One of the most common questions during a Dynamics 365 Business Central implementation is: “Should we customise the system to fit our processes, or adapt our processes to fit the system?”
The honest answer is: adapt your processes first, customise only when you genuinely cannot.
This guide gives you a clear decision framework so your team knows exactly when to customise, when to use standard features, and how to do it without creating a maintenance nightmare.
Business Central is updated by Microsoft twice a year (Release Wave 1 and Release Wave 2). Every customisation you make must survive these updates.
Let’s imagine a few situations:
Business Central gives you the flexibility to address each of these—without major disruption.
| Situation | Use Standard Feature | Build an Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Standard chart of accounts | Yes | No |
| Custom approval workflows | Yes (use Power Automate) | No |
| Industry-specific document layout | Configure first | If config not enough |
| Adding custom fields to a table | No | Yes (Table Extension) |
| Complex industry-specific calculations | No | Yes (Codeunit) |
| Third-party system integration | No | Yes (API / AL) |
| Changing core posting logic | No | Yes (Event Subscribers only) |
| Custom report layout | Try RDLC first | If needed |
| Regulatory compliance changes | Usually included | Rarely needed |
means modifying your interface or workflow—changing views, hiding or adding fields, or rearranging dashboards—often without code.
dives deeper: developing new features, modules, or automating processes using built-in tools or code.
links Business Central to other business apps (like payroll, CRM, or e-commerce) so information flows smoothly.
Smart businesses typically start with personalizations and simple integrations, adding deeper customizations only as needed.
An extension is a separate package of AL code that adds functionality to Business Central without modifying the core application. It sits on top of Business Central like a plugin.
Use extensions when:
• You need to add new fields, tables, or pages
• You need custom business logic for your specific industry
• You need to connect Business Central to an external system
• You need to change the behaviour of a standard process (use Event Subscribers)
Custom code typically refers to modifying the base Business Central application directly. This is almost never the right approach because:
• It breaks with every Microsoft update
• It is not supported by Microsoft
• It prevents you from upgrading to new versions easily
• It creates a technical debt that grows over time
AL Extensions with Event Subscribers
Instead of modifying base code, use Event Subscribers in AL. These allow you to “hook into” standard Business Central processes and add your own logic when specific events occur — without changing the base code.
Example: Instead of modifying the Sales Posting routine, subscribe to the OnBeforePostSalesDoc event and run your custom validation before posting.
Not every user needs the same information. Business Central lets you create role-tailored experiences:
Individual users can:
These tweaks boost productivity and adoption—staff engage better with a system that feels like “theirs.”
With the in-browser Designer, you can:
No development skills required—just a clear vision for your team’s needs.
Microsoft’s AppSource marketplace contains hundreds of plug-and-play extensions:
Most updates, support, and enhancements for these extensions are managed by their providers, minimizing long-term maintenance headaches.
Business Central includes customizable workflows to automate tasks like:
You can tweak these using a wizard—choose your triggers, steps, and notifications.
For even more power, Microsoft Power Automate (part of the Power Platform) connects Business Central with thousands of cloud apps. Examples:
No deep coding required—just map your process, select the trigger/action, and connect.
Every business measures success differently. Business Central’s reporting and analytics capabilities are both broad and highly configurable.
You can share dashboards, embed them into user homepages, or even send automated updates via email.
Tip: Concentrate customization on areas that deliver true competitive value or efficiency—over-customization can hinder upgrades and raise costs.
CRM: Link with Dynamics 365 Sales, HubSpot, or Salesforce.
Before pursuing deep changes, list your top pain points and “must-have” features. Often, personalizations or marketplace extensions solve issues without custom code.
Involve staff from every department in the process. Run workshops to uncover real workflow gaps and test interface changes in small groups.
Record why and how you changed fields, workflows, or reports. Good documentation ensures easy onboarding of new staff and smooth system upgrades.
Don’t over-customize. Major upgrades from Microsoft sometimes require tweaks to deep custom code. Lean on standard features/app marketplace first, reserving custom development only for clear, lasting needs.
Pilot all changes with a small group. Gather feedback and fine-tune. Offer clear, specific training—change is never just about software.
Set regular check-ins to see how customizations are working. Are there areas of confusion? Is reporting getting used? Periodic reviews let you refine and add value as needs evolve.
