How Users Can Navigate Business Central Customizations with Confidence
You can handle Business Central Customizations with confidence. Many users have problems like too many changes, not enough training, and bad change management. These issues can hurt how your business works.
Built-in features like easy-to-use screens and dashboards you can change help you stay in charge and keep your data safe. Both users and partners do better when they use good habits and these tools.
Key Takeaways
It is important not to make too many changes. Fewer changes help upgrades go smoothly. The system works better with fewer changes.
Use low-code and no-code tools for customizations. These tools let you change things without writing code. This makes it easy for everyone to use.
Look at your customizations often. See if each change still helps your business. Remove things that do not help anymore.
Make sure you get training and support. Use help features in the system. Ask experts for help when you need it. This helps users feel sure and keeps the system working well.
Get ready for upgrades and test changes in a sandbox. This stops problems before they happen. Your system will keep working during changes.
Business Central Customizations: Options
When you use Business Central Customizations, you get many choices. Each choice helps you change the system for your business. This makes your daily work easier and faster.
Low-Code and No-Code Features
You can use low-code and no-code tools to make changes. You do not need to write code. These tools let you change screens, dashboards, and menus. For example, you can show different things for each role. You can add colors to show important data. Here is a quick list of some common ways to customize:
You can finish simple customizations in about six weeks. Harder changes might take a few months.
Extensions and Add-Ons
You can make Business Central Customizations bigger by adding extensions and add-ons. These apps give you new features or connect to other services. For example, you can add an app for online payments or better reports. You can find lots of apps in the marketplace. You can install them when you need more features. This keeps your system flexible and current.
User Profiles and Personalization
You can change your workspace to fit your job. When you make or edit a profile, you can hide menus and actions you do not use. This makes your screen less busy and helps you focus.
You can set up profiles for different jobs, like sales or finance.
You can take away extra buttons and menus.
You can work faster with a simple layout.
Personalization helps you save time and do your work better. Business Central Customizations let you control your workspace, so you can work how you want.
Aligning with Business Goals
Identifying Needs
You begin by figuring out what your business needs. Look at what you do every day and see what takes too long. Many groups check their work steps, data needs, and reports. You can:
Look at what makes your business special.
Change screens so your team works better.
Add fields for data that matters most.
Use automation to do less manual work.
Make reports easier to understand.
For example, a construction company may build custom steps for projects. A school might add fields to keep track of students. Hotels often use special reports to learn about guest feedback.
Mapping to Processes
After you know your needs, match them to your work steps. This helps you see where Business Central Customizations can help. You can use different ways to map your work:
Mapping helps you link your needs to real actions in the system.
Setting Priorities
You must set clear goals and pick what to do first. Use these ideas to stay focused:
Tip: Start with changes that help the most. This keeps your project on time and saves money.
Upgrade Readiness and Risk Management
When you change your system, you want things to work well. Upgrades and changes can cause problems if you do not plan. You can stop issues by being careful and thinking ahead.
Safe Customizations
You need to keep your business safe from risks. Bad source code management can cause trouble. If you do not manage your customizations, you might have problems like:
Losing access to source code
Getting stuck with one vendor
Trouble working with others and making new changes
Developers not being available
Missing upgrade times
Big project delays
To keep your Business Central Customizations safe, use extensions. Do not change the main system directly. Extensions keep your changes separate. This makes upgrades easier and safer. Make each extension do one thing. This helps you fix problems faster.
Tip: Use the event system in Business Central to add features. This lets you connect your customizations without changing the main code.
Keep your customizations neat and easy to find. Give your extensions clear names. Write down what each extension does. This helps you and others understand your work later.
Testing and Documentation
Testing and documentation help you avoid problems during upgrades. Test your customizations often. Regular testing helps you find issues before they hurt your business.
Follow these steps to keep your system ready:
Make sure your customizations and extensions still work.
Work with your IT team or partner to plan upgrades.
Update your notes and teach your team about new features.
