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Alloy/Metal Surcharges#

With this feature, you can add alloy and other metal surcharges to sales and purchase documents in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central1. You can also use an API to see the prices that alloys and other metals needed by your company are traded at on certain exchanges.

Hinweis

Tracking exchange prices can carry additional costs beyond app licensing.

Setup#

Alloy Surcharge Setup#

To be able to use the feature:

  1. Choose the Search icon, enter Alloy Surcharge Setup, and then choose the related link.
  2. Fill in the fields as described in the following tables.

General#

Field Description
Enable in Sales Turn on this toggle if you want to use alloy surcharges in sales.
Enable in Purchasing Turn on this toggle if you want to use alloy surcharges in purchasing.
Web Service Integration Specify the API that will be used to retrieve metal prices.

None
An interface should not be used.

Metals-API
Prices are retrieved via the Metals-API.

If this option is selected, the Metals-API FastTab, as well as the Open Metals-API Web Service and Map Metals-API Surcharges actions, are unhidden on the setup page.

Metals.Dev
Prices are retrieved via the Metals.Dev API.

If this option is selected, the Metals.Dev FastTab, as well as the Open Metals.Dev Web Service and Map Metals.Dev Surcharges actions, are unhidden on the setup page.

Note
The costs incurred through the use of any such interface are not part of trade365 licensing fees.

Metals-API#

Note

This FastTab is only shown if you selected Metals-API in the Web Service Integration field.

Field Description
Metals-API URL Specify the URL for retrieving prices from an exchange.

By default, this field is filled in with the following internet address: https://metals-api.com/api/latest?access_key=
Metals-API Key Enter the key you have received for commercial use of the API.
Metals-API Base Currency Specify the base currency that will be used for retrieving prices.
Job Queue Entry Turn on this toggle if you want to create a job queue entry for the daily retrieval of alloy prices via web service integration.

You can adjust this entry later if prices should be updated, for example, in 10-minute or 60-seconds intervals (depending on what options are available to you as per your API payment plan).

Metals.Dev#

Note

This FastTab is only shown if you selected Metals.Dev in the Web Service Integration field.

Field Description
Metals.Dev URL Specify the URL for retrieving prices from an exchange.

By default, this field is filled in with the following internet address: https://api.metals.dev/v1/latest?api_key=
Metals.Dev Key Enter the key you have received for commercial use of the API.
Metals.Dev Base Currency Specify the base currency that will be used for retrieving prices.
Job Queue Entry Turn on this toggle if you want to create a job queue entry for the daily retrieval of alloy prices via web service integration.

You can adjust this entry later if prices should be updated, for example, in 10-minute or 60-seconds intervals (depending on what options are available to you as per your API payment plan).

Alloy surcharges#

To assign surcharges to individual alloys:

  1. Choose the Search icon, enter Alloy Surcharges, and then choose the related link. Alternatively, run the Surcharges function when you’re on the Alloy Surcharge Setup page.
  2. On the ribbon, choose New and then fill in the fields as described in the following table.
Field Description
Code Specify a unique code for the surcharge.
Description Specify an additional description for the surcharge.
Item Charge No. Choose a surcharge from the Item Charges page (or create one).
Unit of Measure Select the unit of measure that the surcharge will be based on. Options are:

• Gram (g)
• Kilogram (kg)
• Metric Ton (t)
• Pound (lb)
• Ounce (oz)
• Troy Ounce (oz t)
Base Price Specify a base price for the surcharge.
Procurement Costs % Specify the percentage that you want to add to the current (precious metal) price.

Exchange prices#

Besides entering a base price for an alloy, you can choose Exchange Prices on the ribbon to maintain prices for a limited period. If the web service integration is turned on, daily prices are stored on the page.

Field Description
Trading Date Specifies when the price was retrieved.
Trading Time Specifies at what time the price was retrieved.
Exchange Price Specifies the price at the date and time shown.
Unit of Measure Specifies the unit of measure that the price is shown in.

