Mobility in the warehouse - Microsoft Dynamics 365
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Mobility in the
warehouse
This document describes how Microsoft
Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations,
Enterprise edition, facilitates handheld mobile
computers in the warehouse.
White paper
August 2017
Markus Fogelberg
Send feedback.
Learn more about Finance and Operations.
Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Enterprise editionContents
Introduction to the hardware landscape 3
Microsoft support lifecycle 3
The move to the cloud 4
Tested handheld computers 5
Comparison of the Warehousing app and WMDP 6
Mobility in the warehouse 2Mobility in the warehouse
This document describes market trends in the mobility area of logistics and distribution, and explains how these
trends are supported by products that Microsoft offers. The document will be of particular interest to business
decision makers who must make investment choices about the technology and hardware that their organization uses
in its distribution processes, and to partners who implement the software.
Introduction to the hardware landscape
The management of warehouse operations changes rapidly, based on customer expectations. Speed is now more
important than ever, because rapid inventory turns are required in order to keep up with shortened lead times.
Handheld mobile computers are a great tool in the warehouse, because they can help facilitate the capture and
control of barcodes, and can also facilitate real-time updates of inventory in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and
Operations, Enterprise edition.
For decades, Microsoft Windows CE and Microsoft Windows Embedded Handheld have been the de facto operating
systems for rugged warehouse devices. Microsoft Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 was released in 2010 and
quickly became the leading operating system for enterprise mobile devices. Some of the reasons for its popularity
were that it offered a range of capabilities that enterprises want from an embedded operating system, and vendors
offered a wide range of devices. In addition, there was a large development community, a compelling set of
development tools and libraries was available from Microsoft, and multiple mobile device management (MDM)
solutions were available.
Ten years of support from Microsoft enabled the Windows Embedded Handheld operating system to provide greater
stability than, for example, the consumer versions of Android and iOS. At the time, these other operating systems
changed drastically as yearly updates were released to satisfy consumer demand for the latest technology and
features.
Microsoft support lifecycle
As the following table shows, Microsoft will soon end support for the Windows Embedded operating system family.
Therefore, it’s time to start to plan the move to other operating systems and to start to replace handhelds.
Released product Lifecycle start date Mainstream support end Extended support end
date date
Windows Embedded CE 6.0 November 30, 2006 April 9, 2013 April 10, 2018
Windows Embedded December 17, 2010 January 13, 2015 January 14, 2020
Handheld 6.5
Mobility in the warehouse 3If you use an unsupported operating system, you must rely on vendors of hardware or other specialized resources.
Therefore, there is a risk that these resources might be hard to obtain. Because of the popularity of the embedded
handheld operating systems and the applications that support them, many devices that are sold, from a wide range
of manufacturers, still use these operating systems. The two largest hardware manufacturers in this space, Zebra and
Honeywell, have started to move away from Windows CE in the latest iteration of their devices. New devices will
include either Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise or Android. For more information, see the following documents:
● Strategic Insights into Selecting the Operating System that Best Meets Your Long-Term Business Vision
(Honeywell)
● Workforce Mobility Solutions (Zebra)
The main reasons why manufacturers have started to move toward new devices are that Android and other
touchscreen operating systems are dominating the mobile phone market, workers already know how to use intuitive
touchscreens, and the openness of today’s operating systems makes it easier to find developers and create secure
enterprise solutions. The more familiar the operating system is to users, the faster they will learn the capabilities of
the new devices. It can take a significant amount of time to train new users in an unfriendly interface. Therefore, if
users are already familiar with the core use of a device, less training we be required for the basics.
The move to the cloud
For a long time, the Warehouse management module in Finance and Operations has supported mobile devices
through the Warehouse Mobile Devices Portal (WMDP). The portal is intended to be installed on an on-premises
server in the warehouse. Warehouse tasks are then performed by using handheld devices that access a locally hosted
website. The website is routed through WMDP, which then connects to Finance and Operations. The benefit of this
model is that the solution isn’t restricted to a specific operating system. Any device that is connected to the local
network can access the portal through a web browser.
Because this solution was developed for compatibility, it uses Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) 4, which is an old
protocol for generating websites. The user interface (UI) of the website that is generated from WMDP uses Cascading
Style Sheets (CSS), so that the look and feel of the UI are very static. Therefore, you must carefully consider the
resolution of the devices that are used, because the UI can’t be automatically scaled to fit the screen layout. In
addition, the look and feel of the UI are much more limited than UIs that you generally see on today’s websites.
The spread of smartphones and touchscreen devices has shaped the expectations that users now have about how
they will interact with mobile devices, and WMDP has become outdated. A new generation of users will feel more
comfortable with smartphone UIs than the UIs of conventional warehouse applications.
In the Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations – Warehousing app, Microsoft introduces a completely
new user experience that is adapted to modern devices. This app offers an opportunity to efficiently use screen real
estate and resolution to their fullest extent without being limited to the HTML 4 standard. The design is fluid and
adapted for touchscreen use. For example, the UI has large buttons that are easy to tap.
