Quality management workflows

This article explains how to set up and use workflows to automate quality management processes.

Quality Management integrates with workflows in Business Central to automate responses to quality inspection events. Workflows can automatically run business actions when quality inspections are created, finished, or when specific conditions are met. For example, quality management workflows can:

Block and unblock lots.
Move inventory.
Create negative adjustments.

Typical quality workflow events

The following sections describe often-used workflow events and conditions.

When events

When a Quality Inspection is Created:

This event triggers automatically when inspection generation rules create new inspections.
Use the event for immediate actions, such as blocking lots when you create inspections for them.
The event is available for all inspection creation methods. For example, purchase receipts, production output, and manual creation.

When a Quality Inspection is Finished:

This event triggers when inspections are completed and finalized.
Use the event for disposal actions based on inspection results.
This event is the most popular for quality workflows.

Workflow conditions

Result code conditions:

Result code equals "PASS" for successful inspection completion.
Result code equals "FAIL" for failed inspection processing.
Result code equals "INPROGRESS" for inspections in progress.
Custom Result codes you configure.

Additional conditions:

Location codes for site-specific workflows.
Item numbers for product-specific processing.
Inspection template codes for template-specific responses.

Workflow response actions

The following sections describe the responses, or actions, that happen after an event.

Lot, serial, and package number blocking actions

Block the Lot (Serial, Package) in the Inspection:

Creates a Lot No. Information Card page with the status Blocked. The status prevents all transactions for the lot until you manually unblock it.
The standard lot blocking functionality in Business Central applies. To learn more, go to Block items or item variants from use in sales, purchasing, service, and production.

Unblock the Lot (Serial, Package) in the Inspection:

Removes lot blocking from previously blocked lots, and restores normal transaction abilities.
This action is typically used with passing inspection results.

Inventory movement actions

Move Inventory to Different Bin:

Automatically relocates inventory based on inspection results.
Uses movement worksheets, movement documents, or reclassification journals.
Supports directed put-away and pick locations.

Create Transfer Order:

Moves inventory between locations.
Useful for quarantine or rework locations.
You can configure the action for automatic or manual posting.

Create Internal Put-away:

Generates a warehouse put-away for inventory staging.
Supports quality inspection workflows in warehouse environments.

Inventory adjustment actions

Create Negative Adjustment:

Removes inventory for disposal or destructive testing.
Uses item journals or warehouse item journals.
Supports reason codes for audit trails.
Can process full lots, specific quantities, or failed quantities only.

Inspection creation actions

Create Reinspection:

Automatically generates follow-up inspections.
Useful for corrective action processes.
Can use the same or different inspection templates.

Note

Some workflows actions require that you configure journal and worksheet batches on the Quality Management Setup page:

Use Item Journal Batch for nonwarehouse location adjustments.
Use Warehouse Item Journal Batch for warehouse location adjustments.
Use Warehouse Movement Worksheet for directed put-away/pick movements.
Use Warehouse Reclass Journal Batch for warehouse reclassifications.
Use Item Reclass Journal Batch for nonwarehouse reclassifications.

When a disposition action creates multiple journal lines, for example, when the same lot exists in multiple bins, the system posts each line independently rather than as a single transaction. This means:

Lines that post successfully are committed immediately.
Lines that fail, for example, due to inventory shortages, locked records, or bin conflicts, remain in the journal for manual resolution.
The inspection status still transitions, for example, to Finished, even if some disposition lines fail. A single failing line doesn't block the entire operation.

This partial posting behavior preserves forward progress in high-volume or semi-automated environments and avoids rolling back successfully posted lines when an unrelated line fails. After a partial posting, check the relevant journal (warehouse journal or item journal) for unposted lines. These lines require manual attention before the disposition is fully complete.

Examples of workflow configuration

The following sections provide examples of how to configure different workflows.

Block a lot when an inspection fails

This sample configuration automatically quarantines lots that fail an inspection.

Workflow Name: Block Lot on Failure
When Event: When a Quality Inspection is Finished
Condition: Result equals Fail.
Response: Block the lot in the inspection.

The following are the outcomes of this example:

Failed lots are immediately blocked from all transactions.
Creates a Lot No. Information Card page for tracking.
Prevents the accidental use of nonconforming materials.

Preemptive lot blocking

These sample configurations block lots during inspections, and unblock them when they pass.

Blocking workflow:

Workflow Name: Block Lot on Inspection Creation
When Event: When a Quality Inspection is Created
Condition: None (applies to all tests)
Response: Block the lot in the inspection.

Unblocking workflow:

Workflow Name: Unblock Lot on Pass
When Event: When a Quality Inspection is Finished
Condition: Result Code equals "Pass"
Response: Unblock the lot in the inspection.

The following are the outcomes of this example:

Lots are quarantined immediately when you create an inspection.
Only passing inspections unblock lots for normal use.
Prevents the use of materials you haven't inspected.

Automatic movement between bins

This sample configuration moves failed items to the quarantine bin.

Workflow Name: Move Failed Items to Quarantine
When Event: When a Quality Inspection is Finished
Condition: Result Code equals "Fail"
Response: Move inventory to a different bin.
Details:
- Method: Reclassification Journal
- Quantity: Entire Lot
- Destination: Quarantine bin
- Post Immediately: No (requires manual review)

The following are outcomes of this example:

Failed items are automatically staged for quarantine.
Physical separation of conforming and nonconformant items.
Maintain an audit trail of disposals.

Negative adjustment for disposal

This sample configuration automatically disposes of failed or destructively inspected items.

Workflow Name: Dispose Failed Items
When Event: When a Quality Inspection is Finished
Condition: Result Code equals "Fail"
Response: Create a negative adjustment.
Details:
- Quantity: Failed quantity (or entire lot)
- Reason Code: Quality Assurance
- Post Immediately: No (review required)