MESFlow 365
Shop-floor execution inside Business Central: operators, machines and a weighbridge.
MESFlow 365 is a manufacturing execution system built into Dynamics 365 Business Central. Operators start, pause and complete operations on a touch PC, machines report their own status, and every number lands on the production order. No second system to reconcile.
On the shop floor
Operator app that works offline
Keeps working when the network does not.
- Start, pause with a downtime reason, resume and complete, with good and scrap quantities, on a touch PC.
- Each action is stored first in an encrypted local database and sent to Business Central in order, with the time it really happened.
- Operators sign in with Microsoft Entra ID.
Material and output posted for you
Nothing retyped at the end of the shift.
- Record the materials an operation used.
- Output and scrap post to the capacity and item ledgers when the operation completes.
- Co-products and by-products are reported on the last operation and posted through ManufacturingFlow 365.
Downtime that explains itself
A stopped machine gives its own reason.
- Map a machine status to a downtime reason.
- The running operation is paused with that reason and the machine's own timestamp, or a supervisor is offered the pause to accept.
- When the machine runs again, the operation resumes, and the machine counter can pre-fill the good quantity.
At the machine and the gate
Machines that report for themselves
The MESFlow Machine Gateway.
- Reads status, counters and alarms from your equipment and posts them to Business Central, buffered so nothing is lost in an outage.
- Machine settings are kept in Business Central and applied without restarting the gateway.
- Protocols are commissioned per site, and new drivers can be added as plug-ins.
A weighbridge that talks to your documents
Two weighings, one ticket.
- Weigh a truck twice, in either order, and get gross, tare and net.
- Apply the net weight to a purchase, sales, return or transfer line, with several trucks feeding one line.
- Weights are taken only from a fresh, stable reading; the ticket and the gate pass print.
For the plant manager
Role center
One screen for the plant.
- Cues for running and paused operations, machines in alarm, gateways offline and rejected commands.
- A Needs Attention list, with lists that drill down to the order, item, machine or ticket behind each number.
Ten A4 reports
Documents people can hold.
- Production job card, weighbridge ticket, gate pass and weighbridge register.
- Operation activity, downtime, machine activity, machine register, co-product and by-product output, and the Needs Attention list.
How an operation flows through MESFlow 365
From the released production order to posted output and a downtime reason that explains itself.
- Operator Start the operation The operator signs in with Microsoft Entra ID and starts a routing line on the touch PC, online or offline.
- Machine Report status The gateway posts status, counters and alarms to Business Central.
- Machine Pause with a reason A stopped machine pauses the operation with its own downtime reason and timestamp, or a supervisor accepts the pause. Control point
- Operator Record materials Materials used by the operation are recorded against it.
- Operator Complete Good and scrap quantities are entered, or pre-filled from the machine counter.
- Dynamics 365 Post once Output and scrap post to the capacity and item ledgers; a retry never double-posts.
| Capability | Standard Dynamics 365 | With this ISV |
|---|---|---|
| Operator reporting | Paper travellers and an end-of-day clerk | Start, pause, resume and complete on a touch PC, offline-first, posted in order when the connection returns |
| Downtime | Not visible while the shift runs | A reason from the operator or the machine, with the machine's own timestamp |
| Machines | Read by hand | A gateway reads status, counters and alarms; protocols are commissioned per site |
| Weighbridge | Weights written down and retyped | Gross, tare and net applied to purchase, sales, return or transfer lines |
| Plant manager's view | Spreadsheets | Role center with a Needs Attention list and ten A4 reports |
| Platform | - | Business Central online, version 29, with ManufacturingFlow 365 |
Delivery and support
MESFlow 365 is implemented by Software Dynamics on Business Central online, version 29, and supported through the Client Portal under a support tier. It is currently run in a test sandbox on demo data, and each machine driver is commissioned and tested on your equipment before go-live.
Frequently asked questions
Do operators need the internet?
No. The desktop app works offline and catches up when the connection returns.
Does it replace Business Central manufacturing?
No. It works on released production orders and their routing lines.
Which Business Central version?
Business Central online, version 29.
Do I need ManufacturingFlow 365?
MESFlow 365 uses it to post co-products and by-products, so the two are installed together.
Can I try it before I buy?
Yes. A built-in demo-data tool creates sample paint, soap, coffee, flour and milk plants in a sandbox, so a demo runs on realistic orders.
Which machine protocols are supported?
OPC UA, Modbus TCP and RTU, MQTT, Sparkplug B, EtherNet/IP, Siemens S7, MTConnect, HTTP, serial lines and file drops. Drivers are commissioned per site and tested on your equipment first.
Is it available in other languages?
The app is in English.
How do we start?
With a 45-minute consultation, then a discovery and fit-gap workshop on your own processes. You receive a written fit-gap and a phased plan before a programme is agreed.