Examples of what the Information Matrix could be used for

The Information Matrix in Business Central lets you view and edit data across many different tables from one place. You can use it on customers, vendors, items, serial numbers, and lot numbers.

You work with templates that define which columns you see. You can create as many templates as you need, so an accounting user and a planner can each look at the data that matters to them on the same item or customer.

You can use the Information Matrix for mass updating records as well as for getting a quick overview of your master data.

On serial numbers and lot numbers, you can use the Information Matrix as a quality control system. You add information such as who an asset is assigned to, the assigned date, and the last service date.

What the Information Matrix does in Business Central

The Information Matrix can be used for many different purposes on many different tables in Business Central. Instead of jumping between cards and lists, you get a single view where you can both see and update data.

The key concept is templates. A template defines which columns you want to look at. Because you can define as many templates as you want, different roles in the company can each get the view they need on the same underlying data.

Using the Information Matrix on the customer and vendor lists

From the customer list, you open the Information Matrix and see the templates that relate to a customer. The same works on the vendor list.

You can import data based on the standard table. For example, you can import customers where the language code on the customer card is ENU. You can add more records, or include another language if you want to handle several customers at once.

What you see then depends on the column setup. A basic customer template might show customer addresses, postal code, and similar fields. You can switch to another template at any time.

Different departments can have their own templates. The accounting department, for instance, might want a template for invoicing fields. That template could show currency from the customer card, invoice discount code, and fields from the master data information table.

Using the Information Matrix on items

On items, you open the Master Data Information Matrix and import the data you need. You might import the description, or filter on a field such as replenishment system.

If you set the replenishment system to Purchase, you look at all your purchase items. From there you choose the columns you want to view.

As a planner, you select a matrix template for planning data. You can then see safety stock, reorder point, and related fields for those purchase items. If you work with catalogs, you can add columns that relate to catalogs on the master data.

Using the Information Matrix on serial numbers and lot numbers

You can also use the Information Matrix from the standard serial number list. Open the serial number list and use the master data for serial numbers or lot numbers.

In a practical example, a company tracks computers and uses this to handle who each computer is given to. The specifications show, for example, that Simon has a specific computer, along with the last service date and the assigned date.

In the Information Matrix you can import based on that information. You can import all accessories where the assigned date is filled in, meaning the value is something other than blank. You then see all the serial numbers with the asset that is allocated, who has each asset, what the asset is, and the dates it was assigned.

This turns the Information Matrix into a quality control system. You add information to your serial numbers or lot numbers and keep track of your assets in one view.

When to use the Information Matrix

There are many purposes for the Information Matrix. You use it either to get an overview of your master data or for mass updating records across customers, vendors, items, serial numbers, and lot numbers.

Q&A