Most distributors use several carriers: a pallet network, one or two express parcel services, perhaps a specialist for hazardous or temperature-controlled goods. Each comes with its own booking system, label format and tracking portal.
Managing them separately fragments despatch. Data is re-entered for each carrier, tracking is scattered across portals and answering "what shipped to whom, and when?" means checking several systems.
Integrating your carriers with Dynamics 365 Business Central brings all of that into one place, connected to your enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Whichever carrier you use, the ERP records the outcome.
The Cost of Disconnected Carrier Management
The most obvious cost is time. Staff log into carrier portals, retype addresses and order details, print labels and then copy tracking numbers back into the ERP. Across hundreds of shipments a day, that adds up to significant labour cost.
The less visible cost is error. Every time data is re-keyed, there is a chance of a wrong postcode, an incorrect weight or the wrong service level. The results are failed deliveries, surcharges for incorrect weight declarations and customer service problems when parcels arrive late or go missing.
How Multi-Carrier Integration Works with Business Central
Business Central connects to your carriers through their own APIs or, more often, through a multi-carrier shipping platform that already links to many of them. Despatch starts inside Business Central when an order is ready, not in a separate portal.
Address and order data passes automatically
The delivery address, order lines, weight, dimensions, service level and any special handling instructions pass to the carrier system without being retyped. The despatch operative confirms the shipment, and the system handles the rest.
Labels are generated and tracking numbers captured
The carrier system generates the label and returns a tracking number, which is recorded against the sales order automatically. The label prints at the despatch bench. There is no separate login, no extra screen and no manual tracking entry.
Tracking status updates in Business Central
Status updates from the carrier network flow back into Business Central. Customer service can check where a parcel is from the ERP without opening a carrier portal, and delivery confirmation is recorded automatically.
Carrier selection rules applied automatically
Rules you configure choose the carrier based on weight, destination, service level and cost. A next-day parcel to mainland UK goes with one carrier, a pallet to Scotland with another and international shipments with an international service. Operatives no longer make the choice by hand, so the rules are applied the same way every time.
Carrier Cost Visibility
Once carrier spend flows through the ERP, you can report on it. Power BI connected to Business Central can show carrier spend by carrier, route, customer and service level over any period.
That supports better carrier negotiations, and shows where carrier costs are out of proportion to the revenue from particular customers or routes.
Implementation
The right approach depends on which carriers you use, how many shipments you send and how complex your carrier selection rules are. Some address checks and weight calculations can happen within the integrated flow, depending on the shipping platform you choose.
Advantage designs and delivers carrier integrations that fit your Dynamics 365 Business Central environment and the carriers you rely on. See our implementation services or talk to us about your current carrier setup.
Talk to Our Logistics Team
If your despatch team still books carriers by hand across separate portals, or tracking sits outside your ERP, we can show you what integration looks like in practice.
Contact Advantage today or call 020 3004 4600.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is multi-carrier shipping integration?
It connects your ERP to several carriers, so bookings, labels, tracking and status updates all happen from one interface. The ERP stays the system of record for every shipment.
Which carriers can integrate with Business Central?
Business Central connects to carriers through their APIs, either directly or via a multi-carrier shipping platform. Those platforms typically support the major UK carriers, including DPD, DHL, Royal Mail, Evri, UPS and FedEx. Exact coverage depends on the platform you choose.
How does carrier integration reduce shipping errors?
It removes manual re-entry, which is the main source of shipping errors. Depending on the platform, address checks, postcode lookups and weight calculations can also run within the integrated flow.
Can Business Central automatically select the best carrier?
Yes, with configuration. Rules based on weight, postcode, service level and cost are applied to each shipment, so nobody has to make the choice by hand.
