This is what happens in the video
The item journal in Business Central is the quickest way to make positive or negative inventory adjustments. You can use it on all locations except those set up with directed put-away and pick. For warehouse locations with full directed put-away and pick enabled, the item journal won’t work out of the box, and you’ll get a validation error.
If a location has bin required or bin mandatory checked, you must enter a bin code in the item journal. If you enter a bin code on a location that doesn’t require one, you’ll get an error.
For other inventory tasks such as reclassifying item ledger entries or counting inventory, you use other journals instead of the item journal.
Using the item journal for inventory adjustments
As a warehouse employee, the item journal is the everyday tool for adjusting inventory. You select an entry type to make either a positive or negative adjustment, and you can do this on most of your locations.
In a typical setup, this works on every location that does not have the checkmark in the directed put-away and pick field. In one example with six locations, the item journal works fine on five of them. Those five cover all the other combinations of checkmarks on the location card.
Why the item journal fails on directed put-away and pick locations
The sixth location in the example is set up with full directed put-away and pick. When you try to use the item journal here, Business Central returns a validation error telling you it’s not possible. The item journal simply doesn’t support these advanced locations out of the box.
For everything except directed put-away and pick locations, the item journal remains the easy way to adjust inventory.
Bin codes and the bin mandatory setting
If the bin required or bin mandatory field is checked on a location, you need to enter a bin code when you post in the item journal. In the example, three of the locations have this requirement.
The rule also works the other way around. If you select a bin code on a location that doesn’t require one, you’ll get an error. The bin code has to match what the location is set up to expect.
When to use other journals instead
The item journal is meant for straightforward positive and negative adjustments. For other tasks you reach for different journals:
- Changing or reclassifying item ledger entries uses the reclassification journal.
- Counting inventory uses the physical inventory journal.
Once your entries are in place and your bin codes match, posting the item journal completes the adjustment.
Q&A
Can I use the item journal on directed put-away and pick locations?
No. The item journal doesn’t work out of the box on locations set up with full directed put-away and pick. You’ll get a validation error. It works on all other locations and combinations of checkmarks on the location card.
When do I need to enter a bin code in the item journal?
You need to enter a bin code whenever the location has the bin required or bin mandatory field checked. If you enter a bin code on a location that doesn’t require one, you’ll get an error.
What is the item journal used for?
The item journal is used for positive or negative inventory adjustments. You select an entry type and post the adjustment on any location that isn’t a directed put-away and pick location.
Which journal do I use to reclassify item ledger entries or count inventory?
You use other journals for those tasks, not the item journal. Reclassifying item ledger entries and counting inventory are handled by separate journals dedicated to those purposes.