stored in tables related to the records. Where the values are stored has an impact in how you could filter the values. The two global dimensions should be the most used dimensions.
The item number field is 20 characters long in Dynamics NAV. The length of this field is not recommended to change since it is in so many places of the application.
If you have not posted any transactions against the production order then you can just delete it. If you have posted something against the production order then you cannot delete it and you have to finish it. To finish it you have to post some output on the last operation. The best way is to post an output of something like 0.01 pcs on the last operation, then reverse all consumption and capacity that has been posted before changing the status to finished. Once finished you will do a negative adjustment of the 0.01 pcs you got into inventory.
No, you do not need machine centers. In fact most Dynamics NAV manufacturing implementations only use the work centers. I have written a blog about this that you can read here.
Yes, Dynamics NAV supports multiple languages. It typically comes in your local language(s) and English, and then you can download and install additional languages. Keep in mind that modifications and add-ons then have to be translated (which there is tools that you could use to help you).
You cannot undo a warehouse pick. The trick is to delete the warehouse shipment and then move the picked items back from the shipping bin to their corresponding stocking bins manually.
Yes, an item can be both produced and purchased (quite common actually), the replenishment method you set on the item/SKU is used as a default method by MRP but you can always manually create an order independent of the replenishment method.
Yes, a Vendor can be deleted if there are no transactions on it within the current fiscal year and no open transactions (transactions = vendor ledger entries). There should also not be any purchase documents (orders, quotes, invoices, etc.) for the vendor. If deleted, the transactions will get a blank vendor number. Think twice before deleting a vendor with transactions.
Yes, there is a function on the posted sales shipment that allows you to undo a shipment. It assumes that the shipment has not been invoiced and that no item charges have been applied.
This is a very common request, especially from companies that creates a lot of new items. Unfortunately there is no copy function for an item, what you could do is to setup templates that can be used when creating new items.
The posting into the general ledger is done through posting groups that you tag the items and work centers with. There are then setups where you define the g/l accounts for the different combination of posting groups/locations. For more information see my blog post related to production posting into general ledger.
The bin ranking is used by NAV during put-away and picking. During put-away it applies the put-away template and uses the bin ranking to determine the highest ranked bin where the items should be put-away. During picking it uses the bin ranking to determine what bins to pick from first if the item is in multiple pick bins. The bins that are easiest to pick from (on the floor or close to the packing area) should typically have the highest ranking.
Global tables have data that are shared among all the companies in the database. Example of a global table in standard NAV is the user and permissions tables. You create a global table by setting the DataPerCompany property on the table to No. Global tables are normally something you would stay away from if possible since it creates some complications when moving companies between databases etc.
Yes, Dynamics NAV can handle routings and production BOMs in different versions. This way you can keep a history of how the previous versions looked like. Only one version is the active version at a given date. Using versions of production BOMs and routings are optional.
You can reverse an output by posting a negative output (e.g. enter a negative number in the quantity field) through the production or output journal. If you have posted more than one output and you want to reveres one you will have to enter the Applies-to Entry field in the journal to define what output transaction you want to reveres.
Yes, assuming the item is not lot or serial number tracked and the location is not setup with bins. In the later versions (from 2013 and forward) there is also a field on the item card, Prevent Negative Inventory, that can be set to determine if you want to allow negative inventory or not. Normally you don’t want to allow negative inventory.
Yes, a Customer can be deleted if there are no transactions on it within the current fiscal year and no open transactions (transactions = customer ledger entries or service ledger entries). There should also not be any sales documents (orders, quotes, invoices, etc.), jobs or service items for the customer. If deleted, the transactions will get a blank customer number. Think twice before deleting a customer with transactions.
Yes, you can create as many companies as you want in each database. Typically you create a company per legal entity and maybe some consolidation companies. And of course, test companies. Companies within a database share the same functionality but the data is separated.
C/AL is the programming language in Dynamics NAV. C/AL stands for Client/Server Application Language and it resembles the Pascal language.
Dynamics NAV comes with object level permissions. You can setup what objects (tables, reports, pages, etc.) each user has access to and specify if the data can be inserted, modified or deleted.
