Integration with Advanced Lot Management (ALM)

Overview

The Non-Conformance Management (NCM) application for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central provides seamless integration with Bricklead’s Advanced Lot Management (ALM) application. This integration enables quality teams to create and manage non-conformances directly from lot information, streamlining the quality control workflow for Food & Beverage organizations.

When both applications are installed, users can:

  • Create non-conformances directly from the Lot No. Information Card
  • View all non-conformances associated with a specific lot
  • Maintain full traceability between lot records and quality issues

This integration is particularly valuable for:

  • Rapid response to quality issues detected during lot inspection
  • Maintaining complete lot history including quality events
  • Supporting regulatory compliance with full traceability (GFSI, FDA, EU requirements)
  • Facilitating recall procedures by linking quality issues to specific lots

Prerequisites

To use the ALM integration features:

  1. Advanced Lot Management (ALM) app must be installed

    • The integration events are published by the ALM app (isaTLS_NCMIntegration codeunit)

  2. Non-Conformance Management (NCM) app must be installed

    • NCM subscribes to ALM events to provide functionality

  3. Permission Sets: Users need:

    • Non-Conformance Mgt - Basic permission set
    • Appropriate ALM permissions to access Lot No. Information

Integration Features

Feature 1: Create Non-Conformance from Lot No. Information

Location: Lot No. Information Card > Actions > Non-Conformance > Create Non-Conformance

Purpose: Quickly create an internal non-conformance pre-populated with lot information when a quality issue is identified during lot inspection or testing.

Data Populated Automatically:

Non-Conformance Field Source Value
Header
Source Type Fixed Internal
Status Fixed New
Line
Item No. Lot No. Information Item No.
Variant Code Lot No. Information Variant Code
Lot No. Lot No. Information Lot No.
Line No. Fixed 10000

User Actions After Creation:

  • Complete the non-conformance header (Category, Sub-Category, Severity, etc.)
  • Add quantities and descriptions to the line
  • Link to source documents if applicable
  • Create action plans

Feature 2: View Non-Conformances for a Lot

Location: Lot No. Information Card > Actions > Non-Conformance > View Non-Conformances

Purpose: Display all non-conformance lines associated with a specific Item/Variant/Lot combination, providing complete quality history for the lot.

Using the Integration (Daily Operations)

Scenario 1: Quality Issue Detected During Receiving Inspection

A quality inspector identifies a problem with a received lot during incoming inspection using ALM.

Steps:

  1. Open the Lot No. Information Card for the problematic lot
  2. Choose Actions > Non-Conformance > Create Non-Conformance
  3. A new non-conformance is created with:
    • Source Type: Internal
    • Line pre-filled with Item No., Variant Code, and Lot No.
  4. Confirm to open the non-conformance
  5. Complete the header:
    • Set Category (e.g., “QUALITY”)
    • Set Sub-Category (e.g., “CONTAMINATION”)
    • Set Severity (e.g., “HIGH”)
  6. On the line:
    • Enter the Non-Conformance Quantity
    • Add Line Description
  7. Create an Action Plan if needed
  8. Process according to standard NCM workflow

Scenario 2: Reviewing Lot Quality History

Before releasing a lot for production, a quality manager wants to check if there are any quality issues recorded.

Steps:

  1. Open the Lot No. Information Card for the lot
  2. Choose Actions > Non-Conformance > View Non-Conformances
  3. The Non-Conformance Lines page opens, filtered to show only records for this lot
  4. Review any existing quality issues
  5. From the list, drill down to specific non-conformance cards if needed

Scenario 3: Investigating Customer Complaint

A customer complaint is received about a specific lot. The quality team needs to check if there were any known issues.

Steps:

  1. Use ALM to locate the lot from the customer complaint
  2. Open the Lot No. Information Card
  3. Choose View Non-Conformances to see if any internal issues were recorded
  4. If found, link the existing non-conformance to a new customer non-conformance using the Reference Non-Conformance No. field
  5. This maintains traceability between internal findings and customer complaints

Page Extensions

NCM extends the standard Lot No. Information pages:

Page Extension Added Actions
Lot No. Information Card briNCM_LotNoInformationCard Create Non-Conformance, View Non-Conformances
Lot No. Information List briNCM_LotNoInformationList Create Non-Conformance, View Non-Conformances

Integration with Other NCM Features

Item Tracking on Non-Conformance Lines

When a non-conformance is created from a lot:

  • The Lot No. field is pre-filled
  • For Internal type non-conformances, users can lookup additional lots if needed
  • The lot information provides context for investigations

Non-Conformance Lines Filtering

The Non-Conformance Lines page supports filtering by lot, enabling:

  • Quick access to quality history from ALM
  • Cross-referencing quality issues across multiple non-conformances
  • Lot lifecycle tracking including all quality events

Traceability

The integration supports full traceability:

  • Forward traceability: From lot → quality issues → corrective actions
  • Backward traceability: From quality issue → lot → source documents

Example Scenarios

Scenario A: Dairy Producer - Milk Reception

A dairy producer receives raw milk and performs quality testing using ALM.

