Sound familiar? An item is received, but the inventory in the system is only correct the day after. A pick list is copied down wrong, and a customer receives the wrong quantity. When warehouse registrations happen manually with keyboard and paper, you get errors, delayed inventory levels and double work. With warehouse scanning for Business Central you register items where they physically move – and finance, sales and purchasing all see the same up-to-date inventory.
Why scan instead of typing
Manual entry relies on a person reading an item number, remembering a quantity and writing it in the right place. That often goes well, but not always. The errors are costly: wrong inventory levels, extra counts and time spent correcting afterwards. Barcode scanning in the warehouse removes the reading itself – you scan the barcode, confirm the quantity and post. The registration happens immediately, so you avoid the delay that occurs when paper notes have to be typed in later.
What scanner-based warehouse management covers
A good scanner solution follows the item all the way through the warehouse. Typically it covers:
Goods receipt – scan on receipt, so the purchase order and inventory are updated as the item arrives.
Picking – scan while picking, so you confirm the right item number and quantity for the sales order.
Moves between locations – register when items are moved between warehouses or bins.
Counting – count directly with the scanner instead of on paper.
Returns and inventory adjustments – handle returns and corrections, so inventory always adds up.
Because every registration goes against Business Central, everyone works with the same numbers – not their own spreadsheets.
The equipment in the warehouse
You don't need a new hardware fleet to scan. A scanner solution can run on several types of devices:
Handheld terminals – rugged devices built for warehouse environments with a built-in scanner.
Tablets and smartphones – with camera-based scanning or a connected scanner. VisionScan supports iOS, Android and Windows.
Whatever the device, barcode labels are the foundation. Items, shelves and locations must be labelled with readable barcodes, so scanning is fast and unambiguous. A well-planned labelling system is often the cheapest investment with the biggest effect.
How to get started in Business Central
The road from manual to scanner-based warehouse management doesn't have to be long. An app from Microsoft AppSource, for example VisionScan, connects scanning directly to your Business Central (formerly Dynamics NAV).
A typical way to get started:
Install the app from Microsoft AppSource in your environment.
Set it up per user and per area, so each employee only sees the functions relevant to, for example, receiving or picking.
Choose how registrations are posted, so they are posted the way your processes require. You can either post directly from the scanner or leave the posting to the finance team.
If you need help with the setup, we are ready – reach out via contact us.
The benefits you get
The biggest benefit is simple: an up-to-date inventory that finance, sales and purchasing can trust in real time. The salesperson sees the actual stock, the buyer orders from real numbers, and finance no longer has to guess at the inventory value.
VisionScan can also attach photo documentation to received and shipped goods – a photo of a damaged pallet or a shipped order can save many discussions later.
All in all that means fewer errors, less double work and a warehouse where the numbers add up. If you want to see more apps that strengthen daily operations in Business Central, have a look at our apps or read more about VisionLogistics for logistics processes.
Frequently asked questions
Can we use our own barcodes? Yes – as long as items and locations are labelled with readable barcodes, they can be scanned.
Do all employees need the same access? No. Setup is per user and per area, so each employee gets exactly the functions that fit their tasks.
