Description:
In Microsoft Dynamics NAV, we had the ability to set negative rounding precision for Units of Measure (UoM), which was essential for our warehouse operations. However, in Business Central, this functionality has been removed, and the system assumes all inventory must be managed in the base unit. This assumption does not align with how our industry operates.
We purchase, stock, sell, and count inventory by the case, not by the base unit (e.g., pieces). Each case can vary in quantity — from 1 to 192 individual items. In rare cases where we sell less than a full case (e.g., damaged goods or returns), we end up with fractional quantities like 2.68594. Without negative rounding, Business Central leaves residual quantities like 0.00001 in bins, which disrupts our warehouse processes and causes inventory discrepancies.
We attempted to convert everything to the smallest unit (PCS), but this made things worse:
- Inventory journals and bin contents now show 14,400 PCS instead of 100 cases, leading to human error during counts.
- All inventory views and transactions become harder to interpret and manage.
Proposed Solutions:
- Reintroduce Negative Rounding Precision in UoM setup — just as it worked in NAV. This would allow us to round down fractional quantities and eliminate residuals.
- Introduce a Fourth UoM Layer — a “Warehouse Handling Unit” that defines how inventory is displayed and managed in the warehouse, separate from base, sales, and purchase UoMs.
Business Impact:
- Thousands of dollars spent on workarounds and customizations that haven’t solved the issue.
- Increased warehouse errors and inefficiencies.
- A regression in functionality from NAV to Business Central.
Please consider restoring this critical feature or providing a modern equivalent that supports real-world warehouse operations.