  1. Lot Registration (ALM):

    • Milk batch registered as Lot M-2026-0142
    • Lab tests performed and recorded

  2. Quality Issue Detected:

    • Bacterial count exceeds threshold
    • Quality inspector opens Lot No. Information Card

  3. Non-Conformance Creation (NCM via ALM):

    • Click “Create Non-Conformance”
    • NC created with Item = RAW-MILK, Lot = M-2026-0142

  4. Follow-up:

    • Category: QUALITY, Sub-Category: MICROBIOLOGICAL
    • Action Plan: Quarantine, Additional Testing, Disposition Decision
    • Vendor notification created

Scenario B: Wine Producer - Barrel Tracking

A wine producer uses ALM to track wine batches through barrel aging.

  1. Lot in ALM:

    • Wine Lot W-CAB-2024-015 in barrel aging
    • Regular quality sampling performed

  2. Issue Discovery:

    • Tasting reveals off-flavor development
    • Quality manager opens Lot No. Information

  3. Quality Documentation:

    • Click “Create Non-Conformance”
    • Document the sensory issue
    • Assign to winemaker for investigation

  4. Resolution:

    • Investigation reveals oxidation issue
    • Corrective action: Adjust SO2 levels
    • Lot monitored and eventually cleared

Scenario C: Food Processor - Ingredient Traceability

A food processor receives an ingredient lot that later shows quality issues in production.

  1. Initial State:

    • Flour Lot FL-2026-0089 received and passed inspection
    • No non-conformances recorded

  2. Production Issue:

    • Quality issue detected during production
    • Need to check ingredient lot history

  3. Investigation (ALM + NCM):

    • Open Lot No. Information for FL-2026-0089
    • Click “View Non-Conformances”
    • System shows: No non-conformances found

  4. Documentation:

    • Create new non-conformance from the lot
    • Link to vendor non-conformance for claim processing

Troubleshooting

“Create Non-Conformance” Action Not Visible

Symptom: The Non-Conformance action group doesn’t appear on Lot No. Information Card.

Possible Causes:

  • NCM app not installed
  • User lacks appropriate permissions
  • Application Area not enabled

Resolution:

  • Verify NCM installation in Extension Management
  • Check user has briNCM_Basic permission set
  • Verify Application Area includes briLCMNCM

Non-Conformance Created But Line Has No Lot

Symptom: After creating NC from lot, the line’s Lot No. field is empty.

Possible Causes:

  • Validation issue during creation
  • Customization conflict

Resolution:

  • Check if there are error messages in the event log
  • Verify no customizations are interfering with the event subscription
  • Contact support if issue persists

“View Non-Conformances” Shows No Records

Symptom: Clicking “View Non-Conformances” shows an empty list even though NCs exist.

Possible Causes:

  • Non-conformances exist but for different Item/Variant/Lot combination
  • Filter mismatch

Resolution:

  • Verify the lot details (Item No., Variant Code, Lot No.) match the NC lines
  • Check if non-conformances were created with different item tracking

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Does NCM require ALM to function?

A: No. NCM is a standalone application. The ALM integration is an optional enhancement that activates automatically when both apps are installed.

Q: Can I create non-conformances without going through ALM?

A: Yes. Non-conformances can be created directly from the Non-Conformance List or through other entry points. The ALM integration is simply an additional convenience for lot-based quality management.

Q: Why is the Source Type set to “Internal” when creating from a lot?

A: When creating a non-conformance directly from a lot, there’s no implicit customer or vendor context. The system defaults to Internal type. Users can change the Source Type if needed or create a new non-conformance with the appropriate type.

Q: Can I link a non-conformance created from ALM to a vendor?

A: The initial creation sets Source Type to Internal. To link to a vendor, you can either:

  • Create a separate vendor non-conformance and link using Reference Non-Conformance No.
  • Change the Source Type (which will clear the lines, requiring re-entry)

Q: Does the integration work with Serial No. Information?

A: The current integration focuses on Lot No. Information. Similar functionality for Serial No. would require additional implementation.

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Last updated on Jan 26, 2026