Are you struggling with keeping track of important deadlines and tasks in Business Central? I’m going to show you how to easily set up and manage reminders, so you never miss a critical follow-up or due date again. Did you know that businesses using reminder systems are 70% more likely to meet their deadlines consistently? In this guide, I’ll walk you through the simple steps to create, customize, and manage reminders in Microsoft Business Central. Get ready to boost your team’s productivity and keep your projects on track! Navigate to Reminder Setup: Conclusion Setting up and managing reminders in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a powerful way to streamline accounts receivable and maintain healthy cash flow. By configuring reminder terms, linking them to specific customers, and using Business Central’s automated reminder creation and sending options, businesses can ensure timely payment collections while reducing manual effort. Properly managed reminders not only help businesses stay organized but also improve customer relationships by clearly communicating payment expectations. Regularly reviewing and adjusting reminders allows businesses to stay flexible and responsive, ensuring that the reminder process remains efficient and effective. We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com

Developers are continually looking for ways to write cleaner, more efficient code. Two powerful tools that have emerged to meet this need are the ternary operator and extendable interfaces. This blog explores how these features can enhance your AL code, making it more readable and maintainable. Ternary Operator in Business Central The ternary operator, introduced in the 2024 release wave 2 of Business Central, is a concise way to perform conditional assignments. It offers a streamlined alternative to traditional if-else statements, promoting code clarity and reducing verbosity. Syntax and Example The ternary operator in AL has the following syntax: condition ? exprIfTrue : exprIfFalse Here’s an example that demonstrates its usage: pageextension 50300 CustomerListExtension extends “Customer List” {layout {     addlast(Content) {         field(“Customer Status”; IsCustomerActive) {             ApplicationArea = All;         }     }} var     IsCustomerActive: Text; trigger OnAfterGetCurrRecord();begin     IsCustomerActive := Rec.Blocked = Rec.Blocked::” ” ? ‘Active’ : ‘Inactive’;end;} In this example, the ternary operator is used to determine whether a customer is active or inactive based on their Blocked status. The result is a concise and more readable conditional assignment. Extendable Interfaces in Business Central Extendable interfaces provide a modular and flexible way to define reusable logic across different components in Business Central. They allow developers to create scalable systems that can easily adapt to changing business requirements. Defining and Implementing Extendable Interfaces Base Interface: interface INotificationProvider {procedure SendNotification(Message: Text): Text;} Extended Interface: interface INotificationProviderExt extends INotificationProvider {procedure SendEmailNotification(Message: Text): Text;procedure SendSMSNotification(Message: Text): Text;} Implementing the Interfaces in Codeunits: Email Notification Provider:codeunit 50301 EmailNotificationProvider implements INotificationProvider {procedure SendNotification(Message: Text): Text;begin     exit(‘Email sent with message: ‘ + Message);end;} SMS Notification Provider:codeunit 50302 SMSNotificationProvider implements INotificationProvider {procedure SendNotification(Message: Text): Text;begin     exit(‘SMS sent with message: ‘ + Message);end;} Advanced Notification Provider:codeunit 50303 AdvancedNotificationProvider implements INotificationProviderExt {procedure SendNotification(Message: Text): Text;begin     exit(‘Notification sent with message: ‘ + Message);end; procedure SendEmailNotification(Message: Text): Text;begin     exit(‘Email sent with message: ‘ + Message);end; procedure SendSMSNotification(Message: Text): Text;begin     exit(‘SMS sent with message: ‘ + Message);end;} Real-World Application Let’s implement these interfaces in a page extension to add actions for sending notifications to customers. pageextension 50300 CustomerListExt extends “Customer List” {actions {     addafter(ApplyTemplate) {         action(SendEmail) {             ApplicationArea = All;             Image = Email;             Caption = ‘Send Email’;             Promoted = true;             PromotedCategory = Process;             trigger OnAction()             begin                 iNotificationProvider := EmailNotificationProvider;                 Message(iNotificationProvider.SendNotification(‘Email message to customer’));             end;         } action(SendSMS) {             Image = Phone;             Caption = ‘Send SMS’;             ApplicationArea = All;             Promoted = true;             PromotedCategory = Process;             trigger OnAction()             