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Receiving Customer RFQs in Faerûn: How the Waterdeep Trading Company Reviews, Prices, and Converts Requests for Quotations

Across Faerûn, serious buyers rarely begin with a direct order. Guilds preparing seasonal stock, nobles provisioning estates, and caravan masters planning long routes often ask for terms before committing coin. They send a Request for Quotation (RFQ).

For the Waterdeep Trading Company, receiving RFQs from customers is a controlled sales practice. It protects margins, confirms supply, and prevents promises that cannot be kept. This article explains the full customer RFQ lifecycle, from intake to internal review, pricing, approval, and conversion into a sales order, with a complete worked example using realistic trade data.

What a Customer RFQ Is

A customer RFQ is a formal request to Waterdeep Trading Company to provide pricing, quantities, delivery schedules, and terms for a proposed purchase. It does not reserve stock and does not create a financial obligation.

Customer RFQs are common when
Quantities are large or recurring.
Prices may vary by season or route.
Delivery is split across dates or locations.
Extra handling or markings are required.

RFQs may arrive by courier, guild scribe, sealed letter, or arcane message and are always logged before any pricing work begins.

Why Receiving RFQs Matters

Poor RFQ handling creates risk. A rushed response can underprice goods or overcommit inventory. A slow response can lose the deal.

A structured RFQ process allows the Waterdeep Trading Company to:

Confirm inventory and production capacity.
Apply correct pricing and margin rules.
Review customer credit standing.
Align sales, finance, and logistics before making promises.

The RFQ stage is where sales discipline begins.

How Customer RFQs Are Received and Logged

All incoming RFQs are recorded by the Sage Archivists in the Records Office. Each request is assigned an internal reference for tracking and auditing.

No RFQ moves forward without a complete intake record.

Internal Review and Validation

After logging, the RFQ is reviewed across inventory, finance, and logistics.

Internal checks include:

Available stock and production lead time.
Standard cost and current selling price.
Customer credit rating and limits.
Route capacity and seasonal risk.

If any check fails, the RFQ may be declined or returned with adjusted terms.

Pricing a Customer RFQ

RFQ pricing reflects more than the shelf price. It accounts for scale, effort, and risk.

An Arcane Treasurer reviews pricing before approval.

Approval and Customer Response

Large or high-value RFQs require approval before a quote is sent. Approval ensures margins and capacity remain within company rules.

Once approved, the RFQ response becomes a formal quote with:

Confirmed prices.
Delivery terms.
Payment conditions.
A validity period.

At this stage, no ledger posting occurs.

Worked Example

Customer RFQ Received by the Waterdeep Trading Company

Scenario Overview: The Baldur’s Gate Blacksmiths Guild plans a seasonal expansion serving caravan operators. They submit an RFQ for reinforced storage chests before committing funds.

RFQ as Received: This table shows the RFQ exactly as logged on receipt.

No stock is reserved at this point.

Internal Feasibility Review: The RFQ is reviewed by the planning, finance, and logistics teams.

Pricing Construction: Pricing is based on volume, handling, and transport.

Margins remain within policy.

Approval Record: Because of the deal size, approval is required.

Quote Sent to Customer: The approved RFQ response becomes a formal quote.

No ledger entries are created until acceptance.

Conversion to Order

If the customer accepts:

The quote converts to a sales order.
Inventory reservations are created.
Production is scheduled.
Revenue is posted only after delivery and invoicing.

If declined or expired, the RFQ is closed with no financial impact.

Final Thoughts

Customer RFQs protect both seller and buyer. They slow the process just enough to replace guesswork with proof. For the Waterdeep Trading Company, RFQs ensure every large sale begins with confirmed supply, fair pricing, and clear terms.

Handled correctly, an RFQ is not delayed. It is control.

