Table of Contents

Transfer Order Import Feature - Setup & Processing Guide

Overview

The Transfer Order Import feature in the Linc Third Party Transactions extension allows you to import transfer order transactions from external systems and automatically create Business Central Transfer Orders. This feature supports inventory transactions between different locations with comprehensive validation, mapping, and processing capabilities.

Key Components

  • Application Area: Inventory
  • Transaction Type: Transfer
  • Supported Line Types: Items only
  • Output: Business Central Transfer Orders (Direct Transfer mode)

Prerequisites

1. Basic Business Central Setup

  • Locations must be configured in Business Central
  • Items must exist in the Item table
  • Unit of Measure codes must be configured
  • Dimensions (if used) must be properly set up

2. Extension Setup

  • Linc Third Party Transactions extension must be installed and configured
  • Appropriate permissions assigned to users

Step-by-Step Setup Instructions

Step 1: Configure Third Party Setup

  1. Navigate to Third Party Setup List (Page 71112700)
  2. Create a new setup record or modify existing one
  3. Configure the following key fields:

General Settings

  • Third Party Code: Unique identifier for your setup
  • Application Area: Set to Inventory
  • XMLPort ID: Select appropriate import XMLPort if using file import
  • No. of Header Rows: Number of header rows to skip during import

Grouping Options (for combining transactions into single documents)

  • Group By - Ext. Document No.: Group transfers by external document number
  • Group By - Location Code: Group by source location
  • Group By - Posting Date: Group by posting date

Processing Options

  • Use Mapping: Enable to use Third Party Mappings for value translation
  • Attempt Direct Mapping: Try direct value resolution when mapping not found
  • Use Default Dimensions: Use Business Central default dimensions vs imported dimensions
  • Exclude Dimensions from Header: Don't apply dimensions to transfer order header
  • Use Import Description: Use imported description vs item description
  • Ignore Zero Value Lines: Automatically archive zero-quantity lines

Step 2: Configure Item & Location Mappings (Optional)

If Use Mapping is enabled in Third Party Setup:

  1. Navigate to Third Party Mappings (Page 71112706)
  2. Create mapping records for external values to internal BC values:

Item Mappings

  • Third Party Code: Same as setup record
  • Mapping Type: Item
  • Third Party Reference No.: External item identifier
  • Mapping No.: Internal BC Item No.
  • Variant Code: (Optional) Specific variant
  • Unit of Measure Code: (Optional) Specific UoM

Location Mappings

  • Third Party Code: Same as setup record
  • Mapping Type: Location
  • Third Party Reference No.: External location code
  • Mapping No.: Internal BC Location Code

Dimension Mappings (if using dimensions)

  • Mapping Type: Shortcut Dimension 1 Code through Shortcut Dimension 8 Code
  • Third Party Reference No.: External dimension value
  • Mapping No.: Internal BC Dimension Value Code

Step 3: Configure Excel Import Mapping (For Excel Files)

If importing from Excel files:

  1. Navigate to Third Party Excel Import Mapping (Page 71112709)
  2. Create field mappings:
    • Third Party Code: Same as setup record
    • Mapping Type: Field (column reference) or Fixed Value
    • Third Party Reference No.: Column name or fixed value
    • Third Party Trans. Field ID: Target field in transaction table

Required Data Fields for Transfer Orders

Mandatory Fields

  • Application Area: Must be "Inventory"
  • Transaction Type: Must be "Transfer"
  • Line Type: Must be "Item"
  • Line Type No.: Item number (external or BC format)
  • Location Code: Source location code
  • To Location Code: Destination location code
  • Line Quantity: Must be greater than zero

Optional Fields

  • Ext. Document No.: External document reference
  • Transaction Date: Will be used for posting date
  • Variant Code: Item variant
  • Unit of Measure: Unit of measure code
  • Description: Line description
  • Shortcut Dimension 1-8 Code: Dimension values

Processing Workflow

Step 1: Import Transaction Data

Choose one of the import methods:

Method A: File Import (XML/Excel)

  1. Navigate to Third Party Transactions (Page 71112707)
  2. Filter to Inventory application area
  3. Click Import Transactions
  4. Select your configured Third Party Setup
  5. Choose file to import

Method B: Direct API/Integration

  • Use Business Central APIs to insert records directly into ThirdPartyTransact_THI_LINC table

Step 2: Validate Imported Data

  1. In Third Party Transactions page
  2. Select transactions to validate (or use Ctrl+A for all)
  3. Click Validate action

Validation Process

The system will check:

  • Setup Existence: Third Party Setup record exists
  • Line Type: Must be "Item" for transfer orders
  • Quantity: Must be greater than zero
  • Item Resolution: Via mapping or direct lookup
  • Location Validation: Both source and destination locations
  • Dimension Validation: If dimensions are provided
  • Unit of Measure: Valid UoM for the item

Validation Results

  • Status = Checked: Transaction passed all validations
  • Status = Error: Issues found (check Error Message field)
  • Status = Ignore: Manually ignored transactions

Step 3: Create Transfer Orders

  1. Filter to show only validated transactions (Validation Status = "Checked")
  2. Select transactions to process
  3. Click Create Transfer Orders action
  4. Confirm the creation dialog

Document Creation Logic

  • Header Creation: One header per unique combination based on grouping settings
  • Direct Transfer: All transfer orders created as direct transfers
  • Line Creation: One line per transaction
  • Dimension Application: Applied to header and/or lines based on settings
  • Status Update: Processed transactions archived automatically

Step 4: Review Created Documents

  1. Navigate to Transfer Orders in Business Central
  2. Filter by Third Party Code field to see imported orders
  3. Review and modify as needed
  4. Post transfer orders when ready

Advanced Configuration Options

Custom Mapping Logic

  • Variant Resolution: Can use mapping table or fallback to direct resolution
  • UoM Resolution: Mapping takes precedence over item default
  • Dimension Handling: Supports all 8 shortcut dimensions

Zero Quantity Handling

When Ignore Zero Value Lines is enabled:

  • Zero quantity lines automatically archived
  • User comment added: "Ignored Zero Quantity Lines"
  • Not included in document creation

Error Handling

  • Validation Errors: Stored in Error Message field
  • Missing Mappings: Can fallback to direct resolution if enabled
  • Document Creation Errors: Transactions remain in system for retry

Processing Options & Actions

Available Actions in Third Party Transactions Page

  1. Refresh (F7): Update page display
  2. Import Transactions: Launch import process
  3. Validate: Validate selected transactions
  4. Create Customers/Vendors: Not applicable for transfers
  5. Create Transfer Orders: Create transfer documents

Filtering Options

  • Application Area: Filter to "Inventory" for transfer orders
  • Transaction Type: Filter to "Transfer"
  • Validation Status: Filter by validation state
  • Third Party Code: Filter by setup configuration

Validation Rules & Error Messages

Critical Errors (Will prevent processing)

  • "Third Party Setup for %1 was not found"
  • "Transfer Order lines must have Line Type = Item"
  • "Line Quantity must be greater than zero for Transfer Orders"
  • "Both Location Code and To Location Code are required for Transfer Orders"

Mapping Errors (May have fallback options)

  • "No mapped Item found"
  • "No mapped Shortcut Dimension found"

Troubleshooting Guide

Common Issues & Solutions

1. "No mapped Item found"

Solutions:

  • Verify item mapping exists in Third Party Mappings
  • Enable "Attempt Direct Mapping" if item codes match
  • Check item exists in BC Item table

2. Location validation errors

Solutions:

  • Verify location codes exist in BC Location table
  • Check location mapping if using mapped values
  • Ensure both source and destination locations are specified

3. Dimension validation failures

Solutions:

  • Verify dimension values exist in BC
  • Check dimension mapping configuration
  • Consider enabling "Use Default Dimensions"

4. Import file errors

Solutions:

  • Check Excel Import Mapping configuration
  • Verify file format matches expected structure
  • Check "No. of Header Rows" setting

5. Zero documents created

Solutions:

  • Verify transactions have "Checked" validation status
  • Check transaction filters (Application Area = Inventory, Transaction Type = Transfer)
  • Review error messages on failed transactions

Best Practices

  1. Test with Small Batches: Start with a few transactions to verify setup
  2. Use Mappings: Provides better control and error handling
  3. Enable Fallback Options: Use "Attempt Direct Mapping" for flexibility
  4. Regular Validation: Validate transactions immediately after import
  5. Monitor Error Messages: Address validation errors before processing
  6. Backup Before Processing: Take database backup before large imports

Performance Considerations

  • Batch Size: Process large imports in smaller batches
  • Validation: Run validation during off-peak hours for large datasets
  • Archival: System automatically archives processed transactions
  • Cleanup: Use cleanup routines to manage transaction history

Integration Events

The system provides integration events for customization:

  • OnAfterCreateTransferHeader: Customize transfer header after creation
  • OnAfterCreateTransferLine: Customize transfer line after creation

Security & Permissions

Required permissions for users:

  • Read/Write access to Third Party Transaction tables
  • Insert/Modify access to Transfer Order tables
  • Execute permissions on processing codeunits
  • Access to setup and mapping pages