Production floor operators need quick access to the right information to keep jobs moving. When reporting progress in Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O), an operator may need to confirm which components are required, whether they are available, where they are stored, or which batch or serial number is associated with them. Without that information at the terminal, workers may have to rely on printed pick lists or ask a supervisor for help.

The Material list on the production floor execution interface feature brings this information directly into the production floor execution experience. With the feature enabled, operators can access required materials for the job in front of them without leaving the terminal. In this Tip of the Month, we’ll show you how to enable the Material list and use it to give operators greater visibility into the components required for production.

Tip summary: Give operators direct access to required materials

The Material list adds a Materials button to the production floor execution interface. From there, operators can review the components required for a selected job and see important information about where those materials are located and the quantities required.

Key benefits include:

• Confirm component availability before starting a job to identify potential shortages earlier
• View warehouse, location, and batch information directly from the terminal
• See estimated, started, remaining, and released quantities for individual components
• Reduce reliance on printed material lists
• Minimize interruptions when operators need component information

For manufacturers already using production floor execution, this provides operators with additional context without requiring them to leave their existing workflow.

Tip steps: How to enable and use the Material list

The Material list requires both the feature and the appropriate production floor execution configuration to be enabled.

1. Enable the Material list feature

Navigate to Feature management and enable Material list on the production floor execution interface under the Production control module.

Before getting started, confirm that your D365 F&O environment is running a version that supports the feature.

2. Enable View materials for your configuration

Navigate to:

Production control > Setup > Manufacturing execution > Configure production floor execution

Select the production floor execution configuration you want to update. Under Report progress, set View materials to Yes.

Keep in mind that Enable adjust material is a separate setting. This means you can give operators visibility into required materials without also giving them the ability to change material consumption.

3. Open the Material list from the terminal

From Production floor execution, select the appropriate job and open Report progress.

Once configured, a Materials button will appear in the bottom toolbar. Select it to open the component information for the job.

4. Review the required materials

The Material list displays information about the components associated with the job, including:

• Product number
• Product name
• Warehouse
• Batch number
• Location

Operators can toggle between Current job and All jobs to adjust the information displayed. Selecting an individual material line also displays estimated, started, remaining, and released quantities.

Tip insights: When this tip makes the biggest impact

The Material list can be particularly useful for:

• Manufacturers already using production floor execution on shop floor terminals
• Production involving batch- or serial-tracked components where operators need to verify the correct material
• Multi-warehouse or multi-location environments where materials for a job may be staged in different locations
• Operations looking to reduce reliance on printed material information or supervisor assistance

Providing this information directly at the workstation can help operators verify what they need before production begins and stay in context as work progresses.

What to know before enabling the Material list

There are a few important considerations before rolling out this feature:

• Configuration is not global: The View materials setting applies to individual production floor execution configurations. Enable it for each configuration where operators need material visibility.
• Viewing materials is separate from consumption: The Material list provides visibility into component requirements. Registering or adjusting actual material consumption, including batch, serial, and license plate information, is handled separately.
• Check your D365 version: The feature is available beginning with version 10.0.46, so confirm that your environment supports it before configuring the option.

Don’t overlook security

Production floor execution commonly uses worker sign-in at shared shop floor terminals, making it important to consider what information each configuration exposes.

Changes to production floor execution configurations should remain limited to appropriate administrators or supervisors. Review your role-based security and configuration settings before deployment to make sure workers have the visibility they need without unnecessary administrative access.

Why this tip matters

Giving operators material information directly within production floor execution can eliminate unnecessary steps between identifying a job and understanding what is required to complete it. With the Material list enabled, workers can see what components are needed, where they are located, and relevant quantity information without leaving their workstation, helping reduce interruptions and keep production moving.

If you’d like help configuring production floor execution, improving manufacturing workflows, or identifying other ways to optimize Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, Rand Group’s D365 F&O experts are here to help. Contact our team to learn how we can help you get more value from your system. And be sure to check back next month for another D365 Finance & Operations Tip of the Month.