The App at a Glance
This page explains how to get started with the merchantCENTRAL Lager device app (Warehouse Client): pairing, sign-in, the main menu and the consistent operating concept. Installation is described in Client Installation & Updates.
The device app runs in German
The client's interface is German. Buttons and fields are quoted below as they appear on the device, with the English meaning next to them where helpful.
First Start & Pairing
On first start, the app is not yet connected to Business Central. The fastest way to pair the device is via QR code:
- Open the app → tap the gear icon (⚙ settings) at the bottom right.
- Tap QR-Code scannen (scan QR code) and capture the terminal QR code provided by the administrator – e.g. from the setup sheet. If the device has no camera (Windows PC), save the QR code as an image and choose QR-Code aus Bild laden (load QR code from image).
- The app automatically applies: tenant, Entra client ID, environment, company, terminal, location, and the label printer's IP address and port.
- Tap Gerät anmelden (sign in device) once and sign in with the device account the administrator gives you.
Alternatively, all values can be entered manually in the Settings.
The QR contains no password
The QR code transmits only the connection data. The device then signs in once via Gerät anmelden (Microsoft Entra ID).
Sign-In
Sign-in has two levels:
- Device – the terminal signs in once to Microsoft Entra ID with its device account (Einstellungen → Gerät anmelden). The sign-in survives app restarts; only Gerät abmelden (sign out device) ends it. Without it, the app reports "Gerät nicht angemeldet" (device not signed in).
- Employee – to work, each employee signs in with badge and PIN.
How to sign in:
- In the main menu, tap Anmelden (sign in) in the login bar below the header.
- Scan your badge – or type the code by hand.
- Enter your PIN and tap Anmelden.
The bar then shows "Angemeldet als" (signed in as) with your name, and the tiles are unlocked. This way Business Central knows who made which posting.
Shift change: At the end of the shift, tap Abmelden (sign out) in the same bar. The next employee can then sign in with their badge – the terminal stays connected to Business Central.
Sign in again after every restart
After an app restart, the employee always has to sign in again with badge and PIN. This is intended; the device sign-in is not affected.
Whether badge + PIN sign-in is mandatory is controlled by the administrator via Require User Login (Setup). Badges and PINs are managed in Business Central as warehouse users. On Android devices there is also the sign-in mode Entra-Benutzer (QR) with a personal Microsoft sign-in per employee – see Settings & Hardware.
Check connection status
The bottom left shows Verbunden (connected, green dot) or Nicht verbunden (not connected). Tap it to re-check the connection. The header displays the company name and terminal description.
Closing the App
Close the app from the main menu with the power button (⏻) at the bottom right and confirm the
prompt with Ja (yes). On Windows this is the only way – closing via the taskbar or Alt+F4
is blocked so the terminal is not shut down by accident.
Main Menu
After sign-in, the main menu shows the enabled modules as tiles – in this order. Which tiles appear depends on the global configuration and the terminal overrides.
| Tile on the device | Subtitle | Meaning | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warenausgang | Versand & Verladung | Goods issue – shipping & loading | Goods Issue |
| Wareneingang | Lieferungen annehmen | Goods receipt – receive deliveries | Goods Receipt |
| Artikelsuche | Scan oder Eingabe | Item lookup – scan or enter | Item Lookup |
| Kommissionierliste | Aufträge picken | Pick list – pick orders (without BC warehouse management) | Picking |
| Retoure | Annahme & Prüfung | Return – receipt & inspection | Return & Complaint |
| Reklamation | Mängel erfassen | Complaint – record defects | Return & Complaint |
| Kommissionierung | Lagerbelege bearbeiten | Warehouse activity – process inventory picks (with BC warehouse management) | Picking |
| Einlagerung | Regalnr. zuweisen | Putaway – assign a shelf number | More Tools |
| Umlagerung | Lager & Lagerplätze | Stock transfer – locations & bins | Stock Transfer, Inventory & Bins |
| Inventur | Bestände zählen | Inventory count – count stock | Stock Transfer, Inventory & Bins |
| Einlagerung WMS | Lagerplatz-Einlagerung | Bin put-away | Stock Transfer, Inventory & Bins |
| Nachschub | Lagerplätze auffüllen | Bin replenishment – refill bins | Stock Transfer, Inventory & Bins |
| Etikettendruck | Etiketten erstellen | Label print | More Tools |
| Foto | Fotos aufnehmen | Photo | More Tools |
| Verwiegung | Gewicht erfassen | Item weighing – capture weight | More Tools |
Never all 15 tiles at once
Kommissionierliste (pick list) and Kommissionierung (warehouse activity) never appear at the same time – the Warehouse Mode determines which one is active. The bin tiles (stock transfer, inventory count, bin put-away, bin replenishment) only appear when the respective module is enabled and the location is configured for it.
Badges (Counters)
Some tiles show a number of open tasks – for Warenausgang, Wareneingang, Kommissionierliste, Reklamation, Kommissionierung, Einlagerung, Umlagerung, Inventur, Einlagerung WMS and Nachschub. The counters refresh as soon as you return to the main menu and take into account the terminal's location and – for goods issue – the shipping agents allowed for the terminal.
Start directly in the right module
Via Startup Module (Setup), the app opens a fixed module directly – handy for devices with a single task.
Operating Concept
All modules follow the same pattern:
- Select – load a document/order from a list or by scan.
- Scan – capture items by barcode (EAN/GTIN or item number), serial number or bin.
- Confirm – the action is posted to Business Central immediately.
- Print – label/delivery note depending on module and setting.
Aids on every page:
- ? at the top right opens a short guide for the module.
- Zurück (back) at the top left returns to the main menu.
- Greyed-out buttons are not available yet in the current step – e.g. "Buchen" (post) as long as nothing has been captured.
- 📷 next to an input field scans with the camera. The button only appears when the scanner type is set to Kamera (camera); with a handheld or Zebra scanner, just scan.
Feedback from the app:
| You see | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green bar "✓ …" + high tone (handheld: vibration) | Success – disappears by itself after a moment |
| Red status line | Scan does not match (e.g. wrong item) – simply keep scanning correctly |
| Yellow bar "⚠ …" | A notice you can fix (e.g. no printer configured) |
| Error window + low double tone | Business Central rejected the action – read the message, close with OK |
Scanning: Depending on the device, a USB scanner (keyboard), a Zebra DataWedge scanner or the camera is used. The selection is made in the Settings; a changed scanner type only takes effect after an app restart.
Settings PIN
If the settings are protected by a PIN, the app prompts for the 4-digit Settings PIN before opening. Only the administrator knows it. After 5 failed attempts, entry is locked for 5 minutes.
Language
The device app runs in German, regardless of the device language.
Messages coming from Business Central follow the app's language, so error texts arrive in German as well – provided the extension's German language file is installed.