Overview

Introduction

Advanced Planning app enhances supply chain planning in Dynamics 365 Business Central by introducing lot eligibility rules into the planning calculation process. It automatically excludes lots (and other tracking entities) that should not be considered as supply - such as expired or blocked tracking - so planners can generate more accurate MRP/MPS suggestions and avoid compliance issues downstream.

This app is especially relevant for industries where shelf-life and quality compliance are critical (e.g., food manufacturing and distribution), where the standard planning engine may treat expired or non-compliant lots as available supply.

Key Usage Scenario’s

• Ensure planning suggestions only rely on usable inventory.
• Understand why planning did or did not create supply suggestions - Analyze demand, eligible supply, and exclusions when no planning lines are created - gaining visibility into why the system considered demand already covered or supply unusable.
• Validate lot eligibility before committing to production or purchasing decisions - Review detailed lot‑by‑lot eligibility information directly from the Planning Worksheet before carrying out action messages.
• Anticipate future supply issues caused by expiring inventory.
• Run planning in the background and start the day with ready‑to‑review suggestions.
• Collaborate on demand planning using Excel without losing system control - Export demand forecasts for offline review and adjustment by multiple stakeholders, then safely re‑import validated data into Business Central.

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Advanced Planning: An extension for Dynamics 365 Business Central that enhances the standard MRP/MPS calculation by applying lot‑level eligibility rules. It ensures that only usable, compliant inventory is considered as supply during planning.

• Planning Worksheet: The standard Business Central page used to calculate and review supply and demand suggestions through MRP and MPS. Advanced Planning extends this calculation logic without changing the standard execution or action‑carrying process.

• Expiration Date: The date after which a lot is no longer considered suitable for use or sale. Advanced Planning evaluates expiration dates against the demand due date, not the planning calculation date.

• FEFO (First Expired, First Out): An allocation method where eligible lots with the earliest expiration date are consumed first. Advanced Planning assumes FEFO logic when distributing supply across multiple eligible lots.

• Blocked Tracking: A status that prevents a lot, package, or serial number from being used in transactions. When enabled in setup, Advanced Planning excludes blocked tracking entries from planning calculations.

• Rolling Supply (or Rolling Stock): Supply quantities that are not yet physically available in inventory but are expected in the future (e.g., purchase orders, production orders, assembly orders). Advanced Planning evaluates rolling supply using theoretical future attributes such as predicted expiration or sell‑by date.

• Theoretical Expiration Date: An estimated expiration date for rolling supply, calculated using the expected receipt or due date plus the Expiration Calculation defined on the Item Card. It is used to determine future supply eligibility during planning.

• Log Planning Information: A read‑only analysis page introduced by Advanced Planning that records how the planning engine evaluated supply and demand. It shows which lots were included or excluded, the reason for exclusion, and how quantities were allocated.

• Planning Profile (Calculation Profile): A saved set of Planning Worksheet filters and options used to automate regenerative planning runs through Job Queue. Profiles allow recurring, background planning execution with consistent parameters.