In the sales container handling and outbound container is to be understood as one shipment.
In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, the container handling functionality lets you treat an outbound container as a single shipment. You create one container card per container you want to ship, attach sales order and transfer order lines to it, and post it when it is ready to leave.
The container ID is not the physical ID printed on the container. It is an internal running number pulled from a number series you set up, and it increases automatically each time you create a new container.
To record the real-world identifier, use fields like the vehicle registration number for a truck or the container serial number. That is where the actual ID belongs.
One container equals one shipment in container handling
When you work with container handling for outbound containers, each container is understood as one shipment. If you have several containers, each one represents its own shipment. The principle is simple: one container, one shipment.
For every container you want to ship, you create a single container card. On that card you attach the sales orders and transfer order lines that belong to the shipment. When you post the container, it closes, and you can see everything that was posted on it.
How the container ID number series works
When you create a new container code, you give it a description. You can use this description to note details such as when you plan to send the container and where it is going, or any other information you find useful.
The container ID itself is generated automatically. It comes from a number series you configure, so each new container simply gets the next number in the sequence. This means the container ID is an internal reference and has nothing to do with the identifier physically printed on the container.
Where to record the physical container identifier
If you need to capture the real ID of the container, you enter it in a dedicated field. For a truck, this is the vehicle registration number. For a shipping container, it is the container serial number, or whatever identifier is marked on the unit itself.
Q&A
Is the container ID in Business Central the same as the number printed on the container?
No. The container ID is an internal running number generated from a number series you set up, and it increases automatically with each new container. To record the physical identifier, you use the vehicle registration number or the container serial number field.
How many shipments does one container represent in container handling?
One container equals one shipment. Each container you create is treated as a single shipment, and if you have multiple containers, each one is its own shipment.
How do you ship a container in Business Central?
You create one container card for the container, attach the relevant sales order and transfer order lines to it, and post it. Once posted, the container is closed and you can see everything that was posted on it.