In Business Central, the warehouse request is the link that connects your sales orders to the physical warehouse process. When you release a sales order, the system automatically creates a warehouse request. This request acts as an inbound queue that lets warehouse staff create a warehouse shipment, and from there a warehouse pick. The request stays alive from the moment you release the sales order until you post the shipment, and then it is deleted automatically.
The warehouse request is a hidden table. You won’t see it in the normal interface, but it is what allows the warehouse to pick up and process the order.
If you run a simpler location setup, the warehouse request feeds an inventory pick instead of the full warehouse shipment and pick flow.
How order documents connect to warehouse documents in Business Central
The flow starts with the sales order. When you release the order, Business Central creates a warehouse request behind the scenes. This request is not something the user interacts with directly. It simply waits for the warehouse to fetch it.
From the warehouse request, the warehouse staff create a warehouse shipment. From the warehouse shipment, they create a warehouse pick. The warehouse request works as the inbound queue that links the sales side to the warehouse side.
The warehouse picking and posting process
Once the warehouse pick is created, the staff go out and do the actual picking. When you register the pick, the system creates warehouse entries. After that, the goods are packed and then shipped.
When you ship, you post on the warehouse shipment. This single posting handles both the sales order and the warehouse shipment. It creates the item ledger entries that update your inventory.
When the warehouse request is created and deleted
The warehouse request has a clear lifecycle. It is created when you release the sales order and it remains in place throughout the warehouse process. The moment you post the shipment through the warehouse shipment, the system deletes the warehouse request automatically.
In short, the warehouse request exists only between releasing the sales order and posting the sales shipment. It is the temporary connection that keeps the warehouse documents tied to the underlying order.
Q&A
What is a warehouse request in Business Central?
A warehouse request is a hidden table that links a sales order to the warehouse process. It is created automatically when you release a sales order and works as an inbound queue for the warehouse shipment or inventory pick. The user does not see it in the normal interface.
When is the warehouse request created and deleted?
The warehouse request is created when you release the sales order. It stays in place through the entire warehouse process and is deleted automatically when you post the shipment through the warehouse shipment.
What is the sequence of warehouse documents from sales order to shipment?
You start with a sales order, which creates a warehouse request when released. From the warehouse request you create a warehouse shipment, and from the warehouse shipment you create a warehouse pick. You pick and register the goods, which creates warehouse entries, then pack and ship. Posting the warehouse shipment posts both the sales order and the shipment and creates item ledger entries.
What happens if I use a simpler warehouse location?
If you run a simpler location setup, the warehouse request feeds an inventory pick instead of the full warehouse shipment and warehouse pick flow.