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User Manual

Setup

This chapter provides details about how to set up and use the functionality of this extension and will present several examples and scenarios to demonstrate the functionalities. A basic understanding of how to work with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is presumed.

Note: the documentation is set up based on the configuration of Status Management for Items. Except the separate paragraphes for a entity, the functionality for all entities remains the same.

Status Management

First off, we are going to create new statuses (and later, do some further setup for these statuses).

  1. Find and open the Status Management page in Tell Me

  2. When you have opened the Status Management page you have the option Applies-to Type to configure the lifecycle for Items, Sales, Purchase, Customer or Vendor.

  3. If you have selected Sales or Purchase the option Document Type Filter is activated to be able to select for which document type you would like to configure the statuses.

  4. Once you have selected the desired Applies-to Type and if also required the Document Type Filter, follow & repeat the following five steps for each desired Status of your lifecycle.

1) Create a new Status

2) Configure the Status settings

a.  For Items

b.  For Sales and Purchase Documents

c.  For Customers and Vendors

3) Set up the Permission Groups

4) Set up the Status Flow

5) Set up the Mandatory Fields

Create a New Status

  1. Click on an empty line or create a new line

  2. Fill in the Code and Description of the Status. It will be convenient to use an alphanumerical ordering of the Codes which are going to be used (e.g. 100, 200, …)

Configure the Status settings for Items

Configure the settings of the Status by (un-)checking the boxes specified below:

  • Initial
    You can select one status in each lifecycle to be used as the initial status. When you create an item, the initial status will be the status that will be assigned.

  • Allow Purchase Insert If this checkbox is checked, items with this Status are allowed to be inserted in Purchase Documents.

  • Allow Sales Insert
    If this checkbox is checked, items with this Status are allowed to be inserted in Sales Documents.

  • Allow Purchase Post
    If this checkbox is checked, items with this Status are allowed to be posted in Purchase Documents.

  • Allow Sales Post
    If this checkbox is checked, items with this Status are allowed to be posted in Sales Documents.

Configure the Status settings for Sales and Purchase Documents

Configure the settings of the Status by (un-)checking the boxes specified below:

  • Initial
    You can select one status in each lifecycle to be used as the initial status. When you create a sales or purchase document, the initial status will be the status that will be assigned.

  • Archive Document
    If this checkbox is checked, an archive version of the document will be created when the document is set to this status.

  • Allow Shipping and Receiving
    If this checkbox is selected (and provided the Document Type enables it), it is allowed to post a shipment (Sales) or Receipt (Purchase) for a document with this status, otherwise this is disallowed.

  • Allow Invoicing
    If this checkbox is selected (and provided the Document Type enables it), it is allowed to invoice a document with this status, otherwise this is disallowed.

  • Set Sales/Purch. Document Status In this setting you can configure the main Status (Released / Open), which will be set automatically, when the lifecycle is set to this status. If this setting remains blank, the Document Status will not be changed.

  • Allow Release/Reopen
    Set the option to allow or disallow the document in the status to be released or reopened.

Configure the Status settings for Customers

Configure the settings of the Status by (un-)checking the boxes specified below:

  • Initial
    You can select one status in each lifecycle to be used as the initial status. When you create a customer, the initial status will be the status that will be assigned.

  • Allow Sales Insert
    If this checkbox is checked, customers with this Status are allowed to be used in sales documents.

  • Allow Sales Post
    If this checkbox is checked, customers with this Status are allowed to have sales documents posted.

  • Allow Release Sales Document
    If this checkbox is checked, customers with this Status are allowed to have sales documents to be released.

  • Allow Release Service Document
    If this checkbox is checked, customers with this Status are allowed to have service documents to be released.

Configure the Status settings for Vendors

Configure the settings of the Status by (un-)checking the boxes specified below:

  • Initial
    You can select one status in each lifecycle to be used as the initial status. When you create a vendor, the initial status will be the status that will be assigned.

  • Allow Purchase Insert If this checkbox is checked, vendors with this Status are allowed to be used in purchase documents.

  • Allow Purchase Post
    If this checkbox is checked, vendors with this Status are allowed to have purchase documents posted.

  • Allow Release Purchase Document
    If this checkbox is checked, vendors with this Status are allowed to have purchase documents to be released.

Configure the Status settings for Jobs

Configure the settings of the Status by (un-)checking the boxes specified below:

  • Initial
    You can select one status in each lifecycle to be used as the initial status. When you create a Job, the initial status will be the status that will be assigned.

  • Allow Create Sales Invoice
    If this checkbox is checked, Jobs with this Status are allowed to create Sales Invoices.

  • Allow Post
    If this checkbox is checked, Jobs with this Status are allowed to have usage and sales- and purchase documents posted on this job.

