Mobile WMS on the shop floor lets you find an item in Business Central by entering or scanning a number in several different ways. You can use the item number, the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), or an item reference number, and the app will resolve all of them to the same item.
When you scan or type a number, the app searches in a fixed order: first the item number, then the GTIN on the item card, and finally the item references. This means you can set up as many alternative numbers as you need for the same item, across different units of measure.
Finding an item using barcodes in Mobile WMS
From the shop floor, you can look up an item using the bin content function. To find an item, you enter the item number in whichever way suits you. You can type it manually, for example item number 5000, or you can scan a barcode. If you have a barcode printed on a piece of paper that reads 5000, scanning it gives you the same result as typing it: the app finds the bin content list for that item.
You are not limited to the item number itself. You can also enter a cross-reference number. In this example, an item reference number ending in 1234 points to the same item. When you open it, the app finds item number 5000, just as if you had entered the item number directly.
The same applies to a third number, in this case ending in 7. It also resolves to item number 5000. The point is that several different numbers can all lead to the same item.
How the app searches for the item number
To understand what happens behind the scenes, look at the item list and the card for item number 5000. The app searches in a specific sequence:
- First it searches for the item number.
- Then it searches for the GTIN number (Global Trade Item Number), which is the number ending in 7 and is defined directly on the item card.
- Finally it searches the item references, where you find the barcode defined with the reference number 1234.
Setting up multiple item numbers per item
Through item references, you can define as many alternative numbers as you want for the same item. You can also tie these references to different units of measure codes. This gives you flexibility on the shop floor, because warehouse staff can scan whatever barcode is on the product, the packaging, or a printed sheet, and still land on the correct item in Business Central.
Q&A
What numbers can I use to find an item in Mobile WMS?
You can use the item number, the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) defined on the item card, or an item reference number. All of them resolve to the same item.
In what order does the app search when I scan or enter a number?
The app searches the item number first, then the GTIN number on the item card, and finally the item references.
Can I define more than one barcode for the same item?
Yes. Using item references, you can define as many alternative numbers as you need for the same item, including across different units of measure codes.
Where is the GTIN number stored?
The GTIN number is stored directly on the item card.