A common question for Business Central developers is: where do I put business logic?
| Location | Use For | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Table | Field validation, default values, simple calculations | Complex posting logic |
| Codeunit | Business processes, posting, integrations | UI interactions |
| Page | UI layout, user interaction only | Business calculations |
| Report | Data output and formatting | Business logic |
Why this matters: If you put logic in a Page, it only runs when a user opens that page. If you put it in a Table, it runs everywhere that table is used — including API calls, imports, and other pages.
| Approach | Suitable For | Expertise Needed | Maintenance Impact | Upgrade-Friendly? | Personalization (Views/Fields) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Users | Everyone (End User) | None | Low | High | Yes |
| Designer Mode | Departmental Tweaks | Power User | Low | High | Yes |
| AppSource Extensions | New Features or Integration | Admin/Power User | Low | High | Yes |
| Power Automate / Workflow | Automation, Notifications | Admin, Super User | Low/Medium | High | Limited |
| AL Development | Advanced Logic / Modules | Developer / Partner | Medium/High | Medium/Low | No |
| APIs / Custom Integration | Legacy or Custom Systems | Developer / Partner | Medium | High | No |
Business Central’s customization capability evolves constantly—Microsoft releases regular enhancements and new integrations, especially around AI-powered automation and analytics. As new challenges (and opportunities) emerge in Australian and global business, Business Central’s flexibility ensures you can adapt—without a never-ending stream of consultants or costly IT projects.
| Customisation Type | Estimated Cost (AUD) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Simple custom field + page extension | $500–$1,500 | 4–8 hours |
| Custom report layout | $1,000–$3,000 | 1–3 days |
| API integration (external system) | $5,000–$20,000 | 1–4 weeks |
| Complex industry module (new tables + logic) | $15,000–$60,000 | 4–12 weeks |
Customizing Business Central is powerful, but small mistakes can make the system harder to use. Here are a few things to watch out for:
Over-customizing simple tasks — Not every feature needs a custom field or workflow. Start small.
Skipping documentation — Always keep a simple record of what was customized and why.
Not testing changes first — Test new workflows, extensions, or fields in a sandbox before using them live.
Ignoring upgrade compatibility — Make sure every extension is future-ready so your system doesn’t break during updates.
No user feedback — Ask end users if the customization actually helps their daily work.
Moving from an on-premise Business Central or legacy ERP to Business Central cloud (SaaS) saves money in three ways:
1. No server costs — no hardware, no IT maintenance, no data centre fees
2. Automatic updates — you always have the latest version, no upgrade projects
3. Lower IT overhead — Microsoft manages infrastructure, backups, and security
Australian businesses with 20-100 users typically save $15,000-$50,000 per year by moving from on-premise to Business Central cloud.
Customizing Dynamics 365 Business Central is about empowering your team, not just tweaking software. Focus on clear goals, start simple, and involve your team throughout. Lean into the thriving extension marketplace and platform integrations, reserving deep development for those workflows that truly differentiate your business.
When approached step-by-step and with best practices in mind, customization can be the secret behind your unique competitive edge—making your work easier, decisions sharper, and growth faster. Ready to unlock the true potential of Business Central? Start mapping your needs, involving your staff, and embracing a system that fits your business—not the other way around.
Customise only when standard configuration cannot meet your business requirement. Always attempt to adapt your process to the standard first. Customisations should be built as AL Extensions, never as base app modifications.
Adapting your processes is almost always the better long-term choice. Customisations add maintenance cost, update risk, and complexity. Most “we need to customise this” requirements turn out to be solvable with standard configuration once a certified partner reviews the process.
Always use extensions (AL code) over custom code. Extensions are upgrade-safe, Microsoft-supported, and can be distributed through AppSource. Custom code that modifies the base application breaks with every release wave.
Follow this checklist: (1) Can it be done with standard configuration? (2) Can it be done with Power Automate? (3) Is there an AppSource app that does it? If all three are No, then an AL extension is warranted.
Most Australian businesses save $15,000-$50,000 per year by eliminating server hardware, IT maintenance, and manual upgrade projects. The break-even on cloud migration is typically 12-18 months.
Put all business logic in Tables and Codeunits. Pages should only handle UI layout and user interaction. This ensures your logic runs consistently whether accessed via the UI, API, or data migration tools.
