Recently, Tecvia partnered with Yaveon to run a webinar on Lot Management in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. You can watch the complete recording here.
If you work in process manufacturing, you know how critical batch tracking is. One wrong lot number can mean a product recall. One missing certificate can halt production. One compliance gap can cost you thousands.
Daniel Sprißler, Product Success Manager at Yavion, walked us through their Lot Management module. This isn’t standard Business Central functionality. It’s a specialist extension designed for businesses that need more control over their inventory.
Let’s break down what was covered.
What Problems Does Lot Management Solve?
Standard Business Central handles basic lot tracking. You can assign lot numbers. You can track where items go. But what happens when you need more?
What if you receive raw materials that must stay in quarantine until quality checks pass?
What if you need to split one batch into multiple lots?
What if you have to track every status change for compliance reasons?
This is where Yavion’s module steps in. It gives you tools to manage complex lot tracking without workarounds or spreadsheets.
Initial Status Assignment
The demo started with a simple concept. When you receive items, you can assign them an automatic status.
Daniel used ginger shots as an example. Each batch arrived with a quarantine status. This blocked the items from use until someone reviewed them.
You set this up through item tracking codes. Pick your initial status. Business Central does the rest.
No manual updates needed. No risk of someone accidentally using unverified stock.
The Inventory Summary Page
Standard Business Central shows you what’s in stock. Yavion’s Inventory Summary shows you more.
You see:
- Lot numbers
- Current status with visual indicators (traffic lights)
- Expiration dates
- Date of entry
- Production dates
- Location and bin codes
- Load carriers
The traffic lights are a nice touch. Green means released. Black means quarantine. You can customise these.
The page also shows available quantity versus storage quantity. Storage quantity is what’s physically there. Available quantity is what you can actually use.
If items are quarantined, your available quantity stays at zero even though you have stock. This prevents production planning from assuming you can use blocked inventory.
Status Changes and Tracking
Changing a lot’s status is straightforward. Open the lot number information card. Create a modification. Choose your new status. Post it.
The system records every change. Who made it. When they made it. What changed.
This matters for audits. This matters for recalls. This matters when something goes wrong and you need to trace back through your processes.
Daniel showed the item tracing function. Every action appears in a log. Purchases. Status changes. Splits. Adjustments.
You can see which user did what. Which location and bin code were involved. The complete history stays in the system.
Posting Rules
Here’s where the module gets powerful. You create posting rules that control what happens based on status.
For example, you might set a rule that says: “If status is quarantine, block from planning and prevent shipment.”
The system enforces this automatically. You can’t accidentally ship quarantined items. You can’t include them in production planning.
You can set different rules for different situations. Some statuses might allow internal movement but block sales. Others might allow everything.
Turn rules on or off as needed. Change them when your processes change.
Splitting and Merging Lots
Sometimes you receive one large batch but need to manage it in smaller portions.
The lot number modification function handles this. Select your lot. Choose how many pieces to split off. Assign a new lot number. Set the status for the split portion.
Daniel split 10 units into two lots of 5. One kept the original status. The other received a released status.
The system tracks the relationship between parent and child lots. You can see where everything came from.
Merging works the same way in reverse. Combine multiple lots into one. The system records the merge in your item tracing.
Inventory Corrections
Warehouse staff drop things. Items expire. Counts come up short.
The Inventory Summary lets you post corrections directly. No need to navigate through multiple pages.
Type in your new quantity. The system calculates the adjustment. Post it. Done.
You can restrict who has permission to make these corrections. Not everyone needs this access.
Physical Inventory Orders
Stock counts in standard Business Central work fine for basic needs. Yavion extends this with additional fields.
You can include bin codes. You can include lot numbers. You can include load carriers.
The system generates barcode count lists automatically. Print them. Hand them to your warehouse team. They scan and count.
The module includes everything your staff needs to complete accurate physical inventories.
Quality Integration
Yavion’s Quality module works alongside Lot Management. You can set up processes where status changes only after inspection passes.
Receive raw materials. They arrive in quarantine. Quality performs tests. Only after approval does the status change to released.
This prevents human error. No one can accidentally use uninspected materials.
Vendor-Specific Rules
You can set different posting rules by vendor. Supplier A ships directly to released status. Supplier B goes through quarantine.
This flexibility lets you match your rules to your real processes. Not every supplier needs the same treatment.
Recall Management
Product recalls are stressful. The faster you identify affected inventory, the better.
The module helps by tracking every lot number through your system. Change the status to blocked. Everything with that lot number becomes visible instantly.
Check your inventory. Check what shipped. Check what’s in production.
The item tracing shows you the full path. Where did this lot go? Who used it? When did they use it?
Why This Matters for Process Manufacturers
If you make chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, or medical devices, compliance isn’t optional. You need proof of traceability. You need control over quality. You need to respond quickly when issues arise.
Standard Business Central gives you a foundation. Yavion’s extensions give you the specific tools your industry requires.
You’re not bolting on spreadsheets. You’re not maintaining separate systems. Everything stays inside Business Central.
Is This Right for Your Business?
Do you receive raw materials that need inspection before use?
Do you need to track multiple status types through your production process?
Do regulatory bodies require detailed batch traceability?
Do you split and merge lots regularly?
Do you need quick access to recall information?
If you answered yes to these questions, lot management deserves a closer look.
Watch the Full Webinar
We’ve only scratched the surface here. The full webinar includes live demonstrations, detailed setup explanations, and answers to specific implementation questions.
You can watch the complete recording here.
Talk to Us About Your Requirements
Every manufacturer has different needs. Some need basic lot tracking. Others need comprehensive control over every batch movement.
We implement Business Central for process manufacturers across multiple industries. We work with specialist partners like Yavion to deliver solutions that match your specific requirements.
Book a call with our team. Tell us about your current challenges. We’ll discuss whether lot management, quality control, or other Business Central extensions make sense for your operation.
No generic sales pitch. Just a practical conversation about what works for businesses like yours.