Support the AD&D365 Project on Patreon. To grow this world, we’ve launched an official Patreon page where supporters can access exclusive content, tools, and training labs, and even influence the project’s future. Your support fuels more than just development; it expands the guildhall, forges new scrolls, and empowers the next generation of configuration wizards. Begin your journey: https://www.patreon.com/adnd365/

A Grateful Salute to Our Patrons. To all those who stand behind the vision, thank you for helping bring this world to life. Our Benefactors, Andre Breillatt and Eryndor Fiscairn^‡, your boundless generosity fuels the arcane core of this project. Without your magic, the weave would falter. Our Apprentices, the spell engines turn, and the training labs thrive thanks to our current Apprentices: Michael Ramirez and Andreth Bael’Rathyn^‡. Special thanks to our past Apprentices, whose contributions helped us get here: Ralf Weber, Wendy Rijners, Shashi Mahesh, Julia Tejera, Ben Ekokobe, Tiago Xavier, Naveen Boyinapelli, Marcos Tadeu Wolf, Kathryn Greene, Jason Brown, Mark Christy, and Ashish Singh. Our Initiates, Jesper Livbjerg, Peter Lorre, Gregory Brigden, and Martin Grahm, your commitment marks the start of the deeper path, stepping beyond mere observation into the active shaping of this realm. Our Followers, your steady presence along the journey is a beacon of encouragement: Rusty Cavalier, Eric Shuss, Sunil Panchal, Sarah D. Morgan, Nick Ramchandani, Daniel Kjærsgaard, and Tomasz Pałys. And our Voyeurs, Harry Burgh, Abdelrahman Nabil, and Basil Quarrell, ever watching from the shadows, clearly intrigued… but not enough to part with a single gold piece. Your silent curiosity is noted and mildly judged.

Want to design your own economic models in Faerûn? Get your own AD&D365 Environment and guides at adnd365.com/start, and request access to the public view of the current database at https://public.adnd365.com – Login npc@adnd365.com, Password N0nPl@yC#822!

Employee Expenses in Faerûn: How the Waterdeep Trading Company Records, Reviews, and Pays Worker Expenses

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December 16, 2025

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Across Faerûn, trade does not happen from behind a desk alone. Clerks travel between guild halls, cartographers ride with caravans, and procurement officers cross regions to secure goods. The Waterdeep Trading Company acknowledges that its employees will spend company funds. The risk is not the spending itself, but the loss of control over how it is recorded, reviewed, and repaid.

Employee expense processing exists to solve that problem. It gives the company a straightforward way to let workers spend when needed, while keeping the ledger accurate and auditable. This article explains how employee expenses are handled, how they are coded using expense categories, and how those costs move from receipt to reimbursement within the Waterdeep Trading Company.

What Employee Expense Processing Is

Employee expense processing is the controlled process by which employees submit costs they paid personally for company-related duties. These costs are reviewed, approved, posted to the ledger, and then reimbursed from company funds.

Unlike vendor invoices, these expenses typically begin with a worker and end with a payment to the same worker. Because of this, strict rules and clear coding are required to prevent misuse and to keep costs tied to the correct purpose.

Why It Matters to the Waterdeep Trading Company

The Waterdeep Trading Company operates across cities, regions, and trade routes. Without proper expense processing:

Travel costs blend into overhead with no clarity
Small purchases disappear from cost tracking
Audits become guesswork instead of review
Workers lose trust if repayments are late or disputed

A defined expense process protects both the company and its people. It also ensures that travel, trade missions, and field work can continue without delay.

Core Expense Categories and Ledger Coding

Each employee expense must be coded to an expense category. The category controls posting behavior, allowed limits, and review rules.

The following table shows common expense categories used by the Waterdeep Trading Company, with Faerûn-specific flavor and clear accounting intent.

Each category ensures that costs are posted to the correct part of the ledger and can be reviewed by purpose rather than by person.

Expense Submission Flow

The standard flow for employee expenses follows a predictable pattern.

A worker incurs an expense while on an approved company activity.
The worker submits an expense report with dates, amounts, and category codes.
Receipts are attached when required.
A supervisor reviews the expense for the purpose and reason.
Approved expenses are posted to the ledger.
Reimbursement is paid to the worker.

This flow separates responsibility. Workers submit. Managers approve. Treasurer’s post and pay.

Worked Example One: Trade Route Travel

Elira Moonshadow, Special Courier, travels from Waterdeep to Daggerford on company business.

She pays for:

Horse hire for two days
One night at a roadside inn
Meals during travel

After approval, the posting is straightforward:

Debit travel, meals, and lodging expense accounts
Credit employee reimbursement liability
Payment clears the liability

Worked Example Two: Arcane Procurement Expense

Selene Duskbloom, Magical Trade Officer, purchases arcane inks while negotiating a Mage Guild supply contract.