Mobility in the warehouse 4Because it’s a native application the Warehousing app enables deeper integrations with devices. Therefore, features
such as the camera’s camera, storage, or global positioning system (GPS) capabilities, can be used. In addition,
because the app does the rendering natively, extra infrastructure isn’t required in order to host a web service
component such as WMDP.
Tested handheld computers
During development, there was a focus on making sure that the Warehousing app would work well with the next
generation of handheld computers that are emerging from hardware vendors such as Zebra and Honeywell. These
vendors have also helped test that the app works well with devices that are built to be used in warehouse settings.
This testing has found that the app works well with the devices in the following table, with regards to screen size,
scanning wedge, and operating system support.
Manufacturer Model Operating system Display size
Honeywell Dolphin CT-50 Windows 10 IoT ME 4.7" (1280 × 720)
Dolphin CT-50 Android 4.4.4 4.7" (1280 × 720)
Dolphin 75E Windows 10 IoT ME 4.3" (480 × 800)
Zebra TC8000 Android 4.4.3 (KitKat) 4.0" (800 × 480)
WT6000 Android 5.1 (Lollipop) 3.2" (800 × 480)
Because WMDP was made for an on-premises enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, it communicates with
Dynamics 365 in every interaction that occurs. Therefore, when Finance and Operations moved to the cloud, WMDP
remained a standalone component that customers must install outside the managed cloud. Customers that don’t
already use the WMDP portal model to run their warehouse must bear extra infrastructure costs to maintain the
standalone WMDP server. During implementation, these customers, must also spend extra time for performance
testing and server load balancing, and to maintain emergency backups to help guarantee uptime.
The fact that the standalone WMDP server is an external component that is managed by the customer complicates
support issues, because the Microsoft Dynamics Service Engineering (DSE) team can’t access the component via the
cloud for debugging purposes. In these cases, customers require in-house knowledge or an available partner when
issues that involve WMDP arise. Customers and partners must also maintain CSS files for every device type that they
use in the warehouse, and they must use CSS and HTML 4 to adjust the look to fit different screen sizes.
The move to an app-based approach is a natural step forward, because modern devices use operating systems that
are created for apps and touch-based use. The interaction model that uses the app is refined on an ongoing basis to
fit these devices, and the productivity of warehouse workers is always the main goal. Additionally, by moving to
warehouse devices that can use Microsoft PowerApps, the Common Data Service (CDS), and other Dynamics 365
applications, you help prepare your organization for the future of mobility.
Mobility in the warehouse 5Comparison of the Warehousing app and WMDP
The following table shows a comparison between WMDP and the app-based approach.
Approach Pros Cons
Warehousing app Modern UI: No modification of the UI:
● Touch ● The app isn’t open source.
● Focused input
● Easier on-boarding
Responsive UI: Devices that run either Windows 10 or
● Portrait/landscape Android are required.
● Tablet, and so on
Pictures:
● Item pictures
● Logo pictures
Uniform architecture via Dynamics 365:
● A separate Internet Information
Services (IIS) server isn’t required.
Part of the future roadmap:
● Barcode scanning by using a camera
● Picture capture
● Signatures
● Optical character recognition (OCR)
scanning
● Buffer scans
● GPS integration
Other apps can be used on the same
device:
● PowerApps
● Unified operations app
Mobility in the warehouse 6Approach Pros Cons
WMDP Any device that uses HTML 4 can be used, UI:
even Windows CE devices. ● Hard to read.
● Not scalable.
● Scrolling is difficult.
● Different devices require different CSS
stylesheets and JavaScript settings.
Proven functionality in previous Microsoft Separate IIS server:
Dynamics versions ● Cost of hosting
● Maintenance
● Server load balancing
● Performance testing
● Emergency backup
● Difficulty of debugging issues
Technology is restricted:
● No pictures are possible.
● UI customization uses CSS files and is
troublesome.
● Non-responsive UI.
● Signatures can’t be captured.
Although the Warehousing app restricts the choice of a device operating system, it opens the possibility for a more
diverse device ecosystem. The app reduces the amount of maintenance that must be done for devices that have
different display sizes, because it scales and adjusts the UI to fit the screen. It enables companies to use new device
categories and even a new approach to efficient interaction with mobile devices. In short, the Warehousing app is an
opportunity to start the digital transformation in the warehouse.
Mobility in the warehouse 7Send feedback. © 2017 Microsoft Corporation. All rights
reserved.
Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated, adaptable business
management solutions that enables you and your people to make This document is provided “as-is.”
business decisions with greater confidence. Microsoft Dynamics works Information and views expressed in this
like and with familiar Microsoft software, automating and streamlining document, including URL and other
financial, customer relationship, and supply chain processes in a way Internet Web site references, may
that helps you drive business success. change without notice. You bear the risk
of using it.
United States and Canada toll-free: (888) 477-7989
Some examples are for illustration only
Worldwide: (1) (701) 281-6500
and are fictitious. No real association is
www.microsoft.com/dynamics intended or inferred.
This document does not provide you
with any legal rights to any intellectual
property in any Microsoft product. You
may copy and use this document for
your internal, reference purposes.You can also read
