Foodware powered by Dynamics 365 Business Central – by Benny Dor

1. Production batch sizes app. Wasnt on the roadmap but team decided to pursue it as this is significant to customers
2. Shop Floor Control Production app – why didnt they just use the standard ERP functionality for this? They developed an app because they wanted something elegant and simple. instead of including all fields, this filters out all the noise and pushes out data the customer needs to  see.
3. Warehouse scanning app – added functionality to an existing app to make it specific to the food industry.
4.  There are more apps that have been developed – maybe link to an app page?
5. The apps will be available in AppSource for customers soon. Work instructions will be included for users to have follow to set up the apps and test which apps are applicable to them

From Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central

A summary of the benefits and functionality of Dynamics 365 Business Central

My Business View

• KPIs
  • Cash Available
  • Sales Profitability
  • Net Income
  • Inventory Value

Artificial Intelligence

• Machine Learning
  • Cash Flow Forecast
  • Inventory Forecast
  • Late payment prediction (planned)

Insights to Actions

• Overdue Invoices
• Invoices Due
• Vendor Payments Due or Past Due
• Customer Balance
• List Views (Smart Lists)

Office and Mobility

• BC App for Phone / Tablet
• View Data in Outlook
• View in Excel
• Invite Outside Accountant

Power Platform

• Power BI
  • Mini Trial Balance
  • Cash Cycle
  • General Ledger Entries List
  • Customers List
  • Vendors List
• Flow
  • Read and Notification Scenarios
• PowerApps
  • Create Any Mobile or Browser App to Read BC or GP Extension Tables

How can customers use the Power Platform? Power Platform can be used by customers that dont need specific ERP functionality but have specific processes that are outside the ERP – for example, document management, quality assurance, creation of new items in a company are supported by PowerApps, Power Platform. Some processes and communication could be managed by Office 365 apps, Sharepoint, Teams, etc. The best way to benefit from the D365 business central is to embrace all aspects of the integrated apps. The Power Platform consists of Microsoft Flow, PowerApps, and Power BI which allows Foodware 365 to add customizations for a company without interfering with the main ERP code.

Migration path from NAV to BC with Foodware 365

There are several paths available. Foodware 365 has started with 3 things:

• reinventing the shop floor control and quality control which has been redesigned which is available for Foodware 365 On-Premise and the SaaS solution.
• The DXF (Data Exchange Framework) which is a completely new framework for EDI purposes. There are a lot of customers that need the ability to interact with their retailers and their software solutions.

2 solutions for migration path – Business Central on-prem contains all functionality that was available in Foodware and NAV. Working towards Foodware SaaS, currently not all functionality is available, but Foodware is working in waves to ensure the functionality is developed and optimized.

Customers operating on NAV can upgrade to BC and Foodware 365 with ease. For the on-prem version customers can do a standard license upgrade as they have done in the past. Upgrading to SaaS will be supported by migration tools for customers to ease the transition into the cloud.

Functionality comparison:

main thing is foodware didnt try add on to BC they developed apps and solutions around the system to integrate with it. They developed solutions and extensions around quality check, non conformances (customer complaints) and scanning can be used with mobile devices to increase productivity in the warehouse.

This month, we’re focusing on climate change at Foodware 365. A subject that has been in the news for years now, and rightly so. The consequences of climate change are enormous. To name just a few: more flooding, shortages of food and drinking water, acidification of the oceans, and reduction of biodiversity. All these consequences have a great impact on the production and trading companies in the food industry. Global warming cannot be stopped, but it will go a lot slower if less CO2 is emitted worldwide. Something we all have to work on.

Facts & Figures

To start, some facts and figures about climate change and the food industry. Rising temperatures are predicted to reduce catches to the world’s best-known fish species by 40%. A lot of food is still thrown away, which generates around 8% of the annual greenhouse gas emissions. Also, food production has increased by 60% to keep up with the growth of the population, and climate change seriously puts this at risk. The global temperature is expected to rise by 4 degrees by 2100 if we don’t reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Enough disturbing numbers we would say.

The effects of climate change on food production

The impact of climate change on food production is significant. For example, a 4-degree increase in temperature could lead to a 50% reduction in crop yields. Many farmers highly depend on the predictable weather forecasts, to which they have adapted their agriculture. Climate change is changing precipitation patterns all over the world, making this increasingly difficult. Global warming also leads to warmer oceans, which then leads to migrating fish and shellfish, in search of cold water. This, of course, affects fishers, who have to choose between following the fish or fishing for other species. Warming and acidification of the ocean also increase the risk of disease in marine animals, such as oysters and salmon.

What to do as a food company?

In addition to consumers, it is also up to companies to combat climate change. Especially when looking at the significant consequences that climate change can have on the food industry, it’s a logical (and much needed) step that you, as a food company have to take. But what can you do as a food company to prevent global warming as much as possible?

1. Increasing your energy efficiency: Many companies use more fuel and produce more greenhouse gasses than necessary. By optimizing your business processes, this often can be reduced significantly. Besides, you also save money by doing this. Killing two birds with one stone.
2. Transition to renewable and cleaner sources: Companies can switch their energy sources to cleaner alternatives, like wind or solar energy.
3. Recycle as much as possible: By recycling instead of throwing away, you can reduce your ecological footprint considerably.
4. Check your waste: What still needs to be thrown away, needs to have a strict waste policy. Much waste contains toxic materials, which emit greenhouse gases. Waste neutralization and composting is an efficient way to reduce toxic waste.

It might seem pointless when it’s just your food company taking these steps, but every small step counts. Every consumer and company can have added value in this changing climate. With the use of a software solution like Foodware 365, various challenges can easily be tackled.

www,allonline365.com

Resource Credit | Foodware 365 

Over the last 30 years, factors such as global population growth, shifting demographics, and continual change in consumer demands have fundamentally transformed the food industry. Sadly, with the degrading impact on natural resources and the climate. As the worlds largest industry, food is currently creating an imbalance by taking up more resources than it’s creating. In order to transform this system into a more sustainable and modern approach, the way how food is grown and produced needs to change, However, this system by itself is incredibly complex and also interlinked with other industries such as health, production, energy, and climate. The required resources to sustain the food industry are vast: 50% of the planet’s habitable land and 70% of freshwater demand is taken up by agriculture.

This is where the principle of the circular economy comes into play, where all resources must be used and managed effectively and waste production is kept to a minimum.

How can the principle of a circular economy help the food industry to become more sustainable?

1. Design & market new products

A circular economy is relying on industries being proactive and regenerative in structure while carrying out system-wide innovations. Essentially, for the food industry, it should aim to redefine products and services in a way that focuses on reducing waste and minimizes the negative impact on the environment. Radical innovation will play an important role in building entirely different designs, from process to materials, such as artificial protein and 3D food printing. These R&D projects are already taking place across the globe, indicating the food industry is shifting its design to effectively use, re-use and recycle its resources.

2. Change production to fit a sustainable model

Food production is a cross-sector activity. Businesses need to collaborate and coordinate across all different sectors to reduce waste, greenhouse effects, and fossil fuel use. The current production model that is being used to produce and distribute most of our food is not using current resources effectively and consequently creates a number of problems like waste. The industrialization of food has increased worldwide food production, but this came at a price.  The food industry should embrace circular characteristics such as establishing shorter supply chains between the farmers and retailers or even consumers. This is to reduce waste associated with transport and increase local urban resilience in food production.

3. Profit from smart distribution

The global food distribution network is huge, with established long value chains of stakeholders. Food distributors can offer products that could be simply re-used, -cycled, but with a shorter shelf-life. By separating supply chain distributions into two streams, agricultural and urban, the distribution circle can be shortened to maximize efficiency.

4. Consumer choice impacting circular economy

By making more conscious food choices, the consumer can help steer towards a circular economy. Through a change in consumer behaviour, consumers can have a strong impact on the food industry. Consumers are already starting to impact and create a new supply-demand model that shifts to a more food-conscious one. This can also lead to the acceptance of new food production technologies that are more environmentally friendly.

5. Availability of re-usable products

Food producers are responsible to create a model that enables for optimally re-usability of their products or excess products as a result of the production process. Processes such as packaging can be adjusted to allow either a limitation of excess waste or material used or alternatively, the re-usability of the packaging can be considered and optimized.

6. Recycling agricultural and food waste

Recycling is another important driver for the circular economy. A well-established, cost-efficient recycling process turns all waste materials into reusable goods. For example, starch can be produced from wastewater, orange peels can be used for brewers, stale bread for fermentation, and also glass, cardboard and PET recycling are just a few of the possibilities within the immense potential of recycling in the food industry and the impact on the environment.

7. Preventing food losses with actionable results

Waste prevention is valued more highly than using energy from waste. There are a lot of initiatives being done in essence, none of them contribute to the fight against waste but these seldom just treat the symptoms without actionable results. There is a serious need for mapping the results of food waste and to create actionable plans on how to prevent these from happening, in the long term. Clearer insights in for example quality management and food tracing & tracking can effectively prevent food wastage and help environmentally friendly options.

8. Raise more awareness towards a circular economy

By 2050, the Dutch government is planning to switch to a fully circular economy. In order to achieve this, several ministries will need to cooperate. With the food industry covering multiple supply chains, the awareness of this new economical method will impact stakeholders at all levels. The situation of the planet’s environment makes an incredibly strong case for change and to realize this vision at full scale. It is very likely similar initiatives will be set in motion across different national governments, forcing the local food businesses to adapt as well.

www.allonline365.com

Resource Credit | Foodware 365