Because arcane components affect regulated costs, this expense requires an additional approval by the Magical Trade Officer role before posting.

Policy Controls and Common Rules

To keep expenses fair and controlled, the Waterdeep Trading Company applies standard rules:

Meal costs have daily limits by region
Lodging must match approved inns where possible
Arcane purchases require role-based approval
Missing receipts require a written explanation
Personal and company expenses may not mix

These rules protect the ledger and simplify review.

How Expenses Appear in the Ledger

Once approved, expenses no longer belong to the worker. They belong to the company.

From a ledger view:

Each category posts to a defined expense account
The worker’s balance is cleared upon payment
Reports can be run by worker, category, route, or period

This allows the Arcane Treasurers to answer vital yet straightforward questions, such as which routes incur the highest support costs or which roles carry the highest field-expense burden.

Realms Aware Considerations

Faerûn adds its own challenges:

Some regions prefer barter equivalents
Guild fees vary by city
Travel risks change seasonal costs
Arcane supplies fluctuate in price due to demand

Expense categories allow these variations to be tracked without breaking structure.

Final Thoughts

Employee expense processing is not about limiting trust. It is about recording truth. The Waterdeep Trading Company succeeds because it allows workers to act quickly while keeping records clean, fair, and clear.

By using defined categories, consistent approvals, and proper posting, expenses support trade rather than obscure it.

Input-Driven vs Output-Driven Manufacturing in Faerûn: Understanding How the Waterdeep Trading Company Plans Its Production Flow

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December 2, 2025

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The Waterdeep Trading Company oversees forges, breweries, tanneries, butcher halls, and alchemical works from the Sword Coast to the Moonsea. Each site produces goods needed by guilds, caravans, and settlements. To control these flows, the company relies on two core production models: input-driven manufacturing and output-driven manufacturing.

Choosing the correct method shapes cost, supply, and worker activity across the company. It is a key skill for any planner or foreman in Faerûn.

What Is Input-Driven Manufacturing

Input-driven manufacturing begins when materials arrive. The trigger is the availability of raw goods, not a customer request. Production cycles are set by supply rhythm, which may depend on weather, caravans, or seasonal harvests.

This method suits operations that must consume materials before spoilage or where bulk goods are expected to flow in steady waves.

Examples include:

Breweries working with incoming grain.
Tanneries receiving hides after large hunts.
Butcher halls where livestock arrives from nearby farms.

What Is Output-Driven Manufacturing

Output-driven manufacturing begins when a customer asks for something. A work order is created only when demand is confirmed. Goods are produced with accuracy, often following custom instructions or strict material controls.

This method suits operations where materials are rare or high cost, or where final goods require specialized work by artificers or master smiths.

Examples include:

Enchanted gear production.
Noble house commissions.
Custom alchemical batches.

Why These Approaches Matter

Both approaches determine how goods and coins move across the company.

They influence:

Inventory levels.
Cash flow.
Labor planning.
Resource allocation.

Selecting the right method ensures smooth trade across regions such as Waterdeep, Baldur’s Gate, and Calimport.

Worked Example One: Input Driven Example: Frostroot Ale in Silverymoon

When Frostroot Barley arrives from Icewind Dale, the Copperleaf Brewery begins a new brewing cycle. Barley cannot remain in storage for long, so production is triggered by shipments.

The table below shows how incoming material drives production volume.

This method keeps taverns supplied but increases storage during heavy harvest seasons.

Worked Example Two: Output Driven Example: Enchanted Shields in Waterdeep

The Arcane Smiths Hall starts production only when a signed order arrives. Mithral Dust and Phoenix Plume are tracked tightly by the Artificers Union, which makes this method ideal.

The table shows how materials are allocated only after orders are logged.

This approach protects rare resources and ensures predictable delivery.

Worked Example Three: Input Driven Example with Variable Outputs: Whole Animal Disassembly in Daggerford

When local farmers bring cattle to the Daggerford Butcher Hall, production begins immediately. This is input-driven because the animal itself is the trigger. One animal, however, can be broken into multiple cut profiles, each requested by nearby markets.

