Most companies running 3PL platform alongside Business Central reach the same point eventually: the two systems work well independently, but connecting them is a manual job that falls on the operations team.
This article covers the integration Evozon built between 3PL platform and Business Central for a company managing international fulfillment operations: what it covers, how each flow works, and what it means for teams doing logistics day to day.
The problem with two disconnected systems
3PL platform manages the physical side of your logistics operation: fulfillment, inbound receipts, returns, and inventory at your warehouse. Business Central manages the business side: sales orders, transfers, stock records, and invoicing.
For a team processing dozens of orders per day, this is not a minor friction. It’s a structural problem, one that compounds as volume grows. And the cost isn’t just time. It’s the decisions that get made on inventory data that doesn’t reflect reality, and the invoices that sit open longer than they should.
The deeper issue is that without integration, scaling your order volume means scaling your manual workload at roughly the same rate. That’s not a process problem. It’s a ceiling.
What the integration covers
Evozon built a bi-directional integration between Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and 3PL platform that connects the two systems across all core logistics flows. All six flows below were implemented and are live in a real logistics operation.
Business Central remains the ERP and the system of record. 3PL platform handles warehouse execution. Data moves automatically between them, triggered by the right events, in the right direction, without manual intervention.
How each flow works
Sales orders: from ERP to warehouse, automatically
When a sales order is created in Business Central, it is synchronized to 3PL platform as an outbound order. The warehouse receives everything it needs to fulfill the order: customer details, delivery address, order lines, quantities, shipping instructions, directly from the ERP, without anyone re-entering it.
This is typically the highest-volume manual task in a fulfillment operation, and the one where transcription errors are most costly.
Shipment tracking: back into the ERP without chasing it
Once 3PL platform ships a parcel, the AWB or tracking number is automatically synchronized back into Business Central. Shipment information stays current in the ERP in real time, with no one needing to log into 3PL platform, look up the number, and update a record manually.
Automatic invoicing: closing the order-to-invoice loop
When 3PL platform confirms shipment and tracking information returns to Business Central, the related sales order is automatically posted and invoiced through Business Central’s batch posting configuration, without manual intervention from the operations or finance team.
This closes the order-to-invoice loop automatically. Fulfilled orders don’t sit open waiting for a human confirmation step that the integration already handles.
Transfer orders: inbound stock planned from the ERP
Transfer orders created in Business Central are synchronized to 3PL platform as inbound orders, giving the warehouse advance visibility over incoming stock. The physical receiving process and the ERP stay aligned from the moment a transfer is planned, not after the goods have already arrived.
Returns: reflected in the ERP without manual follow-up
Returns processed through 3PL platform are automatically reflected in Business Central. Stock records stay accurate, and the operations team has a clear picture of returned goods without needing to manually update the ERP after every return.
Inventory synchronization: one source of truth
Inventory data from 3PL platform is synchronized back into Business Central, allowing teams to compare warehouse stock against ERP records and surface discrepancies before they cause problems downstream.
For companies working with external warehouses, this is what keeps Business Central a reliable operational system rather than a record that lags behind reality.
What changes operationally
The impact of this integration depends on order volume, SKU count, and the frequency of inbound and return flows. Based on typical processing times across each flow, the directional numbers look like this:
These figures are directional estimates based on typical manual processing times per activity. Actual impact depends on each company’s order volume, SKU count, inbound frequency, and internal processes.
The numbers matter less than what they represent. When orders, tracking, inventory, and invoicing all move automatically, the operations team stops spending time on data transfer between systems and starts spending it on exceptions, decisions, and improvements.
The scalability dimension is equally important. Without integration, growing your order volume means growing your manual workload proportionally. With integration, the process scales without requiring additional headcount for routine data entry.
“The main value of the 3PL platform–Business Central integration was that it transformed a sensitive operational process, with many manual intervention points, into an automated, controlled, and much more predictable flow. Orders reach 3PL platform from Business Central without manual re-entry, and important fulfillment information, including order status and tracking/AWB numbers, flows back into Business Central. Based on existing Business Central settings, including batch posting, orders can then be invoiced automatically, without additional human intervention.”
Victor Dragonici · Microsoft Business Solution Architect, Evozon
Who this is relevant for
This integration is a direct fit for companies that:
- use Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central as their ERP
- work with 3PL platform for 3PL warehouse operations in the US or internationally
- manage fulfillment, inbound transfers, and returns through 3PL platform
- need AWB and tracking numbers synchronized back into Business Central automatically
- want to close the order-to-invoice loop without manual confirmation steps
- are at the point where manual sync between ERP and warehouse has become a real operational cost
It is also particularly relevant for companies that are growing and starting to feel the ceiling that manual processes create, where the answer to more orders is currently more manual work, and where that equation is becoming unsustainable.
Running 3PL platform and Business Central?
Evozon has built and delivered this integration for a real logistics operation.
If your team is managing the same challenge, get in touch at sales@evozon.com
We’ll walk you through what the integration covers and what implementation looks like for your specific flows.
FAQ
What data flows are covered by the 3PL platform and Business Central integration?
The integration covers six bi-directional flows between Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and 3PL platform. Sales orders created in Business Central are automatically synchronized to 3PL platform as outbound orders for fulfillment. Transfer orders are synchronized as inbound orders, giving the warehouse advance visibility over incoming stock. When 3PL platform ships a parcel, the AWB or tracking number is synchronized back into Business Central. Returns processed in 3PL platform are reflected in the ERP for stock reconciliation. Inventory data from 3PL platform is synchronized back into Business Central to support stock comparison and discrepancy detection. In addition, the integration supports automatic posting and invoicing of shipped orders through Business Central batch posting, without manual intervention. All six flows have been implemented and validated in a live logistics operation.
How much manual work can the 3PL platform and Business Central integration eliminate?
For a company processing between 20 and 50 orders per day, the integration can reduce an estimated 45 to 360 hours of manual operational work per month, depending on order volume, SKU count, inbound frequency, and internal processes. The largest reductions typically come from eliminating manual outbound order entry, removing the need to manually update AWB and tracking numbers in the ERP, and automating the invoicing step after shipment confirmation. These figures are directional estimates based on typical processing times per activity. The actual impact depends on each company's specific operational setup.
How can a company running 3PL platform and Business Central get this integration implemented?
Evozon is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central partner that has designed and delivered this integration for a company running international fulfillment operations through 3PL platform and Business Central. The integration is built around real logistics flows, not a generic connector, and is adapted to each company's specific operational setup. Companies interested in implementing this integration can contact Evozon directly through sales@evozon.com to discuss their requirements and understand what implementation would involve for their operation.
