Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2016 has been release with many new features in Enterprise Functionality for Small to Mid Sized Wholesale Distribution and Manufacturing companies. One of the most exciting new functions is workflows.
Workflow enables you to design and execute business processes within the application system. The principal of being able to monitor an event anywhere within NAV and then trigger an activity (i.e. ‘if’…‘then’) means that it is now a truly proactive, rather than simply reactive, business solution. For example, users can be automatically notified if a shipment is delayed, whether a customer has exceeded his payment terms, or it can be used in conjunction with a plethora of standard templates for importing updated Foreign exchange rates, OCR imports, etc.
To further explain this functionality in Dynamics NAV 2016, almost any workflow process is likely to be comprised of steps related to:
Approval– a work task, item, or document remain in a blocked or unapproved state until approved by a suitable person in your organization
Notification– notifications tell users that something has happened and/or that they need to take some kind of action
Process automation– involves executing a process routine and making the Microsoft Dynamics NAV system calculate something or perform an action
Companies can benefit from Workflows in Microsoft Dynamics NAV by having Enterprise Functionality in the following business areas:
Workflow processes are consistent
By pushing information together with links to related transactions directly to the users, everyone benefits by not having to search for information needed to reach the correct decision.
Cycle time is reduced
The notifications for tasks are sent immediately and can be performed on any client type, including mobile devices.
Each workflow can be checked
Users can check at any time how far the process has progressed and which stage the process has reached. For example the procurement manager can immediately see the status of a purchase invoice. Comments and notes are linked to approval steps and give clear context for what to perform. Workflows allow you to see how the process works and who will be selected to perform the different tasks.
Workflows support conditional processes
Workflows can be setup to behave differently based on any point of data in your system. For example, if an orders is for a key customer or a delivery is for a different geography.
Nothing forgotten
Approvals can expire and be automatically escalated. Escalation measures ensure that the failure to meet a deadline can be corrected by other means.
Automated processes
Streamline processes by automating your best practices. Have other processes initiated automatically when other processes finish. For instance, you can setup a workflow that creates a task for a sales person to contact a customer after the customer’s first order has been shipped.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2016 includes 20 out-of-the-box workflows. These are delivered as workflow templates for you to apply in your business; for example the Purchase Invoice Workflow
The purchase invoice process typically involves registering the purchase, posting the document to create ledger entries, and generating a payment instruction. Using the Purchase Invoice Workflow the posting and the payment lines are generated automatically when the purchase invoice is released, saving time and reducing errors.
Learn more about all of the Features of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2016
