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Warehouse Client

Overview

The merchantCENTRAL Warehouse Client is a native scanner and terminal app (.NET MAUI) for Windows and Android that lets warehouse staff handle all daily warehouse processes directly at the packing station or with the handheld scanner: goods receipt, picking, packing and shipping, returns, complaints, stock transfer, inventory count, as well as item and inventory lookups.

The app does not talk directly to the database; it communicates exclusively through a secured OData v4 API of Business Central. This API – and the entire administration in BC – is provided by the "AD merchantCENTRAL Warehouse Client" extension.

The Warehouse Client therefore consists of two components:

Component Where Who uses it Purpose
BC extension (backend) In Business Central Administrator Setup, terminals, warehouse users, license, dashboard, API for the app
MAUI client (frontend) On the device (PC/scanner) Warehouse staff Scanning, posting, packing, printing

License stays server-side

The app itself is free and license-free. Licensing is handled centrally in Business Central per tenant + module (WAREHOUSE) via the merchantCENTRAL Hub. See Licensing & Modules.

Feature Scope

The client comprises 15 modules. They are enabled individually globally (setup) and per terminal (override). The names match the tiles in the app:

Module (app tile) Function
Goods Receipt Capture purchase orders by scan and post them as a goods receipt with the vendor shipment no.
Goods Issue Verify/pack, weigh, create the shipping label – in three operating modes (see Goods Issue Mode)
Pick List Bundle multiple orders and pick them consolidated (only without BC warehouse management)
Warehouse Activity Scan and post BC inventory picks (only with BC warehouse management)
Item Lookup Query stock, bins, lots/serials, prices and item ledger entries by scan
Return Record a return against an invoice → create a credit memo or return order
Complaint Capture defects with an invoice reference and advance their status
Putaway Assign a shelf no. (item card) to items
Label Print Print item and bin labels – ZPL or PDF (BC report)
Photo Photograph documents, damages, or items and attach them to the BC document
Item Weighing Write net/gross weight to the item card, oversized-goods warning
Stock Transfer Bin ↔ bin (reclassification) and location ↔ location (transfer order)
Inventory Count Ad-hoc count and count list (cycle counting), optional blind count
Bin Put-away Work put-away documents or put away ad hoc into bins
Bin Replenishment Calculate replenishment and work the movements (directed put-away and pick only)

Two picking paths – mutually exclusive

Pick List and Warehouse Activity are mutually exclusive. The Warehouse Mode in the Setup determines which of the two is available: Order Picking (without BC WMS) ↔ BC Warehouse Picks (with WMS). The last four modules cover the bin/WMS functions – see Stock Transfer, Inventory & Bins.

Architecture

flowchart LR
  subgraph DEV["MAUI client (device)"]
    direction TB
    D1["Windows packing station<br>Android handheld"]
    D2["Scanner · Scale · Printer"]
    D1 -.- D2
  end
  subgraph BC["Business Central (Cloud)"]
    direction TB
    EXT["Warehouse extension<br>Setup · Terminals · API pages · Dashboard"]
    HUB["merchantCENTRAL Hub<br>License · Shipping · Print"]
    EXT --> HUB
  end
  DEV <==>|"OData v4 / HTTPS<br>MSAL / Microsoft Entra ID"| BC
  • Sign-in: The device signs in via Microsoft Entra ID (MSAL), the employees sign in inside the app with badge + PIN. No passwords are stored in the app or in the QR code. See Licensing & Modules.
  • Write operations: go through secured actions, each of which checks the license and the terminal module access.
  • Shipping: Shipping labels are generated via the merchantCENTRAL shipment connectors (DHL, DPD, GLS, UPS …) – the client only triggers this. See Shipping.
  • Printing: Labels go directly via ZPL/TCP to the printer; delivery notes and PDF labels as PDF (Windows only).

Prerequisites

  • [ ] merchantCENTRAL Hub (AD merchantCENTRAL ≥ 2.73.0.0) installed and set up
  • [ ] Module license – license or demo for the WAREHOUSE module
  • [ ] Microsoft BC Device license + one device Entra account per terminal; warehouse staff do not need their own Microsoft account (badge login, see Licensing)
  • [ ] Entra ID app registration (Client ID) for the device sign-in: delegated permission Dynamics 365 Business Central / user_impersonation, public client flows enabled, redirect URIs http://localhost (Windows) and msal<CLIENT-ID>://auth (Android). No client secret required.
  • [ ] Devices: Windows 10/11 (x64/arm64) or Android 7.0+ (API 24+)
  • [ ] Optional: ZPL thermal printer (Zebra), A4 printer for PDF (Windows only), TCP/IP scale, USB scanner (keyboard mode) or Zebra handheld with DataWedge
  • [ ] For shipping: at least one active merchantCENTRAL shipment connector (e.g. DHL, DPD)

Order: Hub first

The Warehouse Client's Setup Wizard can only be opened once the Hub is set up (Platform Guard). Set up the merchantCENTRAL Hub first.

How This Help Is Organized

Manuals as PDF – for printing & sharing

The complete guide is also available as a PDF – handy as a printout at the packing station or to hand to new staff. This online help is always the most current version; the PDFs reflect the state as of 2026-09-24.

For administrators (setup in Business Central)

Page Content
Setup Wizard Step-by-step through the initial configuration
Setup (Reference) Warehouse mode, goods issue mode and complete field reference of the setup page
Terminals & QR Pairing Terminals, printers, overrides, allowed shipping agents, QR pairing
Dashboard & KPIs Daily overview: KPIs, outstanding work, terminals, performance
Licensing & Modules Demo/license, terminals, device and employee sign-in
Client Installation & Updates Distribute, install, and keep the app up to date
API Reference Endpoints and actions of the Warehouse API (for integrators)

For users (operating the app)

Page Content
The App at a Glance Startup, login, pairing, main menu, operating concept
Settings & Hardware Set up scanner, scale, printer, and connection
Goods Receipt Accept and post deliveries
Goods Issue Verify, pack, weigh, create label
Picking Pick list and inventory picks
Item Lookup Query stock and item information
Returns & Complaints Process returns and defects
Stock Transfer, Inventory & Bins Stock transfer, inventory count, bin put-away, bin replenishment
Additional Tools Putaway, label print, item weighing, photo

If you run into problems

→ Troubleshooting