When you order something from a webshop, there is often a deadline for a specific delivery window. For example, if you want your order delivered the next day, you must place the order before 15:00. If you place the order after 15:00, next-day delivery is no longer possible.
The reason for such a deadline is the handling and transportation process. A transport company needs to collect the order, and the goods must be picked and packed before the carrier arrives. For example, if the transport company collects orders at 16:00, the warehouse must complete all picking and packing activities before that time to ensure the order is ready for shipment.
The feature in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management (SCM) that supports this process is called Order Entry Deadlines. With Order Entry Deadlines, you can define the latest time at which an order can be processed on the same day. If an order is entered after the configured deadline, it will be processed on the next business day.
What are the benefits for the business?
1. More realistic delivery promises
2. Better alignment with warehouse and carrier operations
3. Improved customer service and expectation management
Configuration
1. An order entry deadline must be configured.
| Setting | Description |
- Site
| Applicable to a specific site or all sites. |
- Select
| Lookup for the sites. |
- Order entry deadline group
| Applicable to all order entry deadline groups or a specific group. |
- Select
| Lookup for the order entry deadline groups. |
- Times
| Deadline times. |
2. Optionally, an order entry deadline group can be configured. The order entry deadline group allows you to define different order cut-off times for different groups of customers. For example, premium customers could have a later order entry deadline (e.g., 18:00), while standard customers have an earlier deadline (e.g., 15:00). The appropriate group is assigned to the customer master record, and Dynamics 365 SCM uses the corresponding deadline when calculating the available ship and delivery dates.
3. The order entry deadline group can be linked also to the site
4. The "Activate order entry deadline combination" setting must be configured. This setting defines and activates the valid combinations of sites and order entry deadline groups that can be used in the system. It ensures that the appropriate order entry deadline rules are applied only to the intended customer groups and sites.
Demonstration
1. Customer "Fabricram Netherlands" is assigned to order entry deadline group "WH LT"
2. The following order entry deadlines are configured for the order entry deadline group WH LT.
3. A new sales order is created for customer Fabricam Netherlands with order entry deadline group WH LT.
4. A new sales order line is created.
5. The requested ship date is automatically set to July 8, as the sales order was created before the order entry deadline.
6. If you click "Simulate delivery dates," the system displays the order entry deadline, as well as the order creation date and time.
7. Change the order entry deadline from 9:00 PM to 3:00 PM.
8. The sales order line is removed and added again.
9. The requested ship date is automatically updated to the next day.
10. When you click "Simulate delivery dates," the system also displays the new order entry deadline.
11. The sales order can be released to the warehouse for picking.
12. The order can be picked using the Warehouse Management mobile app.
13. The shipment can be confirmed.
14. The packing slip can be posted.
15. The sales order status has been updated to delivered
