You can transfer master data from a sales order line to a production order line in Business Central, so the shop floor gets the exact instructions tied to a specific customer order. You mark the lines you want to transfer using the “Transfer to Production Order Line” column on the sales order.
When you create the production order from the sales order, choose not to delete the master data. That keeps the information attached and moves it to the firm planned production order.
If the master data changes on the sales order line, the production order does not update automatically. You update it manually from the firm planned production order using the “Update Master Data Information from Sales Order” function. This protects any notes the production team has added themselves.
Once the master data is on the firm planned production order, it follows the order through to the released production order and the finished production order.
Transferring master data from the sales order to the production order
In a manufacturing setup, you often need to pass specific instructions from the sales order all the way down to the shop floor. Business Central lets you do this by transferring master data from the sales order line to the production order line.
Start with a sales order on an item. When you create the order, some of the master data is pulled automatically from the item card. You can then add lines manually with extra instructions. For example, you might add a line that says “paint the rim red with yellow dots” and perhaps add stripes as well.
On the sales order line, use the “Transfer to Production Order Line” column to mark the master data you want to carry over. In this example, four pieces of master data are flagged for transfer to the production order when it is created.
Creating the production order without deleting master data
From the sales order, you create a production order using the standard functionality. During this process, Business Central asks whether you want to delete the master data. Answer no, because you want the information transferred to the firm planned production order rather than removed.
When you open the firm planned production order afterwards, the master data information from the sales order line is there on the production order line.
Updating master data after a change on the sales order
Master data on a sales order can change after the production order is created. The change might come from the customer, or it might be added later as part of what you need to pass on to production. For example, you might change the instruction so it reads yellow and green dots instead.
This change does not flow automatically to the firm planned production order. If you open the production order after editing the sales order, the master data is still showing the old version. To bring it up to date, use the “Update Master Data Information from Sales Order” function on the firm planned production order. That pulls the current information from the sales order onto the production order line.
The manual update is deliberate. The production team can use the master data field to add their own notes, so an automatic overwrite would risk wiping out their work. Keeping the update manual gives them control over when the sales order information is applied.
How master data flows through the production order stages
Once the master data is on the firm planned production order, it carries forward through the rest of the order’s life. It transfers to the released production order and then to the finished production order.
You can also change the information directly on the production order line, but that is not recommended. A cleaner approach is to leave the production order line master data as the channel for instructions coming from the sales order, and to use the master data on the header, routing, and components for internal comments from production.
Q&A
How do I transfer master data from a sales order line to a production order in Business Central?
Mark the lines you want to transfer using the “Transfer to Production Order Line” column on the sales order. When you create the production order, answer no when asked whether to delete the master data. The flagged information then moves to the firm planned production order line.
Does master data update automatically on the production order when the sales order changes?
No. If you change the master data on the sales order line, the production order keeps the old version. You update it manually from the firm planned production order using the “Update Master Data Information from Sales Order” function.
Why is the master data update manual instead of automatic?
The production team can add their own notes to the master data field. A manual update prevents an automatic overwrite from deleting the work they have added.
Does master data follow the production order through later stages?
Yes. Once it is on the firm planned production order, the master data transfers to the released production order and then to the finished production order.
Should I edit master data directly on the production order line?
It is not recommended. Keep the production order line master data for instructions from the sales order, and use the master data on the header, routing, and components for internal comments from production.