Extending Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central — Build What Your Business Actually Needs

Business Central’s superpower has always been flexibility. From its roots as Navision to the cloud-first, SaaS powerhouse it is today, Business Central was never designed to be everything for everyone out of the box. Instead, its real strength is that you can extend it — safely, sustainably, and in ways that map exactly to your business model.

Below I’ll walk you through the spectrum of extension options, how the model changed from NAV to Business Central, and practical guidance on choosing the right approach — whether that’s an App from AppSource, a bespoke extension, or a Power Platform solution.

Why extensibility matters (and why it’s different now)

Historically, NAV allowed developers to change almost any line of the base code. That level of freedom meant you could sculpt the system precisely to your processes — but it also created long, painful upgrade projects: each new Microsoft release required line-by-line merges and often a reimplementation.

Business Central flips that trade-off on its head. Microsoft redesigned how custom work is deployed: instead of editing the core, you build extensions (also called apps) that sit on top of the base product. That approach delivers three big advantages:

• Upgrade resilience — extensions isolate custom logic so standard SaaS upgrades are far less disruptive.
• Safer change management — your core stays intact; customizations are layered and reversible.
• Faster innovation — you can iterate and publish new functionality without touching Microsoft’s platform code.

The new development language, AL, and the Visual Studio Code toolset make creating extensions modern, maintainable, and predictable — while preserving the ability to solve complex business problems.

Types of extensions: pick the right tool for the job

Below are the main extension routes you’ll encounter, with practical pros/cons and when to use each.

1. AppSource (off-the-shelf apps)

What it is: A marketplace of ready-made Business Central apps from Independent Software Vendors (ISVs).
When to use it: You have a common business need (e.g., advanced expense capture, POS integration, barcode/warehouse add-ons).
Benefits:

• Quick to install — typically just a few clicks.
• Managed updates — many vendors keep their apps compatible with Microsoft’s release cadence.
• Community validation — popular apps often have many adopters and case studies.
  Risks / caveats:
• Not all AppSource apps are equal — do vendor due diligence.
• An app that isn’t actively maintained can become a liability during upgrades.
  Tip: Validate roadmap, SLAs, and test in a sandbox before deploying to production.

2. Bespoke Apps (custom extensions)

What it is: Tailor-made AL extensions built to model your exact business processes.
When to use it: You have unique IP, industry-specific workflows, or integration needs not met by off-the-shelf products.
Benefits:

• Precision fit — solves niche problems exactly the way your business operates.
• Competitive advantage — enables unique customer experiences or cost efficiencies.
  Trade-offs:
• You own maintenance — you’ll need a plan for ongoing compatibility and testing across Microsoft’s biannual releases.
• Higher initial cost than buying an off-the-shelf app.
  Tip: Treat bespoke apps like product development: version control, automated testing, and an evergreen maintenance contract are essential.

3. Partner-Maintained Products 

What it is: Prebuilt products developed and supported by your implementation partner. They sit between off-the-shelf and bespoke: built for common needs but maintained centrally by the partner.
Why this works: You get the speed of a packaged app plus partner accountability for updates and compatibility. For many organisations, this is the sweet spot — predictable cost, lower code footprint than bespoke, and focused on real user problems.

Power Platform: extend without breaking the ERP

The Power Platform (Power Automate, Power Apps, Power Pages, and Dataverse) is the natural extension layer for Business Central. Instead of changing ERP logic, you can build adjacent apps and automation that use Business Central data as the system of record.

Integration patterns: play nicely with other systems

Most real-world deployments require integration — eCommerce platforms, WMS, CRM, payroll, and third-party logistics. With Business Central you have multiple integration patterns:

• API-first integrations using Business Central’s web APIs.
• Event-driven flows using webhooks and Power Automate.
• Batch/sync using data services or middleware for large volume transfers.

Choose the pattern by SLA: real-time order confirmations need APIs/events; nightly financial loads can use scheduled syncs. Always define idempotency and error-handling strategies up front.

Governance, testing & release management — don’t treat extensions as experiments

Extensibility is powerful — but it introduces governance overhead. Adopt these practices:

• Sandbox everything: test every app/extension against a copy of production data before rollout.
• Automated regression tests: invest in test suites that run on each Business Central preview release to catch breakages early.
• Versioning & rollback: maintain semantic versioning for apps and a tested rollback plan.
• Security posture: validate data access scopes for any app or Power Platform connector.
• Vendor due diligence: for AppSource items, review update cadence, support SLAs, and customer references.

If you don’t have internal capability for this, a partner offering an “evergreen” managed service can shoulder testing and updates.

Practical decision framework — how to choose between AppSource, bespoke, partner app, or Power Platform

1. Is the requirement common across industries? → Start with AppSource.
2. Is it core IP or differentiator? → Consider bespoke.
3. Do you need a tailored UI or mobile experience? → Power Apps (canvas/model) is ideal.
4. Is it external user facing? → Power Pages/portal first.
5. Do you want partner accountability for updates? → Partner-maintained product may be best.

Power Automate — automate processes fast

Use cases: approval routing, supplier notifications, automated bookkeeping tasks, e-commerce order triggers.
Why it’s valuable: low-code flows let business users and citizen developers automate repeatable tasks, freeing your ERP for core transactions.

Power Apps — tailored UIs and mobile solutions

Use cases: warehouse scanning apps (canvas), project time capture, field service forms (model-driven).
Why it’s valuable: you can create focused user experiences (mobile, kiosk, tablet) that surface only the data and actions a role needs, without modifying the ERP UI.

Power Pages — secure portals for external users

Use cases: customer self-service portals, supplier invoice submission, return/consignment tracking.
Why it’s valuable: expose controlled Business Central data to partners and customers in a secure web interface, improving collaboration while keeping ERP data protected.

Dataverse & Virtual Tables — live data without duplication

Virtual tables make Business Central data available in Dataverse without copying it. That means any Power App or automation reads/writes live ERP data, reducing sync risk.

Business continuity: upgrades & the evergreen promise

One of the biggest wins for the extension model is smoother upgrades. Microsoft’s cloud cadence means Business Central receives updates automatically — but that makes it essential to ensure your extensions are compatible. Best practice:

• Validate extensions in a pre-release sandbox when Microsoft publishes preview features.
• Automate compatibility tests.
• Keep a roadmap of custom features mapped to Business Central release cycles.

An effective partner will offer an evergreen support model — owning the lifecycle of your bespoke apps so you’re never caught mid-upgrade.

Final thoughts — extensibility as strategy, not an afterthought

Extending Business Central isn’t just a technical exercise — it’s a strategic lever. When done correctly, extensions let you:

• Preserve a clean, upgradable core ERP.
• Deliver role-specific experiences that boost adoption.
• Rapidly automate and innovate using the Power Platform.
• Protect investment through governance and evergreen maintenance.

Whether you pick an AppSource solution for speed, a bespoke app for differentiation, or Power Platform for UI and automation, the key is to plan for maintenance and testing from day one. Extensions should enhance your ERP — not become a future liability.