If you want to control permissions down to a field level (e.g. who is allowed to alter what field) then you need to get an add-on for this (which there are many to choose from) or develop something yourself (which is quite easy). The same goes with if you want to control what user that is allowed to post onto what g/l account, location code, item, bin, etc…
The Dynamics NAV licensed users are concurrent users, meaning that you can have as many named users as you want but the license only allows a certain number of them to be connected at the same time.
Yes, NAV has an undo receipt function. You can only undo a receipt if it has not been invoiced yet, once it has been invoiced you cannot undo it. Neither can you unto a receipt that has an item charge posted against it.
Yes, Dynamics NAV allows you to create sales quotes without first creating a customer. You need a contact though, and once the quote is converted to an order NAV can create a customer record based on the contact.
Yes, in fact Dynamics NAV is very strong in its multicurrency. It is originally Danish software born at a time where all the countries in Europe had their own currencies, so it should be good at this.
This is done through the Item Tracking Code field on the item card. If an item has transactions you cannot change from an item tracking code with tracking to an item tracking code that has been setup with different tracking or no tracking. The workaround is to change NAV so that it allows you to change this field if all item ledger entries are closed. See Activate Item Tracking for Items with Ledger Entries.
Yes, an item can be deleted as long as it is not used anywhere (like in a journal, sales or purchase document, on a production order, service contract, etc.). As with customers and vendors, transactions (item ledger entries and service ledger entries) can exists but they have to be in prior fiscal years and completely adjusted and closed. When deleting an item with transactions the transactions gets a blank item no. It is not recommended to delete items with transactions.
No, you can use production orders without routings.
You can reverse a consumption by posting a negative consumption (e.g. enter a negative number in the quantity field) through the production or consumption journal.
See blog post: The Low-Level Code
Kind of the same answer as how much it cost, it all depends on the requirements. But count on everything from 3 months to 12 months. My average Dynamics NAV implementation that includes manufacturing is something like 9 months.
I am a big fan of ‘learning by doing’, which in an ERP environment could be quite dangerous. 🙂 You want to start with learning the basics through some training (there are many partners that provides this) and get the Microsoft certifications (good way of setting an initial goal I think). Then continue building your experience with tasks that are low risk, like creating reports, adding fields, etc. Working along a more experienced developer is a good way of learning what to do and what to not do.
Dynamics NAV as standard does not comply with FDAs regulations on electronic records and electronic signatures. But there are multiple add-ons that will make it possible to comply with this. Although it is important to know that software alone is not sufficient to comply with Part 11, you also need procedural controls (like training, SOPs, etc.) and certain administrative controls.
Yes, I made a blog post about this once. You can read it here.
All dates in Dynamics NAV have a corresponding closing date. A closing date is a period in time following the given date but before the next normal date. When you close an income statement using the Close Income Statement batch job Dynamics NAV creates a journal with closing dates. Typically this is a date between two months; C12/31/14 is for example after the last day in 2014 and before the first day in 2015. This is quite nice when you running your financial reports, which then enables you to do date filters to either exclude (01/01/14..12/31/14) or include (01/01/14..C12/31/14) the year end close transactions.
The bill-to customer determines the prices and discounts that applies, it also determines the dimensions and posting groups.
No, at the moment you cannot purchase a Resource. Resources can only be placed on sales documents.
How much is a car? 🙂 The question about how much it cost is impossible to answer without knowing what is required. It can be fairly inexpensive but it can also be quite expensive. There is a software portion that includes the licenses to Microsoft and for potential add-ons, and there is a consulting portion that includes tasks like training, configuration, data migration and development. There is also typically a large amount of work you internal people have to put into the implementation. Contact a partner to do an analysis and estimate if you want to know how much it would cost for your business to implement Dynamics NAV and what the return on investment would be.
C/SIDE stands for Client/Server Integrated Development Environment and is the development environment within NAV. In the ‘old days’ when the classic client where used, you could use any of the clients to develop and make changes to the software. Now NAV has a dedicated development environment and multiple separate clients (windows client, web client, SharePoint client, tablet client, etc..).
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