Marcel Chabot

Understanding AL Development: Environmental Information Code Unit The codeunit 457 "Environment Information" in Business Central helps manage extension behavior based on the environment type. It includes functions like IsProduction and IsSandbox to determine the environment and adjust operations accordingly, such as altering email procedures for Sandbox environments and handling SaaS versus OnPremises distinctions effectively.

A fantastic fall Friday, a great day for another helpful code unit! This week we take a look at the Environmental Information Code Unit. It can really be helpful when you want to perform specific actions based on details about which environment you are in. Have fun!

Using CoPilot to Upgrade Service Notes for Invoices in Business Central AL A client requires enhanced service technician notes for customer-facing invoices in Business Central. The solution involves employing CoPilot to transform these notes into clear summaries. This implementation includes creating a table for resolution notes and integrating prompts for user input, ultimately streamlining the invoice generation and improving client communication.

Happy Friday. This week we explore an application of CoPilot to simplify the handling of field service technicians notes and turn them into something appropriate to share with a customer on a Sales Invoice. It is a great application of AI and a fun use case. Enjoy!

Understanding AL Development: String Conversion Management Code Unit In a previous post we reviewed the Type Helper Code Unit and its collection of useful procedures. There are several other helper code units, and this week we will review the String Conversion Management Code Unit. If you haven't seen the post about the Type Helper, you can find it here: This particular helper stems from the .NET System.Text objects.

Happy Friday! A few weeks ago I dove into the Type Helper code unit. I was alerted to the String Conversion Management code unit as another great support code unit. I couldn't agree more! Here is a write up on a small, but powerful code unit. Have a great weekend!

Top Improvements in Business Central Page Scripting in Release 2025 Wave 2 The Page Scripting tool has been improved in Business Central 2025 Wave 2, addressing key challenges. Users can now delete steps, insert new ones without re-recording, rearrange steps via drag and drop, add parameters through the UI, and utilize previously generated scripts, making the scripting process more user-friendly and efficient.

Business Central Wave 2 is bringing some important new features to the Page Scripting tool. These features include arbitrary delete, drag and drop reorder, insert steps, parameters, and sub scripts! Check them out and watch for their release in your Business Central.

Truncate vs. DeleteAll: Speed in Dynamics 365 Business Central AL Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2025 Release Wave 2 (Version 27.0) introduces a new, more efficient way to delete large volumes of data: Truncate. My first question is, how much faster is it? I setup a little experiment. I created a routine to generate 500,000 records. Which took 127,676 millisecond or about 2 minutes. I then deleted the records in one of three different ways.

Business Central 2025 Wave 2 introduces a faster way to delete data: Truncate. How much faster is it? Well, I spent a few hours creating a deleting records to bring you the results. Check out this week's Aardvark Labs blog and see the winner. More interestingly how much faster is the winner.

Understanding AL Development: The Type Helper Code Unit The Type Helper code unit in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central encapsulates reusable logic for tasks like data formatting, localization, and type conversion. With 74 procedures, it simplifies common operations in development, facilitating API handling. The helper enhances modularity and efficiency by offloading routine functionality to callable units.

Ever need a helping hand? This week we are looking at the Type Helper Code Unit in Business Central. This code unit has 74 helpful procedures in it and we will be making use of it a lot as we delve into API integration in the near future. Have a great weekend!

Securing Sensitive Data in Business Central AL using SecretText The content discusses the importance of keeping sensitive data secret while developing extensions for Business Central, particularly in relation to Azure OpenAI and API keys. It introduces the SecretText variable, which protects confidential information from debuggers and other users. The implementation includes generating JSON objects securely with secret values.

Happy Friday! Can you keep a secret? Well Business Central can! Take a look at what we can do with the SecretText. This is important to keep things like API keys safe.
Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Azure OpenAI in Business Central AL: Managed vs Unmanaged The post discusses two authentication methods for integrating AI in Business Central: using an Azure OpenAI instance or a Managed OpenAI Resource. While the Azure instance provides control over model deployment, the Managed Resource reduces costs and maintenance since it's included in Business Central. The Managed Resource also offers Grounded Bing Search capabilities, but comes with data containment concerns.

