How to work with action messages in the planning worksheet in Business Central?
When you run the planning batch job in the planning worksheet, you will get a lot of lines. Each of them will have an action message and you have to be aware of those, of course, and the action messages for each line could be new. If it’s a suggestion for a new order you should make change quantity.
This is what happens in the video
When you run the planning batch job in Business Central, the planning worksheet fills up with suggested supply lines. Each line carries an action message that tells you exactly what the system wants you to do. There are five action messages: New, Change Quantity, Reschedule, Reschedule and Change Quantity, and Cancel. You need to read these before you accept the suggestions, so you know what you are actually committing to.
A “New” message suggests creating a new order. “Change Quantity” means an order already exists and the system suggests adjusting its quantity. “Reschedule” suggests moving the date on an existing order. “Reschedule and Change Quantity” combines both. “Cancel” suggests cancelling the order line entirely.
Understanding action messages in the planning worksheet
The planning worksheet is where you handle supply planning in Business Central. After running the planning batch job, you typically get a lot of lines back. Each one represents a suggestion from the system about how to balance supply and demand. The action message on each line is the key to understanding what the suggestion involves.
Don’t just accept all the lines without looking. The action messages exist so you can review each suggestion and decide whether it makes sense before you carry it out.
The five action messages and what they mean
Here is what each action message tells you:
- New: This is a suggestion to create a new order. There is no existing order covering the demand, so the system proposes a new one.
- Change Quantity: An order already exists. This could be a purchase order, a production order, or a transfer order. The system suggests changing the quantity on that order.
- Reschedule: A suggestion to change the date on an existing order, without touching the quantity.
- Reschedule and Change Quantity: A suggestion to change both the quantity and the dates on the order.
- Cancel: A suggestion to cancel the order line, which effectively means cancelling the order.
What you should do when planning
When you plan, go through the lines and check the action message on each one. This is how you make sure you understand what the system is actually suggesting before you act on it. Whether the suggestion creates a new order, adjusts an existing one, moves a date, or cancels something, the action message is your guide to the consequences of accepting the line.
Q&A
What are action messages in the Business Central planning worksheet?
Action messages are the instructions the system attaches to each line in the planning worksheet after you run the planning batch job. They tell you what the system suggests doing for each supply line, such as creating a new order or adjusting an existing one.
Which action messages can appear in the planning worksheet?
There are five: New, Change Quantity, Reschedule, Reschedule and Change Quantity, and Cancel.
What does the “Change Quantity” action message mean?
It means an order already exists, such as a purchase order, production order, or transfer order, and the system suggests changing the quantity on that order.
What is the difference between “Reschedule” and “Reschedule and Change Quantity”?
“Reschedule” only suggests changing the date on the existing order. “Reschedule and Change Quantity” suggests changing both the date and the quantity.
What does the “Cancel” action message do?
It suggests cancelling the order line, which means cancelling the order.