Good documentation helps you fix problems and train new users. Write simple instructions for each customization. Keep your records current. This helps everyone know what to do.
Staying Compatible
You want your Business Central Customizations to work with new updates. You can do this by following good steps for your extensions:
Use extensions, not changes, to make upgrades easy.
Make each extension do one job. This makes them easy to use and manage.
Use the event system to add features without changing the main code.
Follow naming rules so you can find things fast.
Write clear notes for every extension.
Keep your customizations away from the main system. If you have customizations for one customer, put them in their own extension. Think about how your customizations will change in the future. Test and update your extensions at least every six months.
Note: Staying compatible helps you avoid delays and keeps your business working during upgrades.
By following these steps, you can handle your Business Central Customizations with confidence. You will lower risks and keep your business ready for what comes next.
Simplicity and Efficiency
Avoiding Over-Customization
You should keep your system simple and easy to use. Too many changes can slow things down. Upgrades get harder if you add too much. To stop over-customization, try these steps:
Only customize when you really need to. Use built-in features first.
Look at third-party extensions before adding them. Choose Microsoft-certified ones with good support.
Test every new change in a sandbox before using it for real.
Plan for updates. Make sure your custom code and extensions will work later.
Work with experts. A trusted Dynamics 365 consultant can help keep your system stable and able to grow.
Tip: Less is more. Fewer customizations make your system easier to run.
Streamlining Workflows
You can make your work faster and more accurate by making workflows simple. Automation helps you skip manual steps and make fewer mistakes. The table below shows how better workflows help your business:
You can use workflow tools to automate approvals, send reminders, and update records. This helps your team focus on what matters most.
Reviewing Customizations
You should check your customizations often. Look at what you have changed and see if you still need it. Take away anything that does not help your business now. Regular checks help you find problems early and keep things simple.
Make a list of all customizations.
Ask your team if each change still helps.
Remove or update old customizations.
Plan reviews every few months.
Note: Regular reviews keep your system working well and ready for new needs.
Support and Resources
Built-In Help
Business Central has many tools to help you. These tools show you how to use new features or fix problems. Here are some built-in help features you can use:
These features help you find answers fast. You can learn at your own speed. You do not need as much outside help.
Expert Assistance
Sometimes you need more help than the built-in tools give. Experts can help you with hard changes or upgrades. They offer services that make your work easier and help you do better. Here are some ways experts can help you:
You can ask a trusted partner or consultant for these services. They help you avoid mistakes and keep your system working well.
Community Channels
You can also get help from the Business Central community. Many users and experts share tips and answer questions. You can use different channels for different needs:
You can see how well these resources work by checking things like saving money, faster work, and team happiness. Using support and resources often helps you fix problems fast and keeps your system strong.
Taking care of Business Central customizations keeps your business steady. It also helps you get ready for changes. You can use some easy steps to make safe customizations:
Check if third-party extensions work well with your system.
Try out changes in a sandbox before using them for real.
Get ready for updates ahead of time.
Ask experts for help to keep things working right.
Look at your customizations often and talk to users for their thoughts. Keep learning by using sites like Microsoft Learn, Pluralsight, Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning. When you stay up to date and get help, you can do well and feel sure about your choices.
FAQ
How do you know if you need a customization or can use a built-in feature?
Check if the built-in features meet your needs. Try to use them first. If you cannot solve your problem, then look at customizations or extensions.
What steps help you test customizations safely?
Use a sandbox environment. Test each change before you use it in your real system. Ask your team to try the new features and give feedback.
How often should you review your customizations?
Review your customizations every few months. Remove or update anything that no longer helps your business. This keeps your system simple and efficient.
Where can you find help if you get stuck?
Use the built-in help pane or in-product tours. You can also ask your partner, join community forums, or submit a support request if you need more help.
What should you do before upgrading Business Central?
Read the release notes. Test your customizations in a sandbox. Make sure everything works. Update your documentation and train your team on any changes.