Business value

 

Slim4 is an application for structural inventory optimization and is built and sold by SlimStock. This document describes the Slim4 Integration between Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations and Slim4.

The interface is available in two versions:

• Webservice connector (preferred)
• File based connector (legacy only)

 

From a functional perspective these versions are 70% similar, but both on Slim4 Integration and Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations technical design is different.

The exceptions are indicated when applicable.

In the webservice based version:

• The architecture is optimized for a high amount of data and maximum performance
• Static and dynamic data are separated in a strict way
• Static data is preprocessed to reduce processing time
• Static data and historical transactions that have been changed in the last n days can be requested
• Analysis codes and user defined data can be uploaded through the Open-in-Excel functionality, or via Data management

 

Generic items and variants

Generic items and variants in Slim4 have its counterpart in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations master products and released sizes.

The generic level is only exported in this file or webservice. All other files and webservices contain the variant level (most detailed).

 

Difference Slim4 vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations :

Slim4:

• Configuration, color or style should be fully specified within the generic item.
• Each size is a separate variant within the generic item.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations :

• The product master has one item number. On the product master is specified whether configuration, size, color and / or style are active. 
• Multiple combinations can exist within each product master. Each feasible combination of configuration, size, color and / or style is a released variant.
• The released variants are identified by product numbers. These product numbers are visible in the fact box Related product variants in the released items.
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations supports product masters where:
  • size is not a product dimension: products masters
  • size is the only product dimension: size items
  • size is only one of the product dimensions: product masters with size
• The field product number contains “item number : configuration : size : color : style”, e.g. item M0010 and size 200 has product number M0010 : : 200 : :

At some fields in the interface Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations needs to aggregate the information over multiple sizes. This aggregation is depicted by:

•  exporting the item number (size items) or
•  exporting the “product number no size” (product masters with size)

File -> Type of item	Transactions, stock, confirmed demand, purchase orders	User defined fields file	Variant-Generic Field: variant	Variant-Generic Field: generic	Variant-Generic Field: size
Standard items	Item number	Item number	-	-	-
Product masters	Product number	Product number	-	-	-
Size items	Product number	Item number	Product number	Item number	Size
Product masters with size	Product number	Product number	Product number	Product number no size	Size

Standard product

The item number of the released products is used in the interface.

Size item

E.g. for item M0010 in USMF, product dimension Size is active.

The item number is M0010 and the product numbers are M0010 : : 200 : : and M0010 : : 500 : :

Product master without size

E.g. for item M0008 in USMF, product dimension Color is active.

The product numbers are M0008 : : : Oak : and M0008 : : : Rosewood : etc.

Product master with size

For item M0030 in USMF, product dimensions Size and Color are active.

The item number is M0030. The product numbers are M0030-White-4 and M0030-Black-4 and M0030-White-6 etc.

Slim4 also expects for products where the size is enabled a separate file with “product numbers no size” to be exported from Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations . Basically this file will contain all the variant combinations but with an additinional column containing the variant without the size. For that the periodic function “Slim4 variant generic file” can be used. The system will export a product number which will have a fixed structure and will not look at the nomenclature structure of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations :

Product number : Configuration : Size : Color : Style (Size will be blanked)

Based on the picture above it will generate the following “Product numbers no size:

Product numbers(=variants)	Product number no size
M0030-White-4	M0030 : : : White :
M0030-Black-4	M0030 : : : Black :
M0030-White-6	M0030 : : : White :
M0030-Black-6	M0030 : : : Black :
M0030-White-8	M0030 : : : White :
M0030-Black-8	M0030 : : : Black :
M0030-White-2	M0030 : : : White :
M0030-Black-2	M0030 : : : Black :

The reason for having a fixed structure instead of looking at the nomenclature structure is, that this nomenclature structure can change after the variants have been created.

Stocked and Non-stocked items

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations needs to notify Slim4 if an item is “stock keeping” for each warehouse.

Slim4 will calculate forecasts and generate exceptions for all items. Slim4 will only calculate a buffer stock, order level and order suggestions, automatically and continuously, for stocked items. Non-Stocked items will have a buffer stock and order level of zero; order suggestions will only be made if there is insufficient stock (including outstanding purchase orders) to meet customer requirements (back/confirmed future orders).

• Stock keeping = should the warehouse carry a buffer/safety stock for this item
• Non-stock keeping = only cover exactly the demand

 

Warehouse group (webservice based interface only)

In the Export interface setup, Article filter, the logic for finding the coverage group can be changed from Item to Warehouse group (or back). On the warehouse group level, define valid combinations of items in a group and warehouses.