begin                 iNotificationProvider := SMSNotificationProvider;                 Message(iNotificationProvider.SendNotification(‘SMS message to customer’));             end;         } action(SendAdvancedNotification) {             Image = Notification;             Caption = ‘Send Advanced Notification’;             ApplicationArea = All;             Promoted = true;             PromotedCategory = Process;             trigger OnAction()             begin                    iNotificationProviderExt := AdvancedNotificationProvider;                    Message(iNotificationProviderExt.SendEmailNotification(‘Advanced Email message to customer’));                    Message(iNotificationProviderExt.SendSMSNotification(‘Advanced SMS message to customer’));             end;         }     }} var     iNotificationProvider: Interface INotificationProvider;     iNotificationProviderExt: Interface INotificationProviderExt;     EmailNotificationProvider: Codeunit EmailNotificationProvider;     SMSNotificationProvider: Codeunit SMSNotificationProvider;     AdvancedNotificationProvider: Codeunit AdvancedNotificationProvider;} This example demonstrates how to use extendable interfaces to create a flexible and maintainable notification provider system in Business Central, allowing for different types of notifications to be added seamlessly. Conclusion The ternary operator and extendable interfaces in Business Central are powerful tools that can significantly enhance your AL code. By using the ternary operator, you can streamline conditional logic and improve code readability. Extendable interfaces, on the other hand, allow for modular, scalable solutions that can adapt to changing business needs. Embrace these features to build more efficient, maintainable, and future-proof solutions in Business Central.

In the previous part of my blog, I explained about the Credit Only process. In this part of my blog, I will go through the Physical Return process. The Physical return process is determined based on the Disposition Code that is assigned to that Return Order. Disposition Codes in D365 Finance and Operations: Disposition codes in Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (D365FO) are essential tools used to categorize and manage returned items. These codes help businesses decide what to do with products that customers send back, whether it’s restocking, repairing, or scrapping them. By using disposition codes, companies can streamline their return processes, maintain accurate inventory records, and ensure that returned items are handled efficiently and appropriately. This not only enhances operational efficiency but also helps in improving customer satisfaction by managing returns in a clear and organized manner. Below is the List of Dispositions Codes that are available in D365 FNO: These Disposition codes are available as Standard Functionality in D365 FNO.  You can also create new codes based on the business requirements. In this part of the blog, I will walk you through the Replace Item and Credit Customer scenario. Let’s take a scenario where we have sold 5 items to the customer and after delivery the customer does the Quality check in which 2 products fail due to quality issues. The customer has Scrapped those products on our behalf and now we will provide the customer with the replacement items. For that: Go to Sales and Marketing>Sales Returns>All Return Orders. On the All return orders page click New to create a New Sales Return Order. Select the Customer for which the Return Order is to be created. Enter the Site, Warehouse, RMA number and other details and click OK. In the first part of the blog I created the Return order using the Find Sales Order function so in this part I will directly add the line with negative quantity. In the below screenshot you can see that I have added a line for the Product P-000015 with negative quantity. The next step is to register the Line with the Replace and Credit customer Disposition code. For that click on the Update Line option in the Lines tab then from the drop down click on the Registration option. Then from the Disposition Code drop down select the Replace and Credit Customer option. Then add the registration line then click on Confirm Registration. In the below screenshot you can see the Line status is changed to Registered and the Return order status is changed to Open. Now if you go to the All-Sales Order Page you can see that a New Sales Order is created with the Order type as Returned Order with the Status as Open Order. Now if you open the Sales Order and check the lines the quantity of the line will be exactly same as that of the Return order. The next step is to create a Replacement order as we have selected the Disposition Code of Replace and Credit. For that click on Update Line and Click Registration which will change the Line status from Registered to Expected. As you do this you will notice that the Post Packing Slip button is now disabled, and you can see that the Replacement Order button is now available. As