The final output varies because cutters choose different profiles based on condition, size, and planned sales.

The table below shows how three animals can produce different cut mixes. Each cut type has a standard yield range, but the actual yield depends on the animal’s size and the chosen breakdown pattern.

How This Works in Practice

The Butcher Hall begins work as soon as animals arrive. The cutters select the breakdown style based on:

Market demand in Waterdeep or Baldur’s Gate
Condition and age of the animal
Local festival needs
Storage space and salt levels
Order patterns from nearby taverns

This produces variable outputs and makes production unpredictable.
It is a classic input-driven scenario because cutters respond to the arrival of livestock rather than to a fixed customer order.

This method is standard across Faerûn, where livestock flows depend on weather, harvesting, grazing conditions, and the health of nearby herds.

Realms Aware Considerations

Faerûn’s regions shape the choice of method.

Livestock production in Daggerford follows input cycles tied to farm supply.
Wandering herds in Amn cause irregular arrivals for local butcher halls.
Enchanted workshops in Waterdeep use output cycles to protect rare essence materials.
Coastal trade houses in Calimport favor output cycles for high-value seafood that must be allocated by order.

Final Thoughts

Input-driven manufacturing converts available goods into stock as soon as materials arrive. Output-driven manufacturing produces only when the market demands it. The Waterdeep Trading Company uses both across Faerûn to keep trade stable, predictable, and profitable.

Animal disassembly adds an extra layer of complexity, since a single input can yield many different outputs. This makes the method valuable for regions with active livestock markets and diverse customer needs.

Support the AD&D365 Project on Patreon. To grow this world, we’ve launched an official Patreon where supporters can gain access to exclusive content, tools, training labs, and even influence the future of the project. Your support fuels more than just development , it expands the guildhall, forges new scrolls, and empowers the next generation of configuration wizards. Begin your journey: https://www.patreon.com/adnd365/

A Grateful Salute to Our Patrons. To all those who stand behind the vision, thank you for helping bring this world to life. Our Benefactors, Andre Breillatt, and Eryndor Fiscairn^‡, your boundless generosity fuels the arcane core of this project. Without your magic, the weave would falter. Our Apprentices, the spell engines turn and the training labs thrive thanks to our current Apprentices: Michael Ramirez and Andreth Bael’Rathyn^‡. Special thanks to our past Apprentices, whose contributions helped us get here: Ralf Weber, Wendy Rijners, Shashi Mahesh, Julia Tejera, Ben Ekokobe, Tiago Xavier, Naveen Boyinapelli, Marcos Tadeu Wolf, Kathryn Greene, Jason Brown, Mark Christy, and Ashish Singh. Our Initiates, Gregory Brigden, and Martin Grahm, your commitment marks the start of the deeper path, stepping beyond mere observation into the active shaping of this realm. Our Followers, your steady presence along the journey is a beacon of encouragement: Eric Shuss, Sunil Panchal, Sarah D. Morgan, Nick Ramchandani, Daniel Kjærsgaard, and Tomasz Pałys. And our Voyeurs, Harry Burgh, Abdelrahman Nabil, and Basil Quarrell, ever watching from the shadows, clearly intrigued… but not enough to part with a single gold piece. Your silent curiosity is noted, and mildly judged.

Onboarding and Offboarding Checklists for the Waterdeep Trading Company

By B-List Microsoft Celebrity, Available for Weddings and Bar Mitzvahs

June 26, 2025

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Welcoming a new employee or saying farewell to a departing team member is more than just a formality. These are moments that define the culture of your organization. The Waterdeep Trading Company takes these transitions seriously, ensuring that every arrival is smooth and every departure is dignified.

A consistent onboarding and offboarding process strengthens team cohesion, protects company assets, ensures compliance, and builds goodwill that lasts long after someone has left the building.

Here are the standard checklists used throughout the Company to manage those transitions with care and precision.

Onboarding Checklist

The onboarding checklist guides teams through every step required to welcome a new employee. It begins before the employee arrives with workspace preparation and system access. It continues with training, orientation, mentorship, and administrative setup. The process ensures new hires feel equipped, included, and empowered from their very first day.

Offboarding Checklist

The offboarding checklist ensures a smooth and compliant transition when an employee leaves. It includes communication, knowledge handover, security and asset recovery, and exit processing. It is designed to protect the company, preserve knowledge, and honor the employee’s contributions while maintaining a positive relationship for the future.

Closing Thought

A checklist is more than a list of tasks. It is a reflection of how much we value each person who passes through our gates. From the newest hire to the longest-serving veteran, every employee deserves a process that respects their contribution and prepares them for what comes next.

These checklists are not only tools for compliance but symbols of commitment to fairness, consistency, and the long-standing traditions of excellence that define the Waterdeep Trading Company.

To view the full company guidebook, visit adnd365.com/start. For access to the public demo and templates, log in at https://public.adnd365.com with:

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Let every beginning feel like a welcome, and every farewell carry our thanks.

Forecasting the Feast: Seasonal Demand Planning at the Waterdeep Trading Company

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June 16, 2025

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For over a century, the Waterdeep Trading Company has been the heartbeat of Faerûn’s trade. From the frost-kissed docks of Icewind Dale to the coastal bazaars of Calimport, the Company moves goods through every season with precision.

Success here is not based on speed alone. It depends on timing.

Seasonal demand planning is the art of predicting what will be needed, when it will be needed, and how to ensure it arrives just in time. It is how the Waterdeep Trading Company avoids stockpiling cloaks in the heat of Flamerule or running out of cider during the first toast of Highharvestide.

The Calendar of Commerce

Faerûn’s calendar tells more than time. It reflects culture, climate, and consumption. Every month carries specific market behaviors and patterns.

Waterdeep Trading Company studies these cycles carefully and layers them into every supply and logistics plan.

How the Company Forecasts Demand

Historical records are the backbone of the Company’s seasonal forecasting. Scribes maintain product movement scrolls dating back several generations.

Here are a few forecasting techniques in practice:

Rolling multi-year averages to compare monthly and festival-based trends across regions
Contracts and standing orders from temples, noble houses, and guilds which repeat annually
Predictive adjustments based on current market activity, such as harbor delays or rising prices from core vendors
Sentinel dispatches from field agents who report signs of early shifts in demand or local disruptions

The result is a structured forecast that balances tradition with the changing tides of trade.

Seasonal Labor and Staffing

The flow of goods depends on the flow of hands. The Waterdeep Trading Company plans its workforce as carefully as it does its inventory.

In Deepwinter, fewer shipments mean a heavier focus on warehouse security and internal audits
In Spring, hiring increases as couriers, carriers, and sorters are deployed to reopen stalled trade routes
In Summer, nearly every department grows. Market tents, brewery lines, and ship crews all need additional labor
In Autumn, specialized workers such as grain assessors and preservation technicians are deployed to lock in inventory before the freeze

Many workers are brought in on rotating seasonal contracts, often earning guild certifications for each successful campaign.

Managing Supplier Constraints

Not every vendor can scale with seasonal demand. Some are limited by harvest cycles, others by labor, and a few by magical interference.

To manage these risks, the Company maintains a supplier tier system:

Primary suppliers are those with strong delivery history and seasonal reliability
Secondary suppliers are used during peak demand or to fill gaps when primary vendors fall short
Specialist vendors are called upon for short seasonal bursts, such as rare spices during feast days or potion ingredients during cold snaps

Every procurement team tracks lead times and past performance to determine who to trust and when to switch.

Special Contracts and Priority Orders

Seasonal shifts also mean more contract-based orders. Some examples include:

Military garrisons requesting rations before planned campaigns
Temples ordering ceremonial garb and incense ahead of holy days
Mercenary companies securing bulk gear and potions in advance of expedition season
Nobles requiring finery and decor ahead of social functions

The Company sets aside protected inventory and often reserves wagon space or teleportation slots for these clients. They are built into seasonal forecasts as immovable pillars.

Transportation Planning by Season

Logistics can be the difference between profit and loss during seasonal transitions. Travel conditions change rapidly, and the Company prepares for these disruptions with dedicated planning ledgers.

Every route has a seasonal modifier and an action plan in place before the first sign of disruption appears.

What Happens After the Season Ends

The Waterdeep Trading Company reviews each season within ten days of its end.

