Back to Basics: How to Ship from a Sales Order in Business Central

Shipping from a Sales Order is used when you are ready to fulfill goods or services. You can ship Items, Resources, and G/L Account lines, either partially or in full, with or without invoicing. This post reviews the steps for shipping from a sales order in Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Step 1: Open the Sales Order

• Select the search (🔍) icon
  
• Type Sales Orders
  
• Select Sales Orders from the list
  

Open the existing sales order you want to ship.

Step 2: Verify Sales Order Status

Ensure the sales order is:

• Status = Released
  
• If not released:
  • Click Release
    
  • Status will change from Open → Released
    

Only Released orders can be shipped.

Step 3: Review Shipping Details

In the Shipping and Billing section:

• Confirm Ship-to Address
  
• Review Shipment Date
  
• Validate Location Code (if applicable)
  

These fields determine where and when the shipment is posted.

Step 4: Review Sales Lines (Items / Resources / G/L)

In the Lines section, confirm each line type:

• Item → Physical goods (affects inventory)
  
• Resource → Labor/services
  
• G/L Account → Charges (freight, fees)
  

Verify:

• Quantity
  
• Unit Price
  
• Description
  

Step 5: Enter Quantities to Ship

For each line:

• Locate Qty. to Ship
  
• Enter:
  • Full quantity → full shipment
    
  • Partial quantity → partial shipment
    

System behavior:

• Defaults to remaining outstanding quantity
  
• Can be adjusted for partial shipments
  

Step 6: Check Inventory Availability (Items Only)

For Item lines only:

• Select the line
  
• Click Line → Item Availability
  

Confirm:

• Sufficient inventory exists
  
• Stock is available at the selected location
  

Step 7: Post the Shipment

Click Post and select one of the following options:

Option A: Ship

• Ships items only
  
• Does not invoice
  

• Ships items
  
• Creates and posts invoice simultaneously
  

Option B: Ship and Invoice

Recommended:

• Use Ship only if invoicing occurs later (this example below)
  
• Use Ship and Invoice for immediate billing
  

Step 8: Review Posted Shipment

After posting:

1. Go to Posted Sales Shipments
   
2. Locate the shipment
   
3. Review:
   • Quantities shipped
     
   • Posting date
     
   • Customer details
     
   • Dimensions
     

This document serves as the official audit record of shipment activity.

Step 9: Partial and Repeat Shipments

If not all quantities were shipped:

• Remaining quantities stay open on the order
  
• Repeat Steps 5–7 until fully shipped