Extensions for Business Central
Business Central Extensions provide additional functionality. But without compromising your flexibility and independence.
No more expensive customizations
We always recommend our customers to go with the standard version because it gives you the greatest independence and flexibility. But at the same time, we also know that the world and everyday life often looks different and that in the past, solutions often had to be adapted to fit the real world. This usually caused a lot of challenges with updates and often resulted in customers staying on the old systems/versions.
To avoid customizations blocking updates, customizations in Business Central are replaced by Extensions. Extensions are essentially customizations isolated from the standard product itself. This means that they are not affected by the continuous updates that Microsoft sends out to the standard product. The updates can therefore be run continuously – and you will still be working in the latest versions even if you have a number of extensions connected to your solution.
Extra functionality with Extensions
Extensions are “extra functionality” you can add to your Business Central solution – without compromising your flexibility and independence.
Extensions are placed outside the Business Central core itself, which means that even if you have added Extensions to your solution, you can still run Microsoft’s continuous updates – and thereby be sure that you can work on the latest version of Business Central.
Business Central contains a number of extensions by default, which you are free to choose to use.
The different Business Central Extensions all add new functionality to your solution. Some extensions are simple, perhaps just adding one or more fields to an existing page, others are more complicated with completely new pages and features that require some form of configuration.
Get the right solutions from the start
We recommend that you consult with one of our consultants if you think you need extra functionality.
Our consultants have extensive experience with Business Central and the various Extensions. They will be able to advise you so that you get the right Extensions from the start – and don’t end up trying blindly.
Some Extensions are from Microsoft, while other Extensions are supplied by other companies. However, all Extensions are tested before they become available.
Frequently asked questions about extensions in Business Central
When you start working with extensions in Business Central, a number of questions naturally arise: What is the difference between extensions and legacy customizations? How do they affect updates? And which extensions provide the most value in our solution?
Here, we’ve compiled answers to some of the questions we most frequently encounter in our conversations with customers.
1. Why do you recommend extensions instead of traditional adjustments?
Traditional customizations used to be hard-coded directly into the standard code. This made companies heavily reliant on custom development and created problems when Microsoft released updates. As a result, many ended up sticking with older versions for years to avoid conflicts.
Extensions work completely differently: They reside outside the core of Business Central itself, so updates do not overwrite them. This means you can get exactly the functionality you need—without compromising on flexibility, stability, or the ability to receive ongoing automatic updates.
2. What can extensions be used for—and what additional functionality do they provide?
Extensions can be either small or large. Some simply add individual fields or minor features to existing pages, while others introduce entirely new screens, processes, integrations, or modules.
Business Central already comes with a number of standard extensions that you can freely activate. In addition, there are many developed by third-party vendors. What they all have in common is that they help you tailor the system precisely to your day-to-day operations—without modifying the standard product itself.
3. Can we be sure that Extensions won’t cause problems during updates?
Yes. That’s the whole point of Extensions. They are isolated from the standard product, which means that Microsoft can update Business Central on an ongoing basis—and your solution will still work, even if you’ve added many Extensions.
Whereas you used to risk having updates overwrite your old customizations, Extensions ensures that you can continue using the latest version without interruptions and without having to make complex adjustments after every update.
4. What types of extensions are available—and how do we know which ones suit our needs?
There is a wide selection of extensions, both from Microsoft itself and from other companies. All are tested before release to ensure they work with Business Central. They range from simple add-ons to complex modules that require configuration.
To ensure that you choose the right ones from the start, we always recommend consulting with us. Our consultants are familiar with both the standard features, the various apps, and the many extensions available on the market, and they’ll help you choose exactly the extensions that support your processes—without adding unnecessary features.
5. Do we need to choose the extensions ourselves—or will you help us evaluate and implement them?
Although you can activate Extensions on your own, we do not recommend doing so without consulting with us first. Most companies find it difficult to assess whether their needs can be met by standard features, an extension, an app—or something else entirely.
We therefore often start by reviewing your current workflows and identifying where there is a genuine need for additional functionality. This way, you avoid “trial and error” and ending up with unnecessary or overlapping solutions. The goal is to ensure simplicity, reliability, and flexibility.
6. How do Extensions contribute to our flexibility, future-proofing, and independence?
Extensions make you significantly more future-proof than traditional customizations. Because they reside outside the Business Central core, the system can be updated continuously without downtime, hassle, or the risk of errors.
This means you can:
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Run updates regularly and always use the latest version
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Keep your customizations without sacrificing stability
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Avoid reliance on special codes
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add new functionality as needed, without affecting the standard
In other words, extensions offer you exactly the combination that many companies are looking for: additional functionality and complete flexibility.
Would you like to hear more?
If you would like more information or have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
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