• A default warehouse group can be defined.
• A warehouse group can be set per released product. 
• Exceptions can be specified. 

 

Stock keeping warehouse group (file based interface only)

This property is maintained in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations in the Item coverage form; field ‘Stock keeping (item)’. The value of this field is derived by the logic described below, and it is mapped to field number 51 ‘Stocked item’ in the Stock file.

One of the challenge in the previous version of this interface was how to define whether an item is stock keeping, and if, in which warehouses. The Stock item warehouse groups makes this setup easier, and if necessary, exceptions can be setup on the item coverage data.

 

How do you define this in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations ?

Item level: Via the Item coverage group        

• Planned via Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations
• Planned in Slim4 – Stock keeping
• Planned in Slim4 – Not stock keeping Features

 

File based interface only: Item coverage level: coverage group, and override exception

• Warehouse group level: by Stock Item Warehouse group Example: Electronics are only stock keeping in warehouses 1,2, and 3. Create a Item stock warehouse group “electronics” and link it to all Electronics items
• Item/warehouse: override by exception in the Item Coverage

 

The Slim4 Integration functions located are in Master planning > Slim4 (file based interface) or Slim4 integration (webservice based interface).

These functions can be run manually or in batch.

In the file based export, the user can select Include column description. Slim4 Integration does not accept these column headers, but it proves to be useful in testing the interface. During the data export, the file name extension is .tmp. After the export is finished, the file is renamed automatically with the extension as specified in the parameters.

The webservice based interface includes the field descriptions in the JSON file.

 

Slim4 import

The file name to be imported is identical each day. After the import is finished, the file is renamed by adding a date and time stamp to the file name, to avoid double imports.

File based interface: in the dialog there are two options to import the file:

• the user can select a file, or
• the file can be imported from a file share and moved to an archive path, both defined in the parameters

Webservice based interface: use Import data to import the planned orders into the staging table and process immediately or deferred.

 

If the item is a product master (i.e. with configuration, color, size or style), the record contains a product number. Based on this product number, Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations finds the item number and the applicable product dimensions (configuration, size, color, style).

The planned order quantity from Slim4 is always in inventory unit.

The inventory unit and purchase unit can be different.

E.g. inventory unit m and purchase unit km with 2 decimals. When the planned order with 1234 m is firmed, Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations will automatically round according to the number of decimals of the purchase unit, and creates a rounded purchase order line with 1.23 km

See Planned order import file definition and webservice for more information about the fields mappings of the import file.  

 

Slim4 bom file

See BOM export file definition and webservice for more information about the fields mappings of the export file.

 

Slim4 confirmed demand

See Confirmed demand export file definition and webservice for more information about the fields mappings of the export file.

  

Slim4 purchase orders

See Purchase order export file definition and webservice for more information about the fields mappings of the export file.

 

Slim4 purchase order history

Webservice based interface only: historical purchase orders, historical transfer receipts, historical production finished goods receipts, historical BOM journal receipts.

 

Slim4 stock file

See Stock export file definition and webservice for more information about the fields mappings of the export file.

  

Slim4 transactions

See Demand transactions export file definition and webservice for more information about the fields mappings of the export file.

 

Slim4 additional user defined fields

See User defined fields export file definition and webservice or more information about the fields mappings of the export file.

 

Slim4 variant generic file

See Variant generic export file definition and webservice for more information about the fields mappings of the export file.

 

Slim4 article filter

Webservice based interface only: the items and variants that are active in Slim4 Integration.

 

Slim4 article code master

Webservice based interface only: static item data per warehouse for Slim4 Integration.

 

Slim4 code master

This webservice with warehouse-independent static item data exists on Slim4 Integration, but not in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations . Use the Article code master instead.

 

Slim4 article logistics

Webservice based interface only: logistics data Slim4 Integration.

 

Slim4 suppliers

Webservice based interface only: vendor specific order settings per article Slim4 Integration.

 

Slim4 article filter

Webservice based interface only: the items and variants that are active in Slim4 Integration.

 

Slim4 generate demo data

File based interface only: a demo data file will be generated for importing the planned orders into Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations . Slim4 Integration should provide a file according to this format. The warehouse is used to set into the file so the planned orders are generated for that warehouse. This system will export all items linked to the first storage dimension group where site is enabled for masterplanning.

   

FAQ

 

Webservice version

Question:

Performance of the additional UDF webservice ArticleCodeMasterAUD is slow

Answer:

When publishing data entities from F&O to the BYOD database, new tables are created. To improve performance, extra indexes have been added to the articlecode master and articlecode master AUD tables. However, these indexes aren’t automatically created by F&O operations. You can manually create them using SQL Management Studio by executing the provided script in the Azure components zip file in LCS. If you have a lot of data in the table(s), the script may take several minutes to run.