our disposition code is Replace and credit Customer the next step is to create a Replacement Order. For that click on the New Replacement Order button. Add the same site and Warehouse as Return order and click Ok this will create a Replacement Order. After Replacement Order is created go back to the Return Order again and Click Registration and select the Credit disposition code which will Credit the Amount back into the Customer’s account. Now after that Post the Packing slip for the Return order which will change the Return Order status to Received. Then go ahead and Invoice the Return Order from the All-Sales Order page which will again change the Return Order status to Closed. Then go ahead and process the Replacement Sales Order. If you go to the Customer transaction and check, you can see that the Amount is credited back in to the Customer Account. So, this completes the Sales Return Process of Return and Credit to customer. We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com

Leasing refers to a contractual arrangement where one party (the lessee) pays the other party (the lessor) for the use of an asset, such as property, vehicles, or equipment, for a specified period. Lease accounting is the process by which companies record the financial impacts of their leasing activities. It has become increasingly important due to new accounting standards that require most leases to be recognized on the balance sheet, enhancing transparency and providing a clearer picture of a company’s financial obligations. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance can help companies (CFOs, Finance & accounts team) to set up, operate and manage multiple lease accounting. The work around goes as listed below : 2. i. Create Lease Books: Asset Leasing =>Setup=> Lease Books ii. Define Interest as Expense Type iii. Define Lease rate of interest as Index rate type. iv. Define General Ledger mapping, number sequences and journal types in Asset leasing parameters. 3. Create New Lease in Lease Summary by giving unique Lease ID and update details in Open Books : Lease start date, Vendor Details, Lease Term 4. Run each schedule to ensure that journal entries are made for the chosen period and schedules are generated for the lease period. 5. For any modification in lease terms, termination or revaluation use the Maintain function. 6. Using the Inquiries and Reports – all lease related reports can be used to review and monitor the financial impact of leases. This way the entire lease accounting can be automated whether asset leasing is part or core business of the company. It takes care of the increasing number of leases with comfort and avoids risk of errors and miscalculations. We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com

Purchase department plays very crucial role in any company to maintain right inventory at right time & at right price. So to keep business running efficiently purchase orders are released to suppliers accordingly. But there might be changes in confirmed purchase orders due to various reasons & it’s impacts on business will vary case to case basis. It is very important to quickly assess the impact of changes & respond to mitigate the challenges. D365 F&O has released workspace “Confirmed purchase orders with changes” to review and accept changes to confirmed Purchase Orders. This feature is useful to purchase manager, sourcing manager to take quick actions on changes. On this workspace summary is shown for all orders with no. of “Low impact changes”, “High impact changes”, “Impacted downstream orders” sales, production or service orders which will be affected due to changes in purchase orders. List of “All purchase orders with changes”, change details i.e. item no., quantity change, date change, impacted order details as below – Now selected PO is 000039 in “All purchase orders with changes” list in 1st table in lower half. In 2nd table details of changes are provided with item number & changed quantity. As in this PO quantity of item M0007 is reduced from 100 to 10 because of which production order P000169 & P000171 will be affected which is shown in 3rd table in lower half. In 2nd table in upper half M0007 is part of list which are “High impact changes” means changes in this purchase order is going to impact production orders which will affect business. Similarly selected PO is 000038 in “All purchase orders with changes” list in 1st table in lower half. In 2nd table details of changes are provided with item number & changed quantity. As in this PO delivery date of item M0002 is delayed but this change is not going to affect any downstream order. As there are no details in 3rd table in lower half. In 1st table in upper half M0002 is part of list which are “low impact changes” means changes in this purchase order is not affecting any production order or sales order even if it is delayed upto new date. Similarly, all confirmed orders which has changed will be displayed in this list. Once these changes are reviewed by purchase department personnel, they can discuss with suppliers to mitigate the changes. & then confirm the finalized changes by selecting purchase orders on list & click on confirm purchase orders button. Conclusion – Hence using “Confirmed purchase orders with changes” workspace purchase manager can review changes in 1 screen with details of impact on downstream orders & can approve these orders & take required action to reduce the impact on business. We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com