Unused goods are either rotated to other regions or sold at a discount
Performance of forecasts is measured against actual sales
Surprises or anomalies are recorded in the forecasting grimoire for future adjustment
Lessons learned are shared across all Company locations

This cycle of planning, acting, and reviewing has been central to the Company’s growth and resilience.

Closing Thoughts

Seasons affect everything. Weather shifts harvests. Holidays shift demand. Travel restrictions shift logistics. But a business that plans for the seasons instead of reacting to them will always come out ahead.

Waterdeep Trading Company invites others to study how preparation drives prosperity.

To access trade records, planning templates, and regional demand data, visit adnd365.com/start and request access to the public trade network at https://public.adnd365.com.

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Prepare before the winds change. Trade like the season depends on it.

How the Waterdeep Trading Company Adjusts Routes to Boost Manufacturing Efficiency

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June 6, 2025

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At the Waterdeep Trading Company, production efficiency is more than just a number on a ledger. It is the difference between an on-time delivery of potions to Silverymoon or a chaotic recall because a batch of fire resistance potions fizzled out mid-adventure. Whether we are bottling enchanted tonics or stitching high-grade leather satchels, the core of our operational success lies in the structure of our manufacturing routes.

And yes, routes are not just maps or travel paths. In manufacturing, a route is the formal recipe for how a product gets built, who does the work, in what order, using which tools, and for how long.

What Happens When Efficiency Drops?

Let us say you are running the Potionworks team, and you notice that the standard time to produce a batch of Potion of Giant Strength has slowly crept up by fifteen percent over the last quarter. It does not mean your alchemists are lazy. More likely, something in the route no longer reflects reality.

You might see results like this:

Where Route Adjustments Make the Difference

Adjusting a manufacturing route is not just about changing a number. It is about recognizing the evolving nature of work and making sure your systems reflect reality.

Update Task Durations

Add Alternate Operations

Reassign Resource Groups

Efficiency Tracking With Employee Profiles

Each worker has their own rhythm. Instead of a one-size-fits-all metric, track efficiency by skill, task type, and improvement over time.

Breaking Out Composite Steps

Some operations hide their inefficiencies inside multi-part steps. Separating them helps pinpoint exactly where slowdowns occur.

Quality Inspections Add Predictability

A well-placed inspection prevents rework, improves customer satisfaction, and gives employees more confidence in their work.

The Bigger Picture

Every route is a living system. Ingredients change. Regulations shift. Staff learn and grow. If the Waterdeep Trading Company kept its manufacturing routes static, we would be unable to handle product innovation, seasonal demand spikes, or guild audits.

By updating task durations, reassigning talent, building flexible alternatives, and embedding inspections, we create a production system that adapts with us. We do not just run a business, we run a guild-backed, customer-loved, efficiency-honed enterprise that runs like a dwarven clockwork engine.

Want to boost your own manufacturing efficiency and avoid magical misfires? Download the full Advanced Dungeons and Dynamics 365 guide at adnd365.com/start, and see it live in the public database at https://public.adnd365.com using:

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Dividing the Realm: How the Waterdeep Trading Company Uses Business Units to Manage the Sword Coast

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May 19, 2025

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The Waterdeep Trading Company isn’t just a general store, it’s the central nerve of a supply empire that keeps adventurers, merchants, and mystics stocked from Luskan to Calimport. With customers as diverse as noble houses, guild outposts, and lone rangers, the company needed a way to structure its rapidly growing operations while maintaining financial precision and strategic agility.

Enter Business Units, Departments, Sales Channels, and Cost Centers, the quartet of operational clarity in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance.

Business Units: Territory and Purpose

The company organizes its operations by Business Unit to reflect both geographic footprint and strategic focus. Each Business Unit represents a distinct operational hub, responsible for local inventory, staffing, and margin targets.

Each Business Unit tracks its own revenue and costs, enabling financial reporting at both unit and consolidated levels.

Departments: Role and Function

Where Business Units define where things happen, Departments define who does the work. These are the roles and internal teams that perform the operations of the business, often cutting across units.

Departments help structure responsibilities for budgeting and workforce management within each Business Unit.

Sales Channels: Who They Serve

Sales Channels represent the customer-facing paths through which the Waterdeep Trading Company moves its goods. These span traditional commerce and some… less conventional routes.