Did you know that as a Business Central AL Developer you have access to two different implementation methods for OpenAI/CoPilot? There are the ones you can create in Azure OpenAI, and the one Managed by Business Central. There are reasons to use both, check out this week's post to learn more.

Guide to Handling Header and Detail Imports into Business Central with AL Earlier in our Delimited File Import example we imported and parsed a simple file into Customer records. While useful, there are many cases where a Header and Line system is required, such as Sales Orders. We are going to use concepts from that earlier post, so please take a moment and review if needed. There are two common structures for storing header and line data in a delimited file.

A lovely Friday in Fall, time for some Aardvark Labs! A few weeks ago I posted about importing delimited text files stuck to a single record type. This week we tackle the Header/Detail structure of a Sales Order. This is a common data import that has some interesting parsing challenges.
Enjoy!

Step-by-Step Guide to Page Customizations for Business Central in AL BC AL Journey #31 Pages and Page Extensions are a great way to create or update page layouts for Business Central. The issues are that they are "one size fits all", meaning that they are perfect for nobody. What is needed is a page layout that can be customized based on a user or more specifically a user profile. What we need is to be able to do is define a profile, then define customization to pages that are specific to that profile.

Welcome to a Friday customized just for you! Well, it would be if you were a Business Central Page and Page Customization object. You can customize pages in Business Central, but you can also create Page Customizations in AL. Take a look at what you can do beyond Page and Page Extensions. Have Fun!

Business Central 2027 release wave 1: Preparing for OData Endpoint Removal As of the writing of this the Business Central 2027 release wave 1 is 18+ months away, however the scope of this change leaves no time to waste. Currently in Business Central any Page can be a Web Service. You can use the magnifying glass, enter Web Services, and see a list of available Web Services. You can see the Customer Card API is a Page with the object ID of 21.

Heads up to my Business Central API Users. BC Release 30 (2027 Wave 1) has some major changes to Business Central APIs and while it sounds like it is a long way away, this change can't wait for the last minute. Here is a write up of what is happening and what you can do to prepare.

Enhancing Business Central with Address Validation AI Address matching can be challenging due to various abbreviations and misspellings. The writer discusses integrating artificial intelligence to improve accuracy, utilizing tools like Azure OpenAI to evaluate address similarities. The system should return the closest matching address with a certainty percentage, aiding in data completeness within Business Central records.

This fantastic Friday we are going to go back to CoPilot/Azure OpenAI and solve a challenging problem: Address Matching. I've tried several different technologies in the past, now let's see how AI handled the challenge. Spoiler Alert: Amazingly Well. Check out the BLOG for all the details.

Step by Step Guide to Importing Excel Data into Business Central Microsoft Excel is the leading data management application, widely used despite mixed opinions. The content discusses importing data into a temporary staging table using Excel files. It outlines steps to define columns, manage item records, and implement the import process with specific procedures for handling Excel data, ensuring clarity and efficiency.

I hope you are having an Excel-lent day! This week we are continuing our file import exploration with everyone's favorite spreadsheet, Microsoft Excel. Excel is such a popular tool, having the ability to create interactive imports from Excel files is a huge benefit to users.
Have a great weekend!

Best Practices for Handling Delimited Data Imports into Business Central Delimited files, commonly used for data transfer, separate data with various delimiters (e.g., CSV, pipe). These files are unstructured and flat, lacking validation between records. Implementing a temporary staging table ensures data integrity during customer imports. The process involves uploading a file, parsing, and storing customer records systematically for further processing.

It is a delightful Friday to learn something! This week we are looking at parsing data from CSV files. This goes along with our previous JSON import, and we will see Excel imports in the coming weeks. There is a lot we can do with file imports, and we are going to take a deep dive! Have a great day!

Enhance Your Video Calls with OBS Studio In the remote working environment, video calls enhance participant engagement. Using OBS Studio can improve the video appearance during meetings. By configuring video and audio sources, adding images, and utilizing a green screen for better background removal, users can personalize their virtual presence. Activating the virtual camera finalizes the setup.

Ready to give your next video meeting a glow up?! Here is a quick walk through of setting up OBS to transform your video camera feed into a studio production! This is great for meetings, presentations, or just adding that little extra to a training. Have a good time!

Understanding RDLC Reports in Business Central The post explores Business Central's reporting technologies, focusing on RDLC reports, which allow self-hosting and data inclusion. Unlike Excel and Word reports, RDLC requires Microsoft Report Builder. Users can edit reports, manage element properties, and utilize datasets for advanced expressions, enhancing report precision. The technology integrates with Power BI for paginated reports.

You made it to Friday, well done. Polish off your week with a post from Aardvark Labs! We are looking at the RDLC Report this week. This one brings me back to my SSRS days and is near and dear to my heart. SSRS Reports were my first task here at TMG.
Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Step-by-Step Guide to Word Reports in Business Central BC AL Journey #29 focuses on creating a Microsoft Word report for Vendor Activity. Unlike Excel reports, Word reports require a custom layout through XML mapping. The process involves exporting the layout, configuring it, and then publishing the report to produce a structured document. This method offers enhanced layout capabilities for document-style reporting.

Wow, Friday already. We are continuing our reporting journey in the BC AL Journey series. This week we are creating a super basic Word Report from scratch. Combined with what we learned editing reports last week; we can do a lot! I hope you enjoy the post and have a great weekend.

Simplifying Cyber Security: Insights from Code Squirrel Blog The Code Squirrel Blog by Alexa aims to simplify complex tech concepts, particularly in cyber security, making them accessible and enjoyable. Through clear explanations of terms like "phishing" and "MFA," Alexa strives to educate readers on online safety, encouraging proactive measures for personal and professional security amid evolving challenges.

Happy Monday! Alexa has started a Blog about Cyber Security. She is really excited to share what she is learning and learn from everyone in the community. Please give her a warm welcome and enjoy her unique style. Together we may all be a little safer online.

Easy Steps to Edit Word Reports in Business Central In BC AL Journey #28, the focus shifts from Excel reports to modifying existing Word Reports, specifically the Sales Quote report. The tutorial covers enabling the Developer tab in Word, using XML Mapping for data sources, and adjusting layouts via tables. It emphasizes careful versioning and testing before uploading new reports to Business Central.

Happy Friday! We are continuing to work through reporting in our BC AL Journey. Reporting is one of the most difficult BC skills for me, making these some of the most challenging steps for me. Enjoy my struggles, and I hope I can help people learn some new skills. Have a great weekend!

Step-by-Step Guide to Excel Reporting in Business Central In the BC AL Journey, the focus has been on data management within Business Central, leading to the complex area of reporting, distinct from Business Intelligence. Three reporting technologies are highlighted: Excel, Word, and RDLC, with Excel being most user-friendly. Users can create custom reports and maintain data integrity through updated layouts, enhancing reporting efficiency.

Friday, and that means another post from Aardvark Labs! That's what you've been looking forward to all week right?
This week we are moving from Queries to Reports, and we are string with the Microsoft Excel Report. This is a fantastic place to start reporting and layout design. I hope you enjoy!

Step-by-Step Guide to Business Central API Queries In BC AL Journey #26, the focus shifts to creating a Vendor Ledger API within Business Central, building on previous data analysis concepts. This API facilitates external access for tools like Power BI while ensuring read-only access. The post covers querying methods, code implementation, and initial steps for reporting in Power BI.

Greetings, and happy Friday! This week we are continuing with the Business Central AL Query Objects and creating an API Query. This brings a few new elements in from our last query post and adds another tool to our reporting toolbox. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Enhance Your Windows Experience with PowerToys PowerToys, a utility for Windows users, enhances system functionality with tools for tasks like mouse tracking, image resizing, and color picking. Originally launched in 1996 and revived in 2019 as open-source, it offers both simple and advanced features. Users can customize settings, making it a valuable addition for improving productivity.

Happy 4th of July! This week I'm taking a break from Business Central and sharing one of my favorite Quality of Life tools for Windows: PowerToys. If you don't have this installed already, take a look. If you do have it installed, what is your favorite tool?
Have a great day and a fantastic weekend.

Business Central Queries: Simplifying Complex Data BC AL Journey #25 We have worked with Business Central tables and data a few different ways. We have displayed the data in Pages and accessed it in APIs and CodeUnits. This is great for single source data, where one table contains everything we need. Things quickly get complicated when we want to provide data that spans several tables, or we want to greatly simplify a data set from a complex table.

Happy Friday everyone! This week we are getting back to the BC AL Journey series as we visit Queries. This is Part 1 as we move into Queries, Reporting and more advanced API development.
I'm very excited to get into this and I hope you enjoy it as well.

Creating Low-Code AI Agents with Copilot Studio and Business Central The content outlines the use of Copilot Studio to develop AI agents integrated with Business Central. It details the setup process, including adding tools and knowledge connectors, creating a basic agent, and publishing it to Teams. The process enhances data interaction, allowing users to derive insights and improve accounts receivable follow-ups.

This week I'm going Low-Code Copilot Studio with Business Central. Join me to setup our first Copilot Studio Agent that can answer questions about Business Central Customers. I had a good time visiting team Low-Code and creating a rather capable agent in very little time. Have fun!

Implementing a Multi-Step Process for AI Recommendations in Business Central This blog post illustrates a multi-step process of integrating AI with Business Central to generate item recommendations for sales orders. By using sales line descriptions, the AI provides a list of relevant items, facilitating user actions. It emphasizes that AI can play a supportive role rather than providing complete solutions.

Friday again, and another Blog Post! This week we are looking at using AI as a part of a more complex, multi-step process. An AI output doesn't have to be the whole result; in this post we explore using AI as a step in a more complex process.
I hope you enjoy it and have a great weekend!

Implementing a Multi-Step Process for AI Recommendations in Business Central This blog post illustrates a multi-step process of integrating AI with Business Central to generate item recommendations for sales orders. By using sales line descriptions, the AI provides a list of relevant items, facilitating user actions. It emphasizes that AI can play a supportive role rather than providing complete solutions.

Friday again, and another Blog Post! This week we are looking at using AI as a part of a more complex, multi-step process. An AI output doesn't have to be the whole result; in this post we explore using AI as a step in a more complex process.
I hope you enjoy it and have a great weekend!

How to Work with JSON in Business Central’s AL Code This content discusses the use of JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) for handling data communication in Business Central, emphasizing its advantages over XML. It explains JSON's fundamental elements—Values, Objects, and Arrays—and provides examples for reading and writing JSON datasets with AL code, highlighting the import/export process for Pet Owner and Pet records.

Friday already! I'm back with our BC AL Journey Series, this time working with JSON data. JSON is critical to working with data integration and communicating with AI/Copilot systems. JSON is the cornerstone of system-to-system communication, and this is a simple example. Have a great weekend!

Creating Data Driven Text with AI in Business Central The post discusses advancing the Copilot integration in Business Central by generating personalized reminder texts for overdue balances using GPT. It outlines the need to enrich the user prompt with customer data to create effective reminders, specifying changes to the code and the approach to enhance user interaction.

Greeting everyone! It's Friday and I have a treat this week. Previously I posted about creating a simple Copilot for Address Cleanup. This week we create a new Copilot and incorporate Business Central data into the system to create a custom output based on BC data! Enjoy and have a great weekend.

Experience at DynamicsCon 2025: Friends, Fun, and Learning The session on Business Central Performance Management was well-attended, featuring engaging Dad jokes and valuable insights. Presentations included topics on Power Pages, sales pricing, and AI in development. The event fostered networking, with attendees enjoying group outings and personal moments, including the author's daughter participating. Appreciation was expressed for the organizers' efforts.

Thank you to everyone at DynamicsCon. I had a great time, learned new things, and enjoyed the company of amazing people. If you weren't able to attend, here is a quick wrap-up and link to my presentation content. It was a great time and I'm looking forward to the next DUG event.

Exploring Dynamics User Groups at DynamicsCon 2025 DynamicsCon 2025 will be held next week in Chicago. The author will present "Business Central Performance Management" at the conference. They emphasize the community's spirit among competitors who share knowledge and experiences in Dynamics products. Networking opportunities exist, including local DUG meetups for users and partners. Stickers will be available at the event.

Happy Friday everyone! Next week is DynamicsCon 2025! I hope to see many of you there, find me, I have stickers!
Short posts this week and next, but then a new multipart series. Have a great weekend, and for those who are traveling, travel safe!