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In Business Central, you can store inventory in different units of measure on the warehouse entries, but only on locations set up with directed put-away and pick. On all other locations, the warehouse entries always use the base unit of measure. This article explains how the two entry types behave, how the item ledger entries differ from the warehouse entries, and what the “Allow Breakbulk” setting controls.
The item ledger entries always use the base unit of measure code, no matter how you receive the item. If you purchase an item in boxes, the item ledger entry still shows the quantity in pieces.
The warehouse entries behave differently. On a location with directed put-away and pick, the warehouse entries can hold several unit of measure codes at the same time, for example both box and pieces. This lets you track whether the item is physically stored as boxes or as individual pieces.
You only get this flexibility when you enable the “Allow Breakbulk” bin policy, which is available exclusively on directed put-away and pick locations. On a standard warehouse location, this option is not available, so the warehouse entries are limited to the base unit of measure.
How unit of measure codes work on item ledger entries
The item ledger entries are always converted to the base unit of measure code. In the example, item 1100 has two item ledger entries, and both are recorded in pieces, which is the base unit of measure.
This holds true regardless of the location. Even on a directed put-away and pick location, the item ledger entries stay in the base unit of measure. The different unit of measure codes only appear on the warehouse entries.
How warehouse entries differ on directed put-away and pick locations
When you look at the warehouse entries for item 1100 on a location with directed put-away and pick, you can see both the box unit of measure code and the pieces unit of measure code. This is the key difference from the item ledger entries, which only show the base unit.
This behaviour is only possible on a location that has the directed put-away and pick checkmark enabled.
The Allow Breakbulk setting on the location
On a location set up with directed put-away and pick, you can enable the “Allow Breakbulk” checkmark. This setting indicates that you are working with multiple units of measure, and it lets you break a larger unit, such as a box, down into smaller units, such as pieces.
If you open a standard main location that has all the warehouse checkmarks enabled but not directed put-away and pick, and you scroll down to the bin policies, the option to allow breakbulk is not available.
Comparing a standard location with a WMS location
If you filter the warehouse entries on the main location code, you will see that the entries only contain the base unit of measure, even though the item was purchase received in boxes.
If you filter on the WMS location, which uses directed put-away and pick, you can have different unit of measure codes on the warehouse entries. With breakbulk enabled, you can see on the inventory whether the item is stored in one unit of measure or the other.
Q&A
Can you use multiple units of measure on warehouse entries in Business Central?
Yes, but only on a location set up with directed put-away and pick. On these locations, the warehouse entries can hold several unit of measure codes at the same time, for example both box and pieces. On all other locations, the warehouse entries use only the base unit of measure.
Which unit of measure do item ledger entries use?
Item ledger entries are always converted to the base unit of measure code. This is true on every location, including directed put-away and pick locations. If you receive an item in boxes, the item ledger entry still records the quantity in the base unit, such as pieces.
What does the Allow Breakbulk setting do?
The “Allow Breakbulk” bin policy lets you break a larger unit of measure, such as a box, down into smaller units, such as pieces, on the warehouse entries. It also indicates that you are working with multiple units of measure on the location.
Why is the Allow Breakbulk option missing on my location?
The “Allow Breakbulk” option is only available on locations with the directed put-away and pick checkmark enabled. On a standard warehouse location without directed put-away and pick, the option does not appear in the bin policies.