A unit that is maintained on the related Alloy Surcharge Card is automatically retrieved for this price line.
Metals-API Metal Type
Metals.Dev Metal Type
Shows in connection with the price the type of alloy surcharge mappings.

Note
You can only see this field if you selected Metals-API in the Web Service Integration field in Alloy Surcharge Setup.
Metals-API Exchange Price
Metals.Dev Exchange Price
Shows the price quoted for the specified metal.

Note
You can only see this field if you selected Metals-API in the Web Service Integration field in Alloy Surcharge Setup.
Metals-API Base Currency
Metals.Dev Base Currency
Shows in connection with the price the base currency from alloy surcharge mappings.

Note
You can only see this field if you selected Metals-API in the Web Service Integration field in Alloy Surcharge Setup.

Auto-retrieve metal prices – exchange interface#

If you want to use an interface to track the exchange prices for certain metals each day, select Metals-API or Metals.Dev in the Web Service Integration field in setup, and then enter your password credentials for the commercial use of the API on the relevant FastTab. You also need to turn on the Job Queue Entry toggle on the tab.

Map API prices to surcharges#

For metal prices to be shown, you must tie the surcharges set up in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central1 to the metals traded on an exchange.

  1. Open Alloy Surcharge Setup.
  2. On the ribbon, choose Map Metals-API or Metals.Dev Alloy Surcharges.
  3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.
Field Description
Alloy Surcharge Code Select one of the surcharge codes available in the system.
Metal Type Select the type of metal and the exchange it is traded on (as per your API).
Metal Type UOM Shows the unit of measure that this type of metal is traded in.

The price retrieved for the metal is then assigned to the relevant surcharge on the Exchange Prices page.

Assign surcharges to items#

You also need to assign the surcharges to the corresponding items set up in the app.

  1. Open an item card.
  2. If the Alloy Surcharges Exist toggle is turned off on the Item FastTab, choose Related > Item > Other > Alloy Surcharges.
  3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.
Field Description
Variant Code Specify the variant that the surcharge will be used for. If the item has no variants, this field remains empty.
Alloy Surcharge Code Assign the relevant surcharge to the selected item.
Alloy Weight Enter the weight of the alloy item per base unit of measure.

Example
An alloy surcharge for copper is assigned to item Cable. Whereas the item is specified in meters, the alloy is measured in grams. With one meter of cable containing 500 grams of copper, the weight that needs to be entered in this field is 500.
Unit of Measure Specifies the unit of measure used for the selected alloy surcharge.
Use in Purchasing Specify for the selected line if the alloy surcharge should be used in the purchasing area.

Note
This toggle takes priority over the toggle in Alloy Surcharge Setup.
Use in Sales Specify for the selected line if the alloy surcharge should be used in the sales area.

Note
This toggle takes priority over the toggle in Alloy Surcharge Setup.

Surcharges on customer cards#

To set up different alloy surcharge calculations for customers.

  1. Open a customer card.
  2. In the Alloy Surcharge Per field, select one of the options described in the following table.
Option Description
Day Use the price for the current day to calculate alloy surcharges.

Note
The system retrieves the most recent price if none can be determined for the given day. If multiple prices exist for the same day, they are averaged.
Last Week Uses last week’s average price as the basis for alloy surcharges.
Last Month Use last month’s average price as the basis for alloy surcharges.
Last 3 Months Use the last three month’s average price as the basis for alloy surcharges.

Note

The default option for all customers is Day.

Workflow#

Following setup, you can use the surcharges in sales or purchasing, or both.

  1. Create a sales or purchase document.
  2. On a document line, choose an item that you’ve specified a surcharge for. When you enter a quantity for the item, the surcharge is added to the line as specified in setup.
  3. If you change the item or delete the line, the associated surcharge lines are also deleted.

During posting, alloy surcharges are treated by the system like any other item charges.

For more information, see Assign item charges to sales and purchases - Business Central | Microsoft Learn.


  1. Microsoft, Microsoft Dynamics, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.