What's New in Business Central v26 for Manufacturers?

Microsoft’s 2025 Release Wave 1 for Business Central (Version 26) delivers major enhancements tailored to the manufacturing industry—improving production control, costing, inventory, shop floor efficiency, and AI-driven analytics. If you’re looking for higher productivity and smoother workflows in your ERP system, these updates are well worth learning about.

If you’re in the manufacturing world, get ready for some impressive changes coming your way. As someone who has specialized in ERP implementations for manufacturers, I’m thrilled to see how these updates reinforce Microsoft’s dedication to making Business Central the go-to solution for boosting visibility and efficiency on the shop floor. 

Below, you’ll find the major highlights that should have every manufacturing professional excited about what’s ahead. 

What's New in Version 26? 

From smarter scheduling to deeper AI-driven analytics, Microsoft’s 2025 Release Wave 1 (Version 26) for Business Central introduces a wealth of improvements for manufacturers. Here’s a quick rundown of the core areas: 

• Smarter, More Flexible Production Control 

• Precision in Manufacturing Costs 

• Inventory Meets Production 

• Shop Floor Efficiency and Traceability  

• Easier Data Entry and Design 

• Enhanced Analytics and AI 

• Cross-Functional Integration
  

Now let’s dive into each of these new features in even more detail. 

Smarter, More Flexible Production Control

• Reschedule Production Orders Within a Safety Lead Time Gain flexibility when adjusting production schedules, while keeping safety buffers intact. Planned for April 2025 

• Cancel Production Orders with Consumption Cancel production orders even after components have been consumed—offering more control in dynamic environments. Planned for April 2025 

• Enable Overpicking for Production Orders Flexibly issue more materials than planned to handle shortages or unexpected demand. Planned for April 2025 
  

Precision in Manufacturing Costs 

• Achieve Greater Accuracy in Manufacturing Costing Enhanced tracking for overhead, scrap, and other key variables = better visibility into your margins. Planned for April 2025 

• Use Improved Troubleshooting Options for Cost Adjustments Investigate and resolve cost discrepancies more efficiently with new diagnostic tools. Planned for April 2025
  

Inventory Meets Production 

• Handle Production Output with Warehouse Put-Aways Streamline how finished goods flow into inventory using warehouse put-away processes. Planned for April 2025 

• Omit Warehouse Pick for Manual Flushing Methods More control over warehouse picks when using manual flushing—reducing unnecessary steps. Planned for April 2025 
  

Shop Floor Efficiency and Traceability 

• Print Barcodes from Production Orders Improve tracking and scanning processes directly from the production order screen. Planned for April 2025 

• Block Items or Variants from Production Output Ensure that only approved items make it to the output stage—supporting compliance and quality. Planned for April 2025 
  

Easier Data Entry and Design 

• Edit in Excel on Output, Consumption, and Item Journals Streamline data entry and mass updates by bringing Excel to more areas of manufacturing. Planned for April 2025 

• Streamlined Product Design Tools Enhanced features to simplify BOM and item creation—cutting down engineering effort. Planned for April 2025 

• Experience Improved Usability in Manufacturing A series of user interface and workflow updates to help your teams work smarter. Planned for April 2025 
  

Enhanced Analytics and AI 

• Use Enhanced Analytics for Manufacturing Dive deeper into production KPIs, work center efficiency, and utilization with new dashboards. Planned for May 2025 Explore new Power BI tools here: aka.ms/bcManufacturingAnalytics 

• Enhanced Purchase Order Line Matching with Copilot AI assistance to reduce errors and streamline purchasing processes. Planned for April 2025 
  

Cross-Functional Integration 

• Manage Document Attachments in Manufacturing Add specs, work instructions, and drawings directly to production orders. Planned for April 2025 

• Integrate Field Service with Service Management Seamless coordination between field teams and manufacturing for service-driven companies. Planned for April 2025 

• View Item Availability in Field Service Work Orders Make sure techs know exactly what’s on hand when planning service work. Planned for April 2025 
  

Why This Matters for Manufacturers 

These updates directly impact how manufacturers: 

• Manage production orders and inventory in real-time 

• Improve cost visibility and margin accuracy 

• Connect service, production, and supply chain teams 

• Leverage analytics and AI for smarter decision-making 
  

These updates show Microsoft’s commitment to refining Business Central into a comprehensive manufacturing ERP—one that tackles real-world shop floor challenges while boosting efficiency and insight. Whether you’re aiming to streamline production orders, gain deeper cost visibility, or connect field service with inventory, there’s a feature here to help.  

Stay tuned for more release details—you never know which new enhancement might take your operations to the next level.