  • Set Job Status
    In this setting you can configure the Status of the Job which will be set automatically when the lifecycle is set to this status. If this setting remains blank, the Document Status will not be changed.

Configure the Status settings for Service Documents

Configure the settings of the Status by (un-)checking the boxes specified below:

  • Initial
    You can select one status in each lifecycle to be used as the initial status. When you create a service document, the initial status will be the status that will be assigned.

  • Allow Shipping and Receiving If this checkbox is selected (and provided the Document Type enables it), it is allowed to post a shipment for a document with this status, otherwise this is disallowed.

  • Allow Invoicing If this checkbox is selected (and provided the Document Type enables it), it is allowed to invoice a document with this status, otherwise this is disallowed.

  • Allow Consumption If this checkbox is selected (and provided the Document Type enables it), it is allowed to post consumption a document with this status, otherwise this is disallowed.

  • Set Service Document Status In this setting you can configure the main Status (Open / Released to Ship), which will be set automatically, when the lifecycle is set to this status. If this setting remains blank, the Document Status will not be changed.

Set up the Permission Groups

You use the Permission Group to set up the permissions of the selected Status.

N.B. Per Business Central 2023 release wave 1 (BC22) you can use Security Groups instead of User Groups in Business Central. The permission groups of Status Management will also act accordingly. The functionality for Status Management remains the same.

  • Click on Permission Groups in the ribbon

  • Set up the permissions per User Group or for all users in one entry.

    • All Users

      Check the box All Users in a new line (note: do not fill in the User Group).

    • Per User Group

      Select the User Group in the field User Group in a new line. The field User Group Name is automatically filled in.

Note

You can create new User Groups, with relevant members, and without any permissions to BC objects if desired, specifically for Status Management.

  • Set up the Permissions per Permission Group.

    • Previous The Permission Group is able to set the record to a previous status

    • Next The Permission Group is able to set the record to a next status

    • Edit The Permission Group is able to edit the record

Set up the Status Flow

Defines the flow of the Status by configuring the possibilities for the previous and next statuses for each Status.

  • Create a new Status Flow line
  • Set up the Direction: Previous or Next
  • Set up the Target Code to define the previous or next Status. The Target Description will be filled automatically.

Set up the Mandatory Fields

Set up the Mandatory Fields for each Status to define which fields are mandatory if you set this Status from a previous or next Status.

  • Click on Mandatory Fields in the ribbon

  • Click on the three dots on a new line.

  • Look up the field you want to set as mandatory and click on OK

  • Repeat this for all the fields you want to set as mandatory

If you have one or more Mandatory Fields set up the field Has Mandatory Fields will be set to Yes in the Status Management page.

Set up the Mandatory Fields on Document Lines

Set up the Mandatory Fields on Document Lines for each Status to define which fields in the document lines are mandatory if you set this Status from a previous or next Status. Only applies for the Sales and Purchase Documents.

  1. Click on Mandatory Fields on Document Lines in the ribbon

  2. Chooses for which Type the mandatory field applies

  3. Click on the three dots on the line.

  4. Look up the field you want to set as mandatory and click on OK

  5. Repeat this for all the fields you want to set as mandatory

If you have one or more Mandatory Fields for Document Lines set up the field Has Mandatory Fields on Sales/Purchase Line will be set to Yes in the Status Management page.

Usage

Status Insights

You can view the current Status of an Item on the Status FastTab of the Item card.

All the fields (except the Status Comment) are defined by the process and cannot be edited manually on the Item card.

  • Status Code
    Code of the current Status
  • Status Description
    Description of the current Status
  • State Date
    Date when the current Status was set
  • State User
    User who set the current Status
  • Status Comment
    Text-field for a comment on the current Status
  • Allow Purchase Insert Checkbox if the item is allowed for insert in Purchase Documents based on the current Status
  • Allow Sales Insert
    Checkbox if the item is allowed for insert in Sales Documents based on the current Status
  • Allow Purchase Post
    Checkbox if the item is allowed for posting in Purchase Documents
  • Allow Sales Post
    Checkbox if the item is allowed for posting in Sales Documents

Likewise, you can view the current Status of a Sales or Purchase Document on the Status FastTab of the Document card.

  • Status Code Code of the current Status
  • Status Description Description of the current Status
  • Archive Document Checkbox indicating an Archive Version has been created for this status
  • Allow Shipping (Receiving) Checkbox indicating posting a shipment (receipt for Purchase) is allowed for this status
  • Allow Invoicing Checkbox indicating posting an Invoice is allowed for this status
  • Set Document Status Option value indicating to what Document status this document has been set upon setting the document to this Status (can be changed afterwards)

The Status Code and Status Description are also available on the list pages.

