How to maintain accurate product packaging data in Business Central

A supplier changes a product's packaging. Do you know when the new composition takes effect, which units it applies to, and how you will substantiate its weight? See what can be managed in Business Central.

Inspiration

We can illustrate this with an example: a company sells an LED desk lamp in a cardboard box with a plastic insert and a paper label. After six months, the supplier replaces the plastic with molded fiber. For production and purchasing, this is a packaging change. For the person preparing packaging records and calculating the related fees, it raises the question of when to start using the new weight and material, and whether units with the old packaging are still being shipped.

This is precisely why having a single figure associated with a product is not enough. The PPWR, the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, places greater emphasis on what packaging a company places on the market and how it substantiates its data. Specific obligations depend on the company's role, the packaging type, and the market. In practice, a company therefore needs to know the packaging composition, the origin of the supporting documentation, and the change history. Let's look at how to support this work in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and where the standard functionality alone falls short.

Knowing the total packaging weight of a product is not enough

For our lamp, the total packaging weight may be 268 g: 220 g for the cardboard box, 45 g for the plastic insert, and 3 g for the paper label. If a company stores only the sum, it cannot reliably determine the weight per material after the insert is changed. The breakdown must be assigned to the correct item and, where packaging differs, also to the variant, lot, or another unique identifier.

Equally important is knowing where the figures come from. Who supplied the specification? When was it received and verified? Who approved its use, and from what date is it valid? The insert weight of 45 g is a value for calculation; the supplier specification or measurement report is the supporting documentation that substantiates it. A company needs to link the two together.

The PPWR applies generally from August 12, 2026. However, this does not mean the same list of obligations applies to every company: a packaging manufacturer, a manufacturer of a packaged product, an importer, a distributor, and a producer for the purposes of extended producer responsibility (EPR) have different roles. Before determining the mandatory data and documents, verify which role you act in for the given packaging and market.

How supplier data becomes valid

The supplier sends a new specification. The product data manager checks which item it belongs to and whether it is complete. The responsible specialist verifies the material and weight; purchasing confirms which deliveries the change applies to. Finance assesses the impact on fees and reporting. Only after approval should the new values be used in operations. The division of responsibilities may vary, but the data owner and the approver must be clear.

Uploading a PDF is therefore not the completion of the change. It is necessary to retain the original supporting document, record the reason and effective date of the new version, and address inventory in the old packaging. If both types are in stock simultaneously, overwriting a single item card will not indicate which packaging was actually shipped to the customer.

What can already be used in Business Central

Business Central offers several features on which the records can be built. Each addresses a different part of the process: item identity, values for calculation, supporting documentation, or change auditing.

Item card, variants, and attributes

The item card links data to the product. Variants and their attributes can help distinguish between similar items and search for them. However, on their own, they do not govern the validity of a packaging specification. In the current standard data model, the EPR Material Composition No. field is located on the item card rather than directly on the variant. If two variants have different packaging, verify within your specific solution whether to manage them as separate items or add an extension.

Change logging and approvals

The Change Log can be configured to retain the old and new values, the user, and the timestamp for selected fields. It helps during retrospective audits, but on its own, it does not explain why the change was approved or from what date it was permitted to be used. Furthermore, logging must be configured selectively to manage record volume and system performance.

Similarly, the Certified status on a bill of materials does not automatically prove that the required approval process took place. Built-in workflows cover supported events and responses; for custom rules, Power Automate or a targeted extension may be necessary.

EPR materials and material compositions

The EPR feature, generally available starting with Business Central 2025 release wave 2, allows you to assign a BOM-like material composition to an item once materials, units of measure, and rates are configured. On its lines, you can track materials and their weights; from these, the system can calculate EPR fees on sales documents and generate transaction records. A material composition includes statuses such as New, Under Development, Certified, and Closed. This provides a useful foundation for calculations, provided the company first verifies the configuration of its specific version and localization.

However, the calculation is not the whole story. Microsoft notes that the EPR feature does not cover all documents that regulatory authorities may require. The standard material composition header contains creation and last-modified dates, rather than a valid-from/valid-to date range; furthermore, a material line is not directly linked to a specific version of a supplier document.