If you are working with SSRS reports in Dynamics 365 CRM, you may have to run or use the report for a single selected record, depending on your need. In this blog, I will explain how to run a report on a selected record in CRM. Running a report on a selected record is also referred to as prefiltering, so let’s first understand what prefiltering is in an SSRS Report.  What is Prefiltering in an SSRS Report?  Prefiltering in an SSRS Report is the process of applying filters before data is retrieved from the data source. It limits the dataset to include only the relevant records by incorporating conditions directly into the query or stored procedure used to fetch data for the report. It only shows relevant data that is needed for the reporting.  To add prefiltering to an SSRS report, follow these steps:  – First, identify the entity you want to run the report for. If the same report needs to be run on multiple entities in CRM, you will need to add the prefiltering condition to all required entities.   – For example, I have considered this project entity   <entity name=”msdyan_project” enableprefiltering=”1″ prefilterparametername=”Parameter1″>  enableprefiltering = “1” specifies that the data for ‘msdyan_project’ will be filter before report is shown for user.  – When running the above query, a parameter named “Parameter1” will be created automatically in Visual Studio.  – Now, publish the SSRS report to the desired environment and add the required field to the related project field to the related record type and you are all set.  Conclusion  Running an SSRS report on a single CRM record is an effective way to display relevant data while ensuring the report remains context sensitive. In this blog, we have provided a step-by-step guide to adding a prefilter in your SSRS report.  We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com

If you are a decision maker at an organization and looking to strategize the information at your organization and how the systems should source information from one to another, then this post is for you.  Systems for source of truth at the organization is the question you are looking to get answered.  Dynamics 365 Applications involved for Professional Services firms  Let’s break down the systems from Dynamics 365 Application stack-standpoint –   Sales and Project Management  If you are a Professional Services firm in Construction, Engineering, Accounting, IT Services etc. and you have a Sales cycle running from Opportunity generation all the way to Project and Resource Management, then you need Dynamics 365 Project Operations – below is what Project Operations handles –   Accounting  Dynamics 365 Project Operations itself isn’t designed as an Accounting platform – it can create up to Pro-forma Invoices. But here’s to consider some options for Accounting –   Marketing  Marketing is a key aspect for an organization which primary deals with data like Accounts and Contacts – Here are some options to look out for –  HRMS  Maybe you are coming from an existing HR platforms, but here are some thoughts –   Tying it all together  As you’ve seen so far, the source of truth being Dynamics 365 Project Operations or core CRM application because of its flexibility, it is pivotal to source data from this system to other systems and all CRUD operations are tied to Project Operations upon integration.  Other systems are then used to perform their respective operation and send updates back to Project Operations through integration.  Conclusion  Making Dynamics 365 Project Operations as source of truth works for our customers as they find the information clean, consistent and available for correct reporting through just one system.  This gives a true view of the organization without having siloed systems which result in inconsistencies in data and information mismatch if integrations are not architected correctly. Making a system as source of truth gives you improved accuracy and trust in your organizations’ data and drives efficency in the longer run.  We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com

In modern development workflows, maintaining consistency across build pipelines is crucial. A well-organized build process ensures reliability and minimizes repetitive configuration. For developers using YAML-based pipelines (e.g., Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions), template extension is a powerful approach to achieve this. This blog explores how to use YAML templates effectively to manage build stages for multiple functions in your project. What is Template Extension in YAML? Template extension allows you to define reusable configurations in one place and extend them for specific use cases. Instead of repeating the same build steps for every function or service, you can create a single template with customizable parameters. Why Use Templates in Build Pipelines? – Scalability: Add new services or functions without duplicating code. – Maintainability: Update logic in one place instead of modifying multiple files. – Consistency: Ensure uniform processes across different builds. Step-by-Step Implementation Here’s how you can set up a build pipeline using template extension. 1. Create a Reusable Template A template defines the common steps in your build process. For example, consider the following file named buildsteps-template.yml: parameters: – name: buildSteps # the name of the parameter is buildSteps type: stepList # data type is StepList default: [] # default value of buildSteps stages: – stage: secure_buildstage pool: name: Azure Pipelines demands: – Agent.Name -equals Azure Pipelines x jobs: – job: steps: – task: UseDotNet@2 inputs: packageType: ‘sdk’ version: ‘8.x’ performMultiLevelLookup: true – ${{ each step in parameters.buildSteps }}: – ${{ each pair in step }}: ${{ pair.key }}: ${{ pair.value }} 2. Reference the Template in the Main Pipeline This is your main pipeline file: trigger: branches: include: – TEST {Branch name} paths: include: – {Repository Name}/{Function Name} variables: buildConfiguration: ‘Release’ extends: template: ..\buildsteps-template.yml {Template file name} parameters: buildSteps: – script: dotnet build {Repository Name}/{Function Name}/{Function Name}.csproj –output build_output –configuration $(buildConfiguration) displayName: ‘Build {Function Name} Project’ – script: dotnet publish {Repository Name}/{Function Name}/{Function Name}.csproj –output $(build.artifactstagingdirectory)/publish_output –configuration $(buildConfiguration) displayName: ‘Publish {Function Name} Project’ – script: (cd $(build.artifactstagingdirectory)/publish_output && zip -r {Function Name}.zip .) displayName: ‘Zip Files’ – script: echo “##vso[artifact.upload artifactname={Function Name}]$(build.artifactstagingdirectory)/publish_output/{Function Name}.zip” displayName: ‘Publish Artifact: {Function Name}’ condition: succeeded() Benefits in Action 1. Simplified Updates When you need to modify the build process (e.g., change the .NET SDK version), you only update the template.yml. The changes automatically apply to all functions. 2. Customization Each function can have its own build configuration without duplicating the pipeline logic. 3. Improved Collaboration By centralizing common configurations, teams can work independently on their functions while adhering to the same build standards. Best Practices Final Thoughts YAML template extension is a game-changer for developers managing multiple services or functions in a project. It simplifies pipeline creation, reduces duplication, and enhances scalability. By adopting this approach, you can focus on building great software while your pipelines handle the heavy lifting. If you haven’t already, try applying template extension in your next project—it’s a small investment with a big payoff. We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com

In Purchase & trade agreements in D365 – Part 1 & 2 blog we have gone through overview of Purchase & trade agreements in D365 & how to setup different types of Purchase agreements in D365. In Part 3 & 4 blog we have covered setup of Trade agreement for purchase price & line discounts. Let us see difference between Line & multiline discount, if we have same range for line & multiline discount of 5% for 1-101 quantity, 10% for 101-501 quantity & 15% for 501-1001 quantity. When PO has multiple lines of same item. i.e. 1st line has 50pcs & 2nd line has 70pcs. So, in case of Line discount each line will get discount of 5% even though total quantity is greater than 100. But in case of Multiline discount, discount applied will be 10% as total is greater than 100, as it considers total of multiple lines. & In line & multiline discount, discount is applied to line. But in total discount, it is applied on total purchase order. In this blog will go through how to setup Trade agreement line discount for Multiline discount & Total discount functionality in trade agreement. Problem statement – In this scenario we need to setup trade agreements for Multiline discount & Total discount functionality in trade agreement. Solution steps – 1 – Will setup trade agreement for Multiline discount 1.1 As discussed in previous blog (Part 3) we have already created Trade agreement journal names; we can use same for this blog. For those who have not gone through blog part 3 can follow below steps Create Trade agreement journal names – Go to Procurement & Sourcing -> Setup -> Prices & discounts -> Trade agreement journal names New -> Name -> Pur Disc -> Description -> Purchase discount -> Relation -> Line disc. (purch.) -> Save. 1.2 & Enable parameters – Go to Procurement & sourcing -> Setup -> Prices & discounts -> Activate price/discount Enable all parameters for Multiline discount. Item group parameter Yes for Vendor means It is to enable price for specific vendor for specific Item. Item parameter Yes for Vendor group means if price is same for item for group of suppliers (based on vendor group) then need to enable this parameter. Item parameter Yes for All vendors means if item has same prices for all suppliers then need to enable this parameter. 1.3 Create Item group & assign it to items. Go to procurement & Sourcing -> Prices & discounts -> Price/discount group -> Item discount group -> New -> Price groups -> 01 -> Name -> High Margin -> Price/discount group type -> Multiline discount group New -> Price groups -> 02 -> Name -> Low Margin -> Price/discount group type -> Multiline discount group 1.4 Go to Released products -> respective item -> Purchase Tab -> Multiline discount group -> 01 1.5 Enable Multiline discount – Procurement & Sourcing -> Setup -> Procurement & sourcing parameters -> Prices -> discounts -> Line+Multiline 1.6 Create Trade agreement – Procurement & sourcing – Trade agreement journals -> New -> Name -> Pur disc -> Default relation -> Multiline disc. (purch) -> Lines -> Relation -> Line disc. (Purch.) -> Party code type -> Table -> Account selection -> VEN-000003 -> Product code type -> Group -> Item relation -> 01 -> Unit -> Pcs -> From -> 1 -> To -> 101 -> Unit -> Pcs -> Details (Fast tab) -> Discount percentage 1 -> 5 -> Add line -> From -> 101 -> To -> 501 -> Unit -> Pcs -> Details (Fast tab) -> Discount percentage 1 -> 10 -> Save -> Post 1.7 Create PO – For respective vendor & item. Multiline discount will not reflect automatically. 1.8 To activate discount click on – Purchase (Action pane) – Calculate – Multiline discount. Then discount will be calculated. 2 – Will setup trade agreement for Total discount 2.1 Enable parameters – Go to Procurement & sourcing -> Setup -> Prices & discounts -> Activate price/discount Enable all parameters for Total discount. Total discount will be applicable for all items. 2.2 Create Trade agreement – Procurement & sourcing – Trade agreement journals -> New -> Name -> Pur disc -> Default relation -> Total disc. (purch) -> Lines -> Relation -> Line disc. (Purch.) -> Party code type -> Table -> Account selection -> VEN-000004 -> Details (Fast tab) -> Discount percentage 1 -> 5 -> Save -> Post 2.3 Create PO for respective vendor. Multiline discount will not reflect automatically. 2.4 To check Total discount go to Purchase order (Action pane) – Totals 2.5 To activate discount click on – Purchase (Action pane) – Calculate – Total discount. Then discount will be calculated. 2.6 Go to Purchase order (Action pane) – Totals, total discount of 5% (as defined in trade agreement) is reflecting in Total discount field. With this blog we have covered various aspects of Purchase & trade agreements. We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com

Organizations are constantly struggling with the complexities of demand and supply forecasting. The traditional methods, often dependent on manual intervention and assumption-based procurement, are increasingly becoming inefficient. These outdated processes lead to inventory overloads, high holding costs, and a significant backlog of orders, all which hamper business growth and scalability. It’s clear that businesses need a more robust, scalable, and accurate forecasting solution. This is where AI-driven demand and supply forecasting solutions come into play, offering a revolutionary approach to streamline operations and enhance decision-making. The Business Challenges Traditional demand and supply forecasting methods pose several challenges that can hamper business success: These challenges underscore the critical need for businesses to move away from manual methods and towards more advanced, automated solutions that can adapt to the ever-changing market landscape. The AI-Driven Solution To address these challenges, CloudFronts offers an innovative AI-driven demand and supply forecasting solution designed to transform the way businesses operate. Here’s how this solution can revolutionize your business: High-Level Architecture The architecture of our AI-driven forecasting solution is designed to ensure scalability, flexibility, and real-time processing capabilities. Key components include: Benefits of AI-Driven Forecasting Implementing an AI-driven forecasting solution offers numerous benefits that can significantly impact your business: Conclusion As the business landscape continues to evolve, the need for accurate, efficient, and scalable demand and supply forecasting solutions becomes more critical than ever. CloudFronts’ AI-driven forecasting solution not only addresses the inefficiencies of traditional methods but also empowers businesses to thrive in a competitive market. We hope you found this article useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfronts.com