Build BC extensions without writing AL for every change
BuildCentral is a visual extension-building platform for Microsoft Business Central partners. Create fields, rules, logic, and flows without AL — and keep AL available when the scenario demands it.
The operating reality
Business Central customization is still too code-heavy
Microsoft's official extension model is AL and Visual Studio Code. That is the right foundation — but it means even small customization requests need a developer in the loop. A new field on the customer card. A validation rule on a purchase order. A basic approval step. Each one becomes a mini-development task.
AL developers are expensive and limited. Partners carry the cost of that dependency on every project, every customer request, and every Business Central release that follows. BuildCentral changes that equation for the work that does not need to be code-first.
Small requests, full AL effort
Common changes still require AL capacity. Partners pay senior-developer rates for work that is routine by nature.
Upgrades are the partner's problem
Microsoft updates Business Central regularly. Every ad hoc customization is a maintenance liability. Partners absorb the cost.
Delivery does not scale
Without reusable patterns and governed tooling, partners hand-code every customer request. Margins shrink with volume.
How it works
From requirement to deployable extension — without AL
BuildCentral gives consultants a structured, visual path from customer requirement to a governed, deployable Business Central extension. No AL required for the common scenarios.
Configure visually
Consultants define fields, rules, page changes, logic, and flows through a visual builder — no AL IDE, no manual object declarations. Common extension scenarios are covered out of the box.
Review and govern
Extensions go through a structured review before deployment. Scope is visible to all stakeholders. Templates and patterns are reusable across customers and projects.
Deploy or hand off to AL
Deploy directly to the Business Central environment, or hand off to an AL developer for advanced requirements. BuildCentral handles the common 80%. AL covers the rest.
Visual extension layer
What partners build with BuildCentral
A unified builder for the most common Business Central extension scenarios — not a narrow point tool for one type of change.
Fields and page extensions
Add custom fields to any BC table and extend standard pages without writing a single AL object. Define data type, caption, tooltip, and placement visually.
Validation rules
Define business rules and data validation conditions visually — mandatory fields on post, conditional checks, field-level enforcement — without touching AL trigger code.
Guided process flows
Build approval steps, guided operational flows, and multi-step processes for common BC scenarios — no custom workflow codeunit required.
Event-driven logic
Define what happens when BC events fire — record created, document posted, field changed — using a condition-action model. No subscriber codeunits from scratch.
Reusable templates
Package common extension patterns as templates. Apply them across customer projects without rebuilding the same logic each time. Repeatable delivery instead of one-off heroics.
AL escape hatch
When a scenario goes beyond BuildCentral's scope, AL is still available. BuildCentral does not replace AL — it reserves AL effort for the scenarios that genuinely need it.
How it compares
BuildCentral vs. the alternatives
BuildCentral is not a replacement for AL — it is a productivity layer that makes AL effort more strategic.
BuildCentral vs. AL-only development
| Scