Streamline Product Creation in D365 with Templates

Creating new products in any system can feel overwhelming, especially when faced with numerous fields to fill out. Fortunately, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (D365 F&O) offers a powerful feature: product templates. These templates allow users to prefill essential values, making the product creation process smoother and more efficient. In this blog, we'll delve into how to effectively utilize product templates in D365, ensuring that your product information is accurate and complete right from the start.

Why Use Product Templates?

When you're tasked with creating products, the last thing you want is to repeatedly enter the same information for each new item. This not only wastes time but also increases the risk of errors. By using product templates, you can define and save a set of characteristics that can be easily applied to new products. This ensures consistency and accuracy across your inventory.

Navigating to Product Templates in D365

To start using product templates, you'll first need to access the relevant module in D365. Here's how:

1. Navigate to the Product Information Management module.
2. Go to the Released Products page. This page lists all products that have been released under your legal entity.

In this view, you can see both released and unreleased products. Released products are only visible under their respective legal entities, while unreleased products are available for common access.

Creating a Product Template

Let’s walk through the steps to create a product template. You’ll want to identify a product that shares characteristics with the new product you're creating. Here’s how to do it:

1. Select a similar product from the list of released products.
2. In the Product Action Pane, find the New group.
3. Select Product to create a new product.
4. To create a template, look for the Apply Template option under the Maintain group.

Once you click on Create Personal Template, you can give your template a name, for example, “PK-Services” for service-related products.

Applying a Product Template

Once you've created a template, applying it to a new product is straightforward:

1. Go to the All Products and Product Master form.
2. Create a new product, specifying the product type and subtype.
3. Once you fill in the basic information, you'll need to release the product.
4. After releasing, navigate back to the Released Products form and filter to find your product.
5. Select the product and choose the Apply Template option to fill in the remaining fields.

This step ensures that essential information, like the storage dimension group and tracking dimensions, is automatically populated based on your template.

Examples of Using Product Templates

Let's consider a couple of scenarios to illustrate the application of product templates:

Example 1: Service Product

Suppose you're creating a new service called “Carpenter Service.” Here’s how to proceed:

1. Create a new product and assign it a product number.
2. Release the product to the legal entity.
3. After releasing, apply your previously created service template.
4. Check that all relevant fields, such as storage dimensions and item model groups, are correctly filled in.

Example 2: Regular Item

Next, let’s create a regular item, say “Electrical Batteries.” Follow these steps:

1. Input the product number and description.
2. Release the product.
3. Apply the product template to pre-fill the necessary fields.

By following this process, you can ensure that all key information is captured without redundant data entry.

Benefits of Using Product Templates

Utilizing product templates in D365 offers several advantages:

• Time Efficiency: Save time by reducing repetitive data entry.
• Consistency: Maintain uniformity across similar products.
• Accuracy: Minimize the risk of errors in product information.
• Flexibility: Easily customize templates as needed for different product types.

Final Thoughts

In summary, product templates in D365 are an invaluable tool for anyone involved in product management. They streamline the creation process, reduce errors, and ensure that all necessary data is captured efficiently. Whether you're a product designer, supply chain manager, or part of the sales department, leveraging this feature can significantly enhance your workflow.

So next time you're tasked with creating a new product, remember to utilize product templates to make your job easier and more efficient. Happy product creating!