What happens when the packaging material changes

A supplier announces that starting November 1, it will replace the 45 g plastic insert with a 52 g molded fiber insert. The change goes beyond weight: it affects the material breakdown, fee calculations, and potentially the information the company needs to report. First, it is necessary to obtain the new specification, verify it, and determine which deliveries or lots it applies to.

In Business Central, you can prepare a new bill of materials (BOM) for the updated packaging configuration, certify it after approval, switch the reference on the item card, and close the old BOM. This is a viable operational workflow that must be tested in your specific deployment. On its own, the standard BOM header does not govern an automatic date-driven transition or the concurrent handling of two packaging types. Depending on operations, it may be necessary to distinguish inventory using a separate item, variant, or lot, or to add custom rules.

The EPR fee remains on the posted sales line; the transaction log contains, among other details, the source document and the material breakdown with respective weights. This can help during retrospective audits. However, before deployment, test whether historical data can be reliably reconstructed in your version after changes to BOMs and rates. It is therefore essential to retain old specifications and BOMs.

When to add another tool to Business Central

An information system can store the values used in sales processes and fee calculations. However, if a company manages a high volume of supporting documents, suppliers, and versions, it must decide where the data will originate, who will approve it, and how it will be transferred into the ERP.

A PIM (Product Information Management) system helps where a large number of product attributes are managed, data comes from multiple suppliers, and also needs to be distributed to an e-commerce store or other channels. PIM can serve as the source of packaging data, which is transferred to the ERP after verification. However, the specific data model and integration must be designed; the mere presence of PIMICS among Business Central extensions does not equate to a turnkey PPWR solution.

A DMS (Document Management System) helps manage specifications, versions, access permissions, and document retention periods. The ERP then holds the required values along with a link to the approved document. Integration is suitable for regular, structured data transfers. If the effective date, lot association, or specific approvals must operate directly within Business Central, targeted customization may be necessary. The choice depends on the volume of changes and the level of precision the company requires to substantiate historical states.

Start with a single item whose packaging has changed

Select an item with multiple packaging materials and a real change in supplier or packaging design. For this item, try to trace the weight of each component, its source, the relevant specification version, approval, and transition date. Then look at a past sale and try to determine which data applied at that time. It is this final step that often reveals a gap masked by the current item card.

The outcome will show whether Business Central configuration is sufficient, whether data ownership is missing, or whether a PIM, DMS, integration, or small extension is needed. Only then does it make sense to modify the records for the entire product portfolio.

FAQ / Frequently Asked Questions

Is EPR in Business Central the same as a PPWR solution?

No. The standard EPR feature records material compositions, weights, and fees, and supports their calculation on sales transactions. Microsoft explicitly states that it does not cover all documents required by certain authorities; legal roles, technical documentation, and specific reporting require separate assessment.

Can a separate packaging be maintained for each item variant?

Variants can have their own attributes, but the EPR material composition number field is located on the item card in the standard data model. If packaging differs between variants, verify the use of separate items or an extension, and do not use variant attributes as an unverified basis for calculation.

Is attaching a PDF specification to the item card enough?

For a small number of documents, this can be practical. However, an attachment on its own does not govern versioning, effective dates, mandatory approvals, or the link between a specific figure and a specific document line; for larger volumes, a DMS with a link from the ERP is more suitable.

Does the Change Log replace packaging data versioning?

No. Once configured, it shows direct changes in selected tables and fields, including the user and timestamp. However, it does not capture the business validity of a version, the reason for approval, or which packaging was physically used for inventory during a transition period.

What if the supplier announces a change retroactively?

First, separate the notification date, the declared effective date, and the period during which the new packaging was actually used. Assess the impact on records and fees based on traceable deliveries and documents; do not overwrite history without an approved corrective procedure.

Should packaging data be sourced from ERP, PIM, or DMS?

It depends on the type of information. An ERP typically holds the values required for transactions and calculations, a PIM manages extensive structured product data, and a DMS stores controlled supporting documentation. More important than relying on a single system is clear ownership of each data point and controlled synchronization.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU CAN SUBSTANTIATE AB

Describe one product and a change to its packaging to us. Together, we will review what data and supporting documentation you have in Business Central, what you can trace retrospectively, and where it is worthwhile to supplement your records.