Introduction

The Aptean Food & Beverage Expiration Management extension enhances the capabilities of Dynamics 365 Business Central by providing a comprehensive set of features for managing expiration dates and ensuring compliance with inventory requirements. You can perform the following activities with this extension.

• Expiration Date Calculation: The Expiration Management extension allows for the calculation of informative dates related to the expiration date of a lot. This feature enables users to determine the expiration date based on specific criteria, such as production date, shelf life, or other factors. By accurately calculating expiration dates, businesses can effectively manage inventory and reduce waste.
• FEFO Inventory Requirement: The module also facilitates compliance with the First-Expired-First-Out (FEFO) inventory requirement. When executing a purchase receipt or sales shipment, the system verifies if the FEFO method is followed. This ensures that items with the earliest expiration dates are picked first during inventory and order fulfillment processes. Additionally, the extension enables the exclusion of lot numbers that do not meet the minimum sales shelf life requirements.
• Lot Expiration Date Adjustment: With the Expiration Management extension, users have the ability to modify the expiration date of a lot number. This feature provides flexibility in case adjustments or corrections are necessary due to unforeseen circumstances or changes in inventory conditions.
• Insight and Reporting: The module offers valuable insights into expiration-related issues through visual cues and integration with Power BI. For example, users can monitor the quantity or inventory value of lot numbers that will expire within a specific timeframe. This data can be used to make informed decisions and take proactive measures to prevent potential losses.
• OData-Feeds for Reporting: Upon installation, the extension automatically generates OData feeds in the Web Services. These feeds can be leveraged for Power BI reporting purposes, specifically for expiration management. By utilizing Power BI’s robust reporting capabilities, businesses can gain comprehensive visibility into expiration-related metrics and trends.
• Proactive Expiration Alerts and Automation: The module creates expiration alerts, which can be utilized to trigger proactive workflows using Microsoft Power Automate. For instance, the quality manager can receive notifications about upcoming expirations and take appropriate actions in a timely manner. Moreover, expiration alerts can be integrated with external systems using the Azure Service Bus, enabling seamless communication and process automation.
• Prerequisites and Configuration: To ensure the extension functions correctly, it is essential to set the item tracking code for the used items. This includes enabling all the lot-specific toggles on the Item Tracking Code Card. Additionally, the Use Expiration Dates toggle must be activated for the extension to operate properly. Depending on the preferred method for determining expiration dates (automatic or manual), the Require Expiration Dates toggle should be adjusted accordingly. For more information, see Manual or automatic expiration date calculation.
• Lot Number Creation and Expiration Date Calculation: When creating and posting a lot number during an inbound transaction, the extension automatically calculates the sales expiration date and the expiration action date. These dates are determined based on the formulas specified in the Expiration Calculation, Minimum Sales Shelf Life, and Expiration Action Calculation fields. Detailed information on setting up item expiration and calculating sales expiration dates can be found in the Item Expiration Setup and Calculation of the Sales Expiration Date and Expiration Action Date topics.

By implementing the Expiration Management extension, businesses can effectively manage expiration dates, ensure compliance with inventory requirements, and make data-driven decisions to optimize their operations. The module provides a range of features, including expiration date calculation, FEFO inventory management, lot expiration date adjustment, insights and reporting, proactive alerts and automation, and seamless integration with external systems.