Asset Transfer Orders

Asset Transfer Orders provide a document-based approach to transferring assets between holders, with formal workflow and permanent archived records.

Understanding Transfer Orders

When to Use Transfer Orders

✅ Use Transfer Orders for:

• Formal documented transfers - Need permanent transfer document

• Approval workflows - Release step before posting

• External transfers - Customers, vendors, external parties

• Audited movements - Compliance, traceability requirements

• Reference documentation - Link to sales orders, purchase orders

• Archived records - Keep posted document forever

❌ Use Asset Journal instead for:

• Quick ad-hoc transfers - No approval needed

• Internal corrections - Fixing data errors

• Batch movements - Multiple unrelated transfers

• Simple movements - No documentation required

Transfer Order vs Asset Journal

Feature	Transfer Order	Asset Journal
Pattern	Document (Header + Lines)	Journal (Batch + Lines)
Workflow	Open → Released → Posted	Direct posting
Approval	Release step required	No approval
Archive	Posted document preserved	Only holder entries
Document No.	Number series assigned	Batch name + line
Use Case	Formal external transfers	Quick internal transfers
Traceability	Permanent document record	Holder entries only

Transfer Order Lifecycle

Status Flow

Transfer orders go through a three-step lifecycle:

Open → Released → Posted (Archived)

Open

• Initial creation state

• Lines can be edited, added, removed

• Header fields (From/To Holder) can be changed

• Not yet committed

Released

• Approved for posting

• Lines and header locked (cannot edit)

• Ready to execute transfer

• Can be reopened if changes needed

Posted (Archived)

• Transfer executed

• Assets moved to new holder

• Original document deleted

• Posted document created (permanent archive)

• Cannot be edited or deleted

Actions by Status

Action	Open	Released	Posted
Edit Header/Lines	✅ Allowed	❌ Blocked	❌ N/A
Release	✅ Available	❌ Already released	❌ N/A
Reopen	❌ Already open	✅ Available	❌ N/A
Post	❌ Must release first	✅ Available	❌ Already posted
Delete	✅ Allowed	⚠️ Must reopen first	❌ Archived

Creating Transfer Orders

Step 1: Create New Transfer Order

1. Choose the 🔎 icon, enter Asset Transfer Orders, and choose the related link

2. Click New to create new transfer order

3. System assigns document number from number series

4. Status = Open (editable)

Step 2: Fill Header Fields

Document No. (auto-assigned)

• Assigned from number series in Asset Setup

• Example: TRANS-0001, TRANS-0002, etc.

• Read-only field

Posting Date

• Date when transfer will occur

• Used for holder entries when posted

• Defaults to work date

• Subject to validation (cannot backdate before last holder entry)

From Holder Type / Code

• Source holder - where assets currently are

• Type: Customer, Vendor, Location

• Code: Specific holder (lookup available)

• Name auto-filled from code

To Holder Type / Code

• Destination holder - where assets will go

• Type: Customer, Vendor, Location

• Code: Specific holder (lookup available)

• Name auto-filled from code

• Must be different from From Holder

Description (optional)

• Transfer purpose or reason

• Example: "Customer shipment - Order SO-12345"

External Document No. (optional)

• Customer's or vendor's document reference

• Example: Customer PO number, delivery note

Reason Code (optional)

• Business Central reason code

• Examples: SALE, RETURN, RELOCATION

Step 3: Add Transfer Lines

On the Lines section:

1. Click New or press Enter on empty line

2. Asset No. - Select asset to transfer

   • System validates:

     • Asset exists and is not blocked

     • Asset's current holder matches header's From Holder

     • Asset is not a subasset (cannot transfer children directly)

3. Asset Description - Auto-filled from asset

4. Current Holder - Auto-filled (read-only, for verification)

5. Repeat for each asset to transfer

Example Transfer Order:

Header:
Document No.: TRANS-0042
Posting Date: 2024-03-20
From Holder: Location MAIN-WH
To Holder: Customer C00001 (Contoso Ltd.)
Description: Shipment for rental contract RC-2024-03

Lines:
Line 1: Asset ASSET-0150 (Excavator CAT 320D)
Line 2: Asset ASSET-0151 (Loader CAT 950M)
Line 3: Asset ASSET-0152 (Dump Truck Volvo A40G)

Step 4: Release Transfer Order

Before posting, you must release the order:

1. Click Release action

2. System validates:

   • From Holder and To Holder are filled

   • From Holder ≠ To Holder

   • At least one line exists

   • All assets on lines are valid

   • All assets' current holder matches From Holder

3. If validation passes:

   • Status changes to Released

   • Header and lines become read-only

   • Order is ready to post

4. If validation fails:

   • Error message indicates problem

   • Fix error and try releasing again

Step 5: Post Transfer Order

Once released, you can post the transfer:

1. Click Post action

2. Confirm posting dialog

3. System executes transfer via journal pattern:

   • Validates posting date rules

   • Creates journal lines internally

   • Posts via Asset Jnl.-Post codeunit

   • Creates holder entries for all assets

   • Transfers child assets automatically

   • Updates asset Current Holder fields

   • Creates posted transfer document (archive)

   • Deletes original transfer order

4. Success message:

   "Transfer Order TRANS-0042 has been posted successfully."
   "Posted Transfer: PTRANS-0042"

5. System navigates to posted document (optional)

Transfer Order Lines

Line Fields

Line No. (auto-assigned)

• Sequential line number

• Auto-incremented (10000, 20000, 30000, etc.)

• Read-only

Asset No. (required)

• The asset being transferred

• Lookup to Asset table

• Validated against From Holder

Asset Description (read-only)

• FlowField from Asset table

• For display and verification

Current Holder Type/Code/Name (read-only)

• Shows asset's current holder

• Must match header's From Holder

• For verification before posting

Line Validation

When you enter Asset No., system validates:

Rule 1: Asset Must Exist

• Error: "Asset ASSET-9999 does not exist"

Rule 2: Asset Not Blocked

• Error: "Asset ASSET-0001 is blocked and cannot be transferred"

Rule 3: Asset Cannot Be Subasset

• Error: "Cannot transfer asset ASSET-0002 because it is a subasset. Transfer the parent asset ASSET-0001 instead."

• Reason: Children transfer automatically with parent

Rule 4: Asset Current Holder Must Match Header's From Holder

• Error: "Asset ASSET-0001 current holder (Location: EAST-WH) does not match transfer order From Holder (Location: MAIN-WH)"

• Solution: Either update header's From Holder, or select different asset

Adding Multiple Lines

Manual Entry:

• Add lines one by one

• Type or lookup Asset No. for each line

Future Enhancements:

• Bulk add from Asset list

• Copy lines from another transfer order

• Add by asset filter/criteria

Release and Reopen

Release Order

Purpose: Mark order as approved and ready to post

Action: Click Release in ribbon or action bar

Effect:

• Status changes from Open to Released

• Header fields become read-only

• Lines become read-only

• Cannot add/edit/delete lines

• Post action becomes available

When Release Fails:

Error: "From Holder and To Holder cannot be the same"
Solution: Change To Holder to different holder

Error: "Transfer order must have at least one line"
Solution: Add asset lines before releasing

Error: "Asset ASSET-0001 current holder does not match From Holder"
Solution: Update asset or fix From Holder field

Reopen Order

Purpose: Unlock released order for editing

Action: Click Reopen in ribbon

Effect:

• Status changes from Released back to Open

• Header and lines become editable

• Can modify, add, delete lines

• Must release again before posting

Use Cases:

• Realized From/To Holder was wrong

• Need to add or remove assets

• Need to change posting date

• Customer changed their mind

Posting Transfer Orders

Posting Process

When you post a released transfer order:

Step 1: Validation

• Checks order status = Released

• Validates From Holder ≠ To Holder

• Validates at least one line exists

• Validates all assets still match From Holder

• Validates posting date rules (see below)

Step 2: Journal Pattern Posting

• Creates internal journal batch "POSTING"

• Converts transfer lines to journal lines

• Calls Asset Jnl.-Post codeunit

• Inherits all journal validation rules

Step 3: Holder Entries Creation

• For each asset (including children):

  • Creates Transfer Out entry (From Holder)

  • Creates Transfer In entry (To Holder)

  • Links with Transaction No.

  • Sets Document Type = Transfer Order

  • Sets Document No. = Posted document number

Step 4: Posted Document Creation

• Creates Posted Asset Transfer header (permanent record)

• Creates Posted Asset Transfer Lines

• Copies all header and line fields

• Assigns Transaction No. for traceability

• Stores in permanent archive

Step 5: Cleanup

• Deletes original transfer order

• Updates asset Current Holder fields

• Updates Current Holder Since dates

Posting Date Validation

Same validation rules as Asset Journal apply:

Rule 1: Cannot Backdate Before Last Entry

• Error: "Posting date 2024-02-01 is before the last holder entry date 2024-02-15 for asset ASSET-0001"

• Solution: Use current date or date after last holder entry

Rule 2: Must Respect User Setup Date Range

• Error: "Posting date is outside your allowed posting date range"

• Solution: Ask admin to adjust User Setup, or use date within range

Rule 3: Validates All Children Recursively

• Error: "Cannot post transfer for asset ASSET-0001 because child asset ASSET-0002 has a later holder entry (2024-03-20)"

• Solution: Use posting date later than all children's last entries

See Asset Journal - Posting Date Validation for detailed explanation.

Automatic Child Transfer

Transfer orders automatically transfer all child assets with their parents.

How It Works

Transfer Order Lines:

• Line 1: Asset MV-001 (Main Vessel)

Asset Hierarchy:
MV-001
├─ ENG-001 (Engine)
│ └─ TC-001 (Turbocharger)
└─ PROP-001 (Propeller)

Posting Result:

• MV-001 transferred to new holder

• ENG-001 automatically transferred (child)

• TC-001 automatically transferred (grandchild)

• PROP-001 automatically transferred (child)

All 4 assets moved in one operation, but you only specified the parent (MV-001) on the transfer order.

Why Automatic Propagation?

Physical Reality: Components move with their parent assembly

Data Integrity: Prevents split assemblies (parent at one location, children at another)

User Convenience: Specify parent once instead of every component

Subasset Transfer Blocking
You cannot add a subasset (child asset) directly to a transfer order line.

Error: "Cannot transfer asset ASSET-0002 because it is a subasset. Transfer the parent asset ASSET-0001 instead."

Reason: Maintains hierarchy integrity and enforces logical transfer patterns.

Solution: Add the parent or root asset to the line instead - children will transfer automatically.

Posted Transfer Documents

Viewing Posted Transfers

1. Choose the 🔎 icon, enter Asset Posted Transfers, and choose the related link

2. View all posted (archived) transfer documents

3. Filter by date range, holder, document number, etc.

Posted Document Structure

Header Fields:

• Document No. - Posted transfer number (PTRANS-0042)

• Original Document No. - Original transfer order number (TRANS-0042)

• Posting Date - When transfer occurred

• From Holder Type/Code/Name - Source holder

• To Holder Type/Code/Name - Destination holder

• Description, External Document No., Reason Code

• Transaction No. - Links to holder entries

• User ID - Who posted the transfer

Lines:

• Asset No., Description

• Current Holder at posting time

• Line No.

• Transaction No. (links to holder entries)

Posted Document Uses

Audit Trail:

• Permanent record of transfer document

• Cannot be edited or deleted

• Supports compliance requirements

Traceability:

• Link holder entries back to source document

• Trace which transfer order created which entries

• Cross-reference with external documents

Reporting:

• Generate transfer history reports

• Analyze transfer patterns by holder

• Billing and invoicing references

Investigation:

• Research "When did this asset move?"

• Find "What was transferred on this date?"

• Verify "Who authorized this transfer?"

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Customer Rental Shipment

Scenario: Ship 3 construction machines to customer for 6-month rental

Steps:

1. Create new transfer order

2. Header:

   • Posting Date: 2024-03-15

   • From Holder: Location MAIN-YARD

   • To Holder: Customer C00025 (ABC Construction)

   • External Document No.: CUST-PO-2024-789

   • Description: "6-month rental contract RC-2024-03"

3. Lines:

   • Asset No.: ASSET-0150 (Excavator)

   • Asset No.: ASSET-0151 (Loader)

   • Asset No.: ASSET-0152 (Dump Truck)

4. Release order

5. Post order

Result: 3 assets (plus any child components) transferred to customer, posted document PTRANS-0042 archived

Use Case 2: Customer Return

Scenario: Customer returning 2 assets at end of rental period

Steps:

1. Create new transfer order

2. Header:

   • From Holder: Customer C00025

   • To Holder: Location MAIN-YARD

   • External Document No.: RETURN-2024-456

   • Description: "End of rental - contract RC-2024-03"

3. Lines:

   • Asset No.: ASSET-0150 (Excavator)

   • Asset No.: ASSET-0151 (Loader)

4. Release and post

Result: Assets returned to warehouse, complete audit trail

Use Case 3: Inter-Location Transfer

Scenario: Move 10 assets from east warehouse to west warehouse

Steps:

1. Create transfer order

2. Header:

   • From Holder: Location EAST-WH

   • To Holder: Location WEST-WH

   • Description: "Rebalancing inventory between warehouses"

3. Add 10 asset lines

4. Release and post

Result: All assets moved, documented transfer record

Use Case 4: Vendor Return for Repair

Scenario: Sending defective component back to vendor for warranty repair

Steps:

1. Create transfer order

2. Header:

   • From Holder: Location MAIN-WH

   • To Holder: Vendor V00100 (CAT Equipment)

   • External Document No.: RMA-2024-1234

   • Description: "Warranty repair - turbocharger failure"

3. Line:

   • Asset No.: TC-001 (Turbocharger)

4. Release and post

Result: Asset transferred to vendor, RMA documented

Transfer Order Best Practices

Workflow Discipline

Always Release Before Posting:

• Don't skip the release step

• Release serves as approval checkpoint

• Catches errors before commitment

Review Before Release:

• Verify From/To Holders correct

• Check all asset lines valid

• Confirm posting date appropriate

• Review description and references

Documentation

Use Description Field:

• Explain WHY transfer is occurring

• Reference related documents

• Include contract numbers, project IDs

Fill External Document No.:

• Customer PO numbers

• Vendor RMA numbers

• Delivery note numbers

• Links to external systems

Use Reason Codes:

• SALE - Sold to customer

• RENT - Rental/lease

• RETURN - Return from customer/vendor

• RELOCATE - Inter-location transfer

• REPAIR - Sent for maintenance

Error Prevention

Verify Asset Current Holder:

• Before adding asset to line, check asset's Current Holder

• Ensure it matches transfer order's From Holder

• Prevents posting failures

Check Asset Hierarchy:

• If transferring parent asset, understand children will transfer too

• Don't add both parent AND child to same transfer order

• System will transfer children automatically

Use Appropriate Posting Date:

• Use actual transfer date, not data entry date

• Ensure date is after all assets' last holder entries

• Check User Setup date range before posting

Archival and Reporting

Keep Posted Transfers:

• Never delete posted transfer documents

• They are permanent audit trail

• Supports compliance and investigations

Regular Review:

• Monthly: Review posted transfers for accuracy

• Quarterly: Analyze transfer patterns

• Annually: Audit trail verification

Link to Holder Entries:

• Use Transaction No. to link posted transfer to holder entries

• Verify holder entry Document No. references posted transfer

• Cross-check for data integrity

Integration Points

Future BC Document Integration

Transfer orders will integrate with standard Business Central documents:

Sales Orders:

• Shipment posting triggers asset transfer to customer

• Auto-create transfer order on sales shipment

• Link via Document No.

Purchase Orders:

• Receipt posting triggers asset transfer from vendor

• Auto-create transfer order on purchase receipt

• Track vendor to location movements

Transfer Orders (Inventory):

• Location-to-location transfers for inventory items

• Sync asset transfers with item transfers

• Coordinate physical movements

Phase 2 Stages 4-6
Document integration is planned for Phase 2 Stages 4, 5, and 6:

• Stage 4: Sales document integration

• Stage 5: Purchase document integration

• Stage 6: Inventory transfer integration

Currently (Stage 3.1 complete), transfer orders work standalone.

Troubleshooting

Cannot Release - "From Holder and To Holder cannot be the same"

Problem: Trying to release order where From Holder = To Holder

Solution: Change To Holder to a different holder

Why: Pointless to transfer asset to itself

Cannot Release - "Asset current holder does not match"

Problem: Asset's actual current holder doesn't match order's From Holder

Cause: Asset was moved since line was created

Solution:

1. Go to Asset Card, verify Current Holder

2. Update transfer order's From Holder to match, OR

3. Remove line and add different asset

Cannot Post - "Must release first"

Problem: Trying to post order with Status = Open

Solution: Click Release action first, then post

Why: Release step is required approval gate

Posted Transfer Not Found

Problem: After posting, cannot find posted document

Solution:

1. Go to Asset Posted Transfers list

2. Filter by Document No. = PTRANSxxxx (with "P" prefix)

3. Or filter by Posting Date

Lines Become Read-Only

Problem: Cannot edit lines after releasing

Solution: This is intentional - click Reopen to edit, then release again