Question:	Import planned orders fails, error message: The column INVENTLOCATIONID in entity Slim4 - Planned order import has incorrect data...  (also other columns can be in the message)
Answer:	Go to Work space Data management > Configure data source > select CSV and make sure that First row header is Yes.

Question:	Historical PO export triggers a duplicate value error.
Answer:	Solved in 10038. For older versions, the parameters setting Multi-threading, Max records per task can be set from e.g. 1000 to e.g. 100.000. This will slow down the export, so please reset to the original value after installation of 10038.

Question:	Field mapping for some fields on sub tables broken since new release?
Answer:	If the mapping does not return a value anymore, the field mapping of inventory dimensions and other sub-tables must be reset in some cases due to a necessary change (10.0.37) in the technical design of the field mapper. Go to Field mapper, select the export field, click on button Parameters.

Question:

After company holidays the confirmed demand history (or purchase history) has a gap. Can the missing transactions be regenerated?

Answer:

Yes. This can typically occur if the last transactions generated in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations before the holidays where not imported anymore in Slim4 Integration. Change the parameter Transaction export (or purchase export) number of days from e.g. 7 to 28, re-run the update export data. Set the parameters to the original days again. Each transaction has a unique key, and on the Slim4 Integration side, double records will be ignored. NB: make sure to regenerate the missing transactions before executing the month end or year end procedure in Slim4 Integration. If the gap streches around a month / year end, please contact your Slim4 Integration consultant, preferably before the month / year closing processing.

Question:	The logic for PONumber and LineNumber Historical PO data set has changed. Is this a problem?
Answer:	It can cause some inconsistencies in the history in Slim4 Integration on orders that were partially but not fully received when migrating to 10.0.37 of the interface. Please contact the Slim4 Integration consultant whether the Historical PO must be rebuilt. For Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations it is not a problem. The data can also be restored later.

Question:	Are extension hooks available for customizations?
Answer:	Before updating or inserting a record in one of the staging table, you can add logic to change staging field values or retrieve and store additional information (DYSSlim4ServicesExportStagingUpdateOrInsertEventsArgs).

Question:	Some items are on stock in pieces, cartons and pallets. Other items only in pieces and pallets. Can the quantity per pallet always be exported in the same field?
Answer:	Yes, on the Units table, specify EOQ logistics unit 1..6. In the export interface setup, select Use EOQ logistics unit specified on Units table. NB: if for one item the quantity per Euro pallet and per block pallet is specified, these units can be mapped to the same EOQ logistics unit. The first found conversion is exported.

Question:	Can the min/max inventory per item and warehouse that was calculated in Slim4 Integration be imported in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations ? Even if Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations Master planning is not used, for it is valuable to see the calculated min/max.
Answer:	Yes, generate a text file or Excel file from Slim4 Integration and import this through the data entity Item coverage V2.

Question:	Is the product dimension "Version" supported? Are the generic dimensions 11 and 12 supported?
Answer:	No, Version is not supported, and generic dimensions 11 and 12 are not supported.

Question:	The cost price has changed today, but still the old cost price is exported?
Answer:	For performance reasons, the cached cost price per item per date is used. If the export runs before midnight, the cost price can be one day behind, Advice is to run the export after midnight.

Question:	Buying price (purchase price) in Logistics and Suppliers is always calculated back to one inventory unit, even though it is purchased e.g. per pallet. Why is the price not exported per purchase unit, e.g. pallet?
Answer:	Slim4 Integration calculates with inventory units and multiples IOQs.

Question:

When an interface field like FreeText1 is mapped as Empty, can it be mapped in a project specific way?

Answer:

Yes, the interface contains extension points where additional info can be exported to Slim4. In general immediately before the record is stored in the update export job (or added to the classic file), the project developer can create an extension that retrieves the required information. For the user defined fields in the article code master webservice, it is also possible to upload these field values through the data entity.

Question:	Error message Menu item hsoSlim4exportservice_purchaseorders cannot be opened. The Purchase orders can not be exported due to a license configuration error. How to solve this?
Answer:	The purchase orders data that are sent to Slim4 do not only contain open purchase orders, but also open transfer receipts and expected finished goods from production. Switch on the System administration > License configuration for Production series I (basic production). System must be set in maintenance mode from LCS.

 

Webservice and file based 

Question:

Should I use the file based or the webservice based interface?