Change Status

You can change the Status by using the Previous Status or Next Status action (Actions | Functions) from the ribbon.

A notification of the Status change will be shown after the new Status has been successfully set.

If for a Sales or Purchase Document status, you have checked the Archive Document checkbox and set the Set Sales/Purch. Document Status to Released, an Archive version will be created, and the Document Status will be changed to Released.

Note

If your user does not have previous and/or next permissions defined by the Permission Group of the Status the Previous State and/or Next Status action will be greyed-out and is not accessible for the user.

Note

If only one previous or next Status is defined in the Status Management the Status will be immediately changed to this Status.

When you have two or more previous or next statuses defined, you will first need to select which status you want the status to change to. Select the preferred Status and choose OK.

Note

If you have one or more Mandatory Fields set up for the new Status this will be checked on change.

You will be informed which fields are missing and you need to configure these fields before you can set this new Status.

Note

If you are using Status Management for Sales or Purchase Documents in conjunction with either Workflows or Prepayments, please configure the settings for Set Sales/Purch. Document Status carefully. Because the document statuses Pending Approval or Pending Prepayment may occur and in these cases a change in the Lifecycle status may then provoke a change in the Document Status which is not allowed. Changing to a status with an empty setting for Set Sales Document Status will not be a problem.

Notifications and Warnings

Status Management will provide several (blocking) notifications and warnings in the process to maintain the integrity of the statuses.

Here are the most frequent ones listed:

  • Next / Previous State greyed out See Note 1 of Change Status
  • Mandatory Fields missing See Note 3 of Change Status
  • No edit allowed

If your user does not have edit permissions defined in the Permission Group a blocking error will occur after editing & leaving the page.

You will need to revert the change to proceed.

  • Not allowed in Purchase / Sales insert If the Status of the item does not allow purchase or sales insert, a blocking error will occur on entry of the Item in a Purchase or Sales Line. You will need to revert the change to proceed.

  • Not allowed for Purchase / Sales post If the Status of the item does not allow Purchase or Sales post you will receive a blocking message during posting of the purchase / sales document.

  • Shipping / Receiving not allowed If the status of the Sales or Purchase document does not allow posting of the shipment / receipt or invoice, you will receive a blocking message during posting of the sales / purchase document.

Updates Statuses

For a quick start with Status Management and for maintenance purposes you can use the batch report Update Statuses to update from one status to another.

  1. Go the Status Management page

  2. Run the Update Statuses report from the ribbon (Actions | Functions)

  3. Fill in the following options:

  4. From Status Code The Status Code to change from Leave blank when there is no Status set yet

  5. To Status Code

The Status Code to change to * Check Mandatory Fields

Option to enable or disable the check of the mandatory fields of the To Status Code during the update

  1. Press OK to update the statuses. A message will be shown when the process has finished, informing you on the number of records updated.

Batch Update Statuses

With Batch Update Statuses (available from all entity list pages and the Status Management page) you can update the status of multiple records in one go.

You can use * The Select feature in the list page or; * The Applies-to Type Filters section of the batch to define manual filters to set the records to be updated.

After running the batch the count of the selected and changed records are shown.

The Direction, From Status Code and To Status code are used to set the statuses to update and to which status with which direction. These will supplement the filters set in the batch. During the update the permissions from the Status Permission Groups are considered.

Management features

Users with the Permission Set WSB_STM_MGR (Apportunix Status Mgt. Manager) and/or SUPER assigned have additional features in the batch.

  • They can select the direction None to set statuses with disregard of the status flow.
  • They can uncheck the Check Mandatory boolean to disregard the mandatory fields of the status to set

These features can for example be used for the initial set up of the status or to implement a new status flow in a production environment.

Status Management APIs

The following APIs are available for the API Group statusmanagement of the API publisher _apportunix

  • items

Power Platform integration

To integrate Status Management with the Microsoft Power Platform the following integrations are available in the extension.

Business Events

Status Change - 1.0 (Apportunix)

Enum / Options parameters must be added as Integer value, because when using Enum/Option parameters BC use the Caption instead of the Name which will break the PowerAutomate/Connected Application when changing user language.

Parameter: appliesToType (Enum integer/name)

  • value(0; Item)
  • value(1; Sales)
  • value(2; Purchase)
  • value(3; Customer)
  • value(4; Vendor)
  • value(5; Job)
  • value(6; Service)

Parameter: action Enum (Enum integer/name)

  • value(0; None)
  • value(1; Init)
  • value(2; Previous)
  • value(3; Next)
  • value(4; Edit)

API Actions

  • Item API ChangeStatus action with parameter newStatusCode: with this action you can change to another status (if allowed by permissions etc.).
Last update: July 1, 2024