Business Central Production Order Status Reference
A production order in Business Central moves through five statuses, and what you can post or plan depends entirely on which one the order is in. This reference keeps the statuses, status actions and flushing methods in one searchable table so planners, controllers and consultants stop guessing.
| Group | Status or term | What it means | Posting and planning effect |
|---|---|---|---|
Status | Simulated | What-if order used to test routing, BOM and cost. | No inventory posting and no supply for planning. Cannot be reserved against demand. |
Status | Planned | Proposed order, typically created from the planning worksheet or manually. | Counts as supply for planning, can be changed or replanned. No consumption or output posting. |
Status | Firm Planned | Order confirmed in plan; the planning system will not change it automatically. | Treated as firm supply. Production journals are not available yet. |
Status | Released | Order released to the shop floor. | Consumption, output and capacity can be posted. Component picks and put-aways can be created. |
Status | Finished | Order closed after output is complete. | No more posting. Costs are finalized when inventory is adjusted (Adjust Cost - Item Entries). |
Action | Change Status | Moves an order to the next status and creates a new order number if the number series differs. | Moving to Finished checks that quantities and components are posted as expected. |
Action | Refresh Production Order | Recalculates routing, lines and components from the BOM and routing. | Run after changing quantities or dates; options let you control lines, routing and components. |
Action | Replan Production Order | Rebuilds the order for a changed demand or due date for Planned and Firm Planned orders. | Not intended for Released orders. |
Flushing | Manual | Components are consumed by posting a production journal by hand. | Full control, highest effort. |
Flushing | Forward | Components are consumed automatically when the order is released. | Consumption posts at release, whatever is later produced. |
Flushing | Backward | Components are consumed automatically when the order is finished. | Consumption posts at finish based on output. |
Flushing | Pick + Forward | Consumption follows warehouse picks, then flushes when released. | Used with warehouse picks in directed warehouse setups. |
Flushing | Pick + Backward | Consumption follows warehouse picks, then flushes backward at finish. | Remaining quantity flushes when the order is finished. |
Related | Production BOM | Certified bill of materials that drives component lines. | Must be certified before use on an order. |
Related | Routing | Operations, work centers and times for the order. | Capacity ledger entries are created when output is posted. |
Behaviour can vary with your version and with warehouse setup such as directed put-away and pick. Verify against your own environment and Microsoft documentation before relying on posting rules for audits.
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How to use the reference
Type a term in the search box, for example Released or Backward, to filter rows. The Group column separates statuses, the actions used to move or refresh orders, and the flushing methods that decide when components are consumed. Export the table to Excel or PDF to include it in training material or a work instruction.
The status lifecycle
Orders start as Simulated, Planned or Firm Planned depending on how they are created, become Released when work starts, and end as Finished. Simulated orders are for costing only. Planned and Firm Planned orders are visible to planning, and a Firm Planned order is protected from automatic changes by the planning worksheet. Posting of consumption and output only becomes available at Released. Finished is final, so confirm quantities first.
- Simulated: what-if, no supply
- Planned and Firm Planned: supply, no posting
- Released: posting allowed
- Finished: closed, costs finalized by cost adjustment
Choosing a flushing method
Flushing is set on the item or the routing line. Manual suits expensive or variable components where operators record actual usage. Forward and Backward automate consumption at release or at finish, which reduces journal work for low-value or bulk components such as screws. Pick based methods tie consumption to warehouse activity. Mixed methods in one BOM are normal, but make sure the stock accuracy matches the point where it is consumed.
Common mistakes
Finishing an order before all output and scrap is posted, relying on Backward flushing with inaccurate output, and leaving Firm Planned orders in the system long after they are stale are the frequent issues. Also remember cost values are not final until the cost adjustment batch runs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the production order statuses in Business Central?
There are five: Simulated, Planned, Firm Planned, Released and Finished. Each controls whether the order counts as supply and whether consumption and output can be posted.
What is the difference between Planned and Firm Planned?
Both are supply in planning and neither allows posting. A Firm Planned order is protected from automatic changes by the planning worksheet, so planners must change it deliberately.
Can I post consumption on a Firm Planned order?
No. Production journals and warehouse picks are for Released orders. Change the status to Released first, then post consumption, output and capacity.
When do finished order costs become final?
After the order is finished and the cost adjustment process runs for the items involved. Until then actual costs may still be adjusted by later entries.
If production orders, costing or planning in Business Central are not behaving as expected, Netray and our partners can help analyse the setup.
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