Using sales channels allows for segmented revenue reporting, discounting strategies, and tailored marketing campaigns.

Cost Centers: Where Money Is Spent

To control expenses and improve budgeting accuracy, the company uses Cost Centers to group similar operational expenditures. These are typically aligned with departments but offer finer granularity, especially in joint projects or field operations.

This structure supports top-down and bottom-up budgeting, with financial dimensions tracking expenses per cost center across all Business Units.

Why It All Matters

By organizing the Waterdeep Trading Company with Business Units, Departments, Sales Channels, and Cost Centers, Greta Ironfist and her team achieve:

Granular reporting: See profit margins by branch, track department-level performance, or monitor sales channel velocity.
Smarter budgeting: Allocate funds where they’re needed and track actuals against plans with visibility by dimension.
Accountability: Department heads and business unit managers can be held responsible for outcomes.
Scalability: As the company expands (hello, Chult!), new units, departments, or sales paths can be added without disrupting the existing structure.

A Realm in Balance

The Waterdeep Trading Company didn’t become Faerûn’s top outfitter by accident. Through clever use of Dynamics 365’s organizational structures, it tames the chaos of commerce—even in a world of dragons, demons, and duty-bound auditors.

So whether you’re running potions to a necromancer or hempen rope to a ranger, remember: structure is the silent partner in every successful adventure.

Start your own implementation journey today. Buy the full configuration guide at adnd365.com/start

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Discover how the realms are mapped inside Dynamics 365—because if you can build it in Faerûn, you can build it anywhere.

Forecasting and Demand Planning: Gazing Into the Crystal Ball of Inventory

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May 14, 2025

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In Faerûn, having inventory on hand when the next caravan arrives is the difference between a profitable month and a letter of apology written in infernal ink. At the Waterdeep Trading Company, we don’t rely on wishful thinking or divination spells to keep our shelves stocked. We use Forecasting and Demand Planning in Dynamics 365 to stay ahead of the curve.

Let’s break down what that looks like when you’re supplying everything from iron spikes to cursed mirror cases.

What Is Forecasting?

Forecasting is the process of predicting future demand based on historical data, market trends, upcoming events, and customer behavior. In Dynamics 365, this can be driven by:

Historical sales
Purchase trends
Manual adjustments
External factors (festivals, raids, wars, winter wolf migration patterns)

Forecasts can be entered manually or generated using built-in models, which project expected demand over a defined horizon. These forecasts can be set at various levels:

By item
By item group
By customer or sales channel
By warehouse or region

Example: Forecast for Health Potions

What Is Demand Planning?

Demand planning takes that forecast and aligns it with inventory, procurement, and production. It helps answer:

Do we have enough raw materials?
Should we increase safety stock?
Should we initiate new purchase orders or production runs?

In Dynamics 365, this process feeds into Master Planning, where forecasted demand is treated like confirmed orders, generating planned supply suggestions. These can include:

Planned purchase orders
Planned transfer orders
Planned production orders

Why It Matters for the Waterdeep Trading Company

Greta Ironfist, our fearless founder, once said:

“If you can predict the next spike in rope demand during troll season, you don’t need luck. You need a forecast.”

In the past, too many decisions were based on guesswork. Now, by using historical trends and adjusting for regional events (like the Annual Adventurers’ Expo in Silverymoon), we’re better prepared for demand fluctuations.

Best Practices in Dynamics 365 for Forecasting

Start with historical data: Use the Forecast planning workspace or Excel templates to analyze patterns.

Segment your products: Forecast high-volume items differently from rare or seasonal goods.

Involve stakeholders: Sales, warehouse managers, and even suppliers may have insights that raw numbers miss.

Adjust forecasts regularly: Update based on shifting trends, marketing events, or monster incursions.

Use forecast reduction: Let actual sales orders reduce the forecast so you don’t double-count demand.

Putting It Into Action

Let’s say you forecast a rise in demand for Frost Resistance Gear due to early winter reports from Icewind Dale. Dynamics 365 will recommend boosting production of frost cloaks and earmuffs, generating supply plans to meet the projected demand before it becomes a problem.

These forecasts then flow into:

Master Planning for automated supply suggestions
Warehouse stocking plans
Cash flow planning based on expected procurement

Final Thoughts

Forecasting and demand planning in Dynamics 365 give you something better than magical foresight — real-time, data-driven decisions that protect margins and customer satisfaction.

You no longer need to pray to Mystra for inventory clarity. With the right setup, you can plan your way to profitability and avoid the scroll of backorders altogether.

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Advanced Dungeons & Dynamics 365

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November 7, 2024

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“Advanced Dungeons & Dynamics 365” is a clever take on blending the high fantasy of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) with the practical world of Microsoft Dynamics 365, combining storytelling and ERP system configuration to make learning and using Dynamics 365 more engaging and accessible. Here’s how this mash-up can play out in a professional context, especially for training and development:

1. World-Building for Context

Just like a Dungeon Master (DM) in D&D sets the scene and creates a world with its own lore, you can set up a narrative around a fictional company or kingdom within Dynamics 365. For example, The Waterdeep Trading Company or Fife’s Mystic Goods might be fictional organizations with business operations configured within the ERP.
Each “kingdom” (or business division) might need specific configurations in Dynamics 365, such as unique charts of accounts, inventory locations, or even custom workflows, which require specialized problem-solving.

2. Character Personas as System Roles

Instead of standard user roles, users can adopt personas, such as:
Greta Ironfist, the CEO of Waterdeep Trading Company (similar to the DM’s role): Manages overarching strategies in Finance and Operations, sets up customer hierarchies, and oversees the company’s vision.
Ava Thompson, the COO: Manages operational efficiency, streamlines supply chain processes, and ensures resource allocation aligns with the company’s growth strategy.
Daniel Alexander Reed, the System Administrator: Oversees system configurations, maintains security protocols, and optimizes the system for the business needs.
These characters can add an interactive storytelling layer, helping trainees see how different system roles interconnect.

3. Quest-Based Learning Modules

Each training goal or functionality demonstration becomes a quest, such as:The “Order-to-Cash Adventure”: Learning to set up a new customer record, maintain multiple contacts, configure default payment terms, and manage parent-child relationships in Dynamics 365.The “Inventory & Distribution Challenge”: Setting up an item master record, configuring SKUs, assigning item types, tracking expiration dates, and linking items to warehouses.
Completing these quests can “level up” the user’s knowledge and skill, adding a bit of gamification to the learning process.

4. Fantasy-Themed Data and Scenarios

Use fantasy-inspired data, such as selling “enchanted swords” or “mystic potions,” where each item has a unique set of characteristics, financial values, or expiration dates that need careful tracking and management.
You could also create a fictional economy with vendors like Baldur’s Gate Blacksmiths Guild for procurement or Lara’s Fine Fabrics and More for specialty textile items.

5. Guilds and Teams for Collaboration

Teams within the Dynamics 365 environment can be seen as guilds, each with a unique focus area (e.g., finance, supply chain, human resources).
A guild could be tasked with solving specific challenges that arise, such as managing a large influx of orders or handling complex customer hierarchies, simulating real-world business problems.

6. Encounters with System “Monsters”

Just as adventurers face monsters, users might encounter “monsters” in the form of system errors, process bottlenecks, or tricky configurations.
These “monsters” could be defeated with specific skills or tools, such as leveraging Power BI for data visibility, configuring Power Automate workflows, or setting up credit limits to manage customer debt in Finance and Operations.

7. Magic Items & Tools for ERP Users

Just as D&D characters have magical items, users can be equipped with “magic items” (custom solutions or add-ons) that enhance their capabilities in Dynamics 365.
For example, a “Wand of Reconciliation” could be a custom reconciliation tool, or the “Scroll of Analytics” could represent Power BI insights.

8. Spellcasting for Automation

Spellcasting could represent various levels of automation in Dynamics 365. Simple spells might be quick automations in Power Automate, while high-level spells could be complex workflows and integrations with Power Platform.
A “casting” could represent running a script or a bot in Power Automate that automates tasks like data validation or customer follow-ups.

By using a storytelling approach, Advanced Dungeons & Dynamics 365 can make complex ERP concepts relatable, help trainees engage with the system, and build connections that are memorable, enjoyable, and practical. And just like in D&D, it builds a strong sense of collaboration, problem-solving, and role-playing that elevates the learning experience.

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