Answer:

The webservice based interface is the preferred option. File based is only for legacy customers that use the classic Slim4 Integration file format. If you are working with an older version of Slim4 Integration that can not handle webservices, and upgrade is not an option, then the file based version is advised.  If currently the file based interface is used with or without customizations, and the interface runs well in the night batch, the file based interface with the classic format is still available, but be aware that for new projects SlimStock does not advise the old file format anymore.   If the number of transactions and number of active item warehouse combinations is large, the webservice based interface is advised. If the Slim4 Integration installation handles aggregated data from multiple Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations companies or other ERP systems, Slim4 Integration will need a staging database. This staging database can not handle the classic file format. Use the webservice based interface.

Question:	File based version: What does "error ‘System error 53 has occurred" mean?
Answer:	When trying to mount or access the fileshare in a remote (customer / home) location, you may get an error ‘System error 53 has occurred - The network path was not found’. To solve this, port 445 should be enabled in the firewall.

 

Release notes

Webservice version

Feature	Introduced in version
Missing unit conversion mitigation - error changed into warning Export job monitor added	10042.25012000

Feature	Introduced in version
Purchase orders - Shipped but not received transfer orders are now included Azure functions upgraded to .Net8	10041.24083000

Feature	Introduced in version
Issue solved: Historical PO - new field mapping function was mandatory unintendedly Transactions and historical PO - initial export for date ranges added NB Action required! Performance improvement Additional UDF webservice: add index to BYOD tables through provided script in Azure components zip file in LCS	10040.18062400

Feature

Introduced in version

NB: Known issue, to be solved in 10040: If the historical PO is not created, setup 1 or more mappable fields for free text/number Confimed demand - Mappable fields Free text 1, Free text 2, Free number 1, Free number 2 Purchase orders - Mappable fields Free text 1, Free text 2, Free number 1, Free number 2 Historical PO - Mappable fields Free text 1, Free text 2, Free number 1, Free number 2 Transactions - Mappable fields Transaction free field 1..4 Logistics - Purchase price export: option Gross or Net added             Suppliers - Purchase price export: option Gross or Net added Admin form - Warning added to avoid unintended deletion of setup data

10039.24030800

Feature	Introduced in version
Confirmed demand - Project sales orders (Item requirements) added Purchase orders - Order date filled Transactions - Transaction issue time filled Data entity Released products V2 - Warehouse group Slim4 added	10038.62.1500

Feature	Introduced in version
Historical PO - Line numbering changed. NB: this requires a rebuild of the purchase order history. Contact the Slim4 Integration consultant Stock details - Exclude inventory status - option added Negative purchase lines are now exported too New fields added according to updated interface specification Slim4 Integration version 4.9 SV	10037.61.1400

Feature	Introduced in version
Warehouse group added Confirmed demand - Handling duplicate line numbers due to MS unique key change	10036.60.1300

Feature	Introduced in version
Additional User Defined fields 1..100 staging table and webservice - GA Logistics/Suppliers/Transactions - Buying price in 4 decimals - GA Field mapper can now retrieve fields from reference table based on record ID Article code master - Default order settings warehouse Field mapper - tables Primary vendor and external item data added	10035.59.1200

Feature	Introduced in version
Additional User Defined fields 1..100 staging table and webservice added Logistics/Suppliers/Transactions - Buying price in 4 decimals	10034.58.1101 (preview)

Feature	Introduced in version
Suppliers - Buying price in different unit supported Article code master Category hierarchy parent, grandparent ... added Extension hook added (generic event before updating a staging table)	10033.57.1100

Feature	Introduced in version
Performance improvement Logistics export	10032.56.1002

Feature	Introduced in version
Logistics - Site specific and default order settings: conversion factor between sales unit and inventory unit is now respected for MSQ, ISQ	10032.56.1001

Feature

Introduced in version

NB: for this release an upgrade procedure for Azure components is needed. Details on LCS Article code master - Field mapping export specific financial dimension added (instead of RecId) Logistics - Site specific and default order settings: conversion factor between purchase unit and inventory unit is now respected for MOQ, IOQ, EOQ Planned orders - Transfer from warehouse added (optional) Planned orders - Framework for additional import fields setup added (Beta) Confirmed demand - Exclude sales order with Business rule status Exclude from external inventory planning = Yes Changed compared to previous version because of Optimized planning service

10032.56.1000

Feature

Introduced in version

Article code master - Default and site specific order settings added Article code master - Category from selected hierarchy added Article code master - Field mapping WHS items and PLC status added Article code master - Quantity per pallet / pallet / layer / outer box / inner box added Article code master - Share in pallet added Confirmed demand - Exclude sales order with Business rule status Use in requirements = No   NB: Changed to new parameter field in version 10032.56.1000

10032.56.900

Feature	Introduced in version
UDF 11..15 added Criterium 5..8 added Stock export: staging table added Dedicated field mapping form added NB: for this release an upgrade procedure for Azure components is needed. Details on LCS	10031.55.800

Feature	Introduced in version
Suppliers and logistics: option added buying price search trade agreements for purchase unit Fields from InventTable, EcoResProduct and InventTableModule can be mapped to UDF fields	10030.54.700

Feature	Introduced in version
Respect lead time from vendor specific order settings in planned orders	10029.53.600

Feature	Introduced in version
Suppliers data entity added: import via item code or barcode Successor is only exported when alternative product should always be used (Logistics) Optional export of GDPR data of organisations in transactions and confirmed demand Data reset option DYSSlim4ServicesAdmin (only for system administrators) added	10028.52.500

Feature	Introduced in version
Historical PO webservice added (Purchase order history, transfer receipt history, production receipt history) Suppliers webservice added	10027.51.400

Feature	Introduced in version
Parameter number of days transactions added Empty fields (previously not supported) added to interface tables MOQ, IOQ, EOQ, lead time from site specific order settings added	10025.49.200

Feature	Introduced in version
BOM webservice incl. main and component warehouse	feb. 2021

 

File based version (legacy only)

Feature	Introduced in version
	10032.56.1300

Feature	Introduced in version
Parameter added whether import message should return a log entry or an error (meant for batch processing)	10017.41.1100

Feature	Introduced in version
Option to skip export of aggregated demand field 8 and 30 in Stock file	10013.37.910

Feature	Introduced in version
Parameters added Use purchase, resp. cost or sales price from released product for better performance of stock export.	10012.36.900

Feature	Introduced in version
Customer name, street, zipcode removed from exports Confirmed demand and Transactions because of GDPR compliance	1005.29.802

Feature	Introduced in version
Import can now import all files from a folder and move them after importing to the archive folder Stock keeping warehouse table: field Name added to data entity Slim4 parameters: data entity created	1002.26.800

Feature	Introduced in version
Application has been upgraded to the 2019 Spring release Archive path changed. Path must be re-entered in parameters.	1000.24.701

Feature	Introduced in version
New extension point for warehouse code added in all export methods New Slim4 parameter added to remove quotes from export files	8.120.700

Feature	Introduced in version
Production planned BOM consumption added to file ConfirmedDemand Production planned finished goods added to Purchase file Production BOM consumption added to Transactions file	8.120.600

Feature	Introduced in version
Application has been upgraded to the 2018 Fall release Implemented to possibility to show on-line help Stock keeping field in Stock file did not depend on Stock keeping warehouse group line Product name has been changed into Dynamics Slim4 Integration	8.120.500

Feature	Introduced in version
Fields min selling qty, increm selling qty, purch price added to Stock file	8.015.400

Feature

Introduced in version

New parameter date format added On premise support: local file share added Negative lines on sales orders can be excluded in parameter BOM line quantity is now divided by per series if applicable Performance improvement confirmed demand Separate Slim4 parameter table, with new tab in Master planning parameters The field length of the azure user in the master planning parameters has been enlarged Application has been upgraded to the 2018 Spring release Model description and ALF License name have been changed Export file name time stamp removed, and extension can be specified in parameter Extensibility added on export and import classes

8.015.300

Feature	Introduced in version
Application has been upgraded to the 2017 Fall release	7.312.201

Feature

Introduced in version

Infolog is shown after processing a succesful import Improved error message which is given when running an export without the proper file share parameters setup ABC Code None is exported as blank and transaction field 16 can contain a separator A parent configuration key has been added on Slim4 import/export configuration key to make it possible to disable the functionality without removing the license key For stock items a subtotal record is created for the item without the size included. another record is created for the total record. Unwanted seperators for the itemname and item description are removed Stock export: support of showing variant product name Product variant Id's longer than 25 characters are skipped, info log shows the products that are skipped Stock export: is now using the price disc class to fetch the prices instead of direct statements Application has been upgraded to the 2017 July release Generation of demo data has been improved: # of products can be selected, qty's differ per product

720.780.201

Feature

Introduced in version

Additional German labels added The solution has been upgraded to Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations update 3 (november release 2016) Changed labels due to rebranding from AX to Dyanmics 365 for Operations The Generate Variant generic file has been adjusted. The product number has now a fixed structure and does not look at the nomenclature feature of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations .

710.730.200