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Dynamics 365 Community / Forums / Customer experience | Sales, Customer Insights,... / Ship-To Codes in CRM
Customer experience | Sales, Customer Insights,...
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Ship-To Codes in CRM

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Posted on by JK-08011722-0 10
Our company has heavily used Ship To Codes in our ERP prior to our current move to Business Central and Dynamics 365 CRM. We were expecting ship-to codes to exist in dynamics CRM, but do not see them existing anywhere. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to add ship to codes to the CRM or potential work arounds?
 
Thanks
Categories:
Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Dynamics 365 Sales
  • Tom_Gioielli Profile Picture
    Tom_Gioielli 1,358 on at
    Ship-To Codes in CRM
    The only reason I would still recommend the OOB Address table is if you are planning on using any of the Out of Box quote generation features, as these allow you to select an address from the OOB table to add to the document. Using a fully custom table will make this default feature unavailable.
  • Samantha73 Profile Picture
    Samantha73 2,782 on at
    Ship-To Codes in CRM
    Your best bet is to create a custom table in CRM and sync to std address table in BC. CRM address table is not a normal table and its not worth the effort to try building a customisation around it. 
  • Suggested answer
    Daivat Vartak (v-9davar) Profile Picture
    Daivat Vartak (v-9d... 5,970 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at
    Ship-To Codes in CRM
    Hello JK-08011722-0,
     

    You've correctly identified that "Ship To Codes" as a dedicated, standardized entity don't exist out-of-the-box in Dynamics 365 Sales (the typical CRM module). This is a common difference between ERP systems like your previous one and CRM systems like Dynamics 365 Sales, which focus more on the customer relationship and sales process.

    However, you absolutely can implement a way to manage and utilize "Ship To" information within Dynamics 365 Sales to meet your business needs. Here are several suggestions, ranging in complexity and how closely they mimic the ERP concept:

    1. Using the "Address" Entities (Best Practice & Most Integrated):

    This is the most standard and recommended approach within Dynamics 365 Sales.

    • Concept: Leverage the existing Account and Contact entities' "Addresses" functionality. You can add multiple "Ship To" type addresses to each Account.

    • How it works:

      • Open an Account record.

      • Navigate to the Related tab and select Addresses.

      • Click "+ New Account Address".

      • In the address form, the Address Type field allows you to specify "Ship To".

      • You can then enter the specific address details.

      • You can mark one "Ship To" address as the Primary Ship To. 

    • Benefits:

      • Out-of-the-box functionality, no custom entities required.

      • Seamless integration with the sales process (e.g., when creating an Order or Invoice for an Account, you can select from the available "Ship To" addresses).

      • Leverages existing relationships and data structures. 

    • "Ship To Code" Workaround: You can use a dedicated field within the "Account Address" entity to store your legacy "Ship To Code" as a text identifier. This could be a new custom field you create called something like "Ship To Code (Legacy)".

      •  

    2. Creating a Custom "Ship To Address" Entity (More ERP-Like Structure):

    • Concept: Create a new custom entity specifically for managing "Ship To Addresses." This would be more akin to the dedicated table you had in your ERP.

    • How it works:

      • Create a new custom entity named "Ship To Address" (or similar).

      • Include fields for the address details (street, city, postal code, etc.).

      • Add a field for your "Ship To Code" (text or alphanumeric).

      • Create a 1:N (One-to-Many) relationship between the Account entity and your new "Ship To Address" entity. This means one Account can have multiple Ship To Addresses.

      • You can then add a subgrid of "Ship To Addresses" to the Account form. 

    • Benefits:

      • More closely mirrors the ERP structure with a dedicated entity for ship-to information.

      • Clear separation of ship-to addresses from other address types.

      • Allows for more specific attributes related to shipping if needed. 

    • Considerations:

      • Requires creating and managing a custom entity.

      • You'll need to ensure this custom entity is properly integrated into your sales process (e.g., making the "Ship To Code" or the related "Ship To Address" selectable on Orders and Invoices). This might involve customizations or Power Automate flows.

        •  

    3. Using Option Sets or Lookups within the Account/Contact Entity (Simpler for Limited Codes):

    • Concept: If you have a limited and relatively static set of "Ship To Codes," you could represent them using an Option Set or a Lookup field to another simple custom entity.

    • Option Set: Create a custom Option Set field on the Account entity called "Ship To Code." Add your predefined codes as options. The address details would then need to be managed in separate address fields or potentially populated via business rules or Power Automate based on the selected code.

    • Lookup to Custom Entity: Create a simple custom entity called "Ship To Code" with fields for the Code and the corresponding Address details. Then, add a Lookup field on the Account entity that relates to this "Ship To Code" entity.

    • Benefits (for limited codes):

      • Relatively simple to implement.

      • Provides a clear selection of predefined ship-to locations. 

    • Limitations:

      • Not ideal for a large or frequently changing list of ship-to locations.

      • Managing the address details associated with the codes can become cumbersome. 

        •  

      •  

    Workarounds and Considerations:

    • Business Rules or Power Automate: You can use Business Rules or Power Automate flows to automate actions based on the selected "Ship To Code" (regardless of which method you choose). For example, when a specific "Ship To Code" is selected, a flow could automatically populate the shipping address fields on an Order.

    • Custom Controls: For a more user-friendly selection of "Ship To" locations, you could explore using custom controls on the Account or Order forms.

    • Data Migration: When migrating your data from the ERP, you'll need to decide how to map your existing "Ship To Codes" to your chosen implementation in Dynamics 365 Sales.

      •  

    Recommendation:

    The first option, leveraging the existing "Address" entities with the "Ship To" Address Type and a custom "Ship To Code (Legacy)" field, is generally the most straightforward and best practice approach for most scenarios. It utilizes the built-in capabilities of Dynamics 365 Sales and provides seamless integration with the sales process.

    If you have a strong need for a dedicated "Ship To Code" entity and more ERP-like structure, then the second option, creating a custom "Ship To Address" entity, is a viable alternative, but it requires more configuration and customization to integrate fully.

    The third option is suitable only for a limited and static set of ship-to locations.

    Ultimately, the best solution will depend on the complexity of your "Ship To Code" usage, your integration requirements with other systems (like Business Central), and your comfort level with customization. Carefully consider your business processes and data volume when making your decision.

     
    If my answer was helpful, please click Like, and if it solved your problem, please mark it as verified to help other community members find more. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me.
     
    My response was crafted with AI assistance and tailored to provide detailed and actionable guidance for your Microsoft Dynamics 365 query.
     
    Regards,
    Daivat Vartak
  • Suggested answer
    Tom_Gioielli Profile Picture
    Tom_Gioielli 1,358 on at
    Ship-To Codes in CRM
    Accounts in Dynamics CRM do allow you to create multiple addresses, and to signify each as Ship To or some other type. It's not super obvious it is there, however.
     
     
    The above link runs through a bit how this works in Dynamics CE. Some addresses are automatically created based on address fields being populated on your Account, but you can also manually create them if needed.
     
    If this answer helped, please consider marking as verified.

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