This is what happens in the video
You find all purchase orders with backlogs by using the Quantity on Purchase Order field on any item card in Business Central. This field is a lookup field that opens the purchase order lines. Once open, you remove the item number filter to see all purchase lines.
You then filter on Expected Receipt Date up to a specific date, for example 1st of April, and add a filter on Outstanding Quantity so you only see lines that still have a quantity remaining. The result is a complete backlog list you can use to clean up your data.
What a purchase order backlog is in Business Central
A purchase order backlog happens when you have received some, but not all, of what you ordered. Imagine a purchase order where almost everything has arrived, but you are still missing one of one item and two of another. Those outstanding quantities make up the backlog.
The question is whether you need to act on them. You have to consider the dates, who is responsible for following up, and whether the order is even still relevant. Before you can do any of that, you need a clear overview of which purchase orders actually have backlogs.
How to find all purchase orders with backlogs in Business Central
Here is a practical way to build the list without setting up a custom report.
Start by opening any item card. It does not matter which item you choose, because you are going to remove the item filter in a moment. On the item card, find the Quantity on Purchase Order field. This is a lookup field, so clicking it gives you a list of the purchase order lines for that item.
Next, remove the filter on the item number. Now you are looking at all purchase order lines in the system, not just the ones for that single item.
Filtering by date and outstanding quantity
With all purchase lines visible, set a filter on the Expected Receipt Date. For example, filter up to and including the 1st of April, which is a date in the past. This shows you the lines that were supposed to have arrived already.
Then add a filter on Outstanding Quantity, because you are only interested in lines that still have a quantity left to receive. Lines that are fully received do not belong in a backlog list.
The result is a list of all your purchase lines with an outstanding quantity before your chosen date. That is your backlog list, ready to use for cleaning up your data.
Q&A
What is a purchase order backlog in Business Central?
A purchase order backlog is the outstanding quantity on a purchase order that has not yet been received. If most of an order has arrived but you are still missing some items, those remaining quantities make up the backlog.
Which field do I use to find purchase orders with backlogs?
Use the Quantity on Purchase Order field on any item card. It is a lookup field that opens the purchase order lines, and from there you can remove the item filter to see all purchase lines.
How do I filter the list to only show real backlog lines?
Set a filter on Expected Receipt Date up to a date in the past, and add a filter on Outstanding Quantity so you only see lines that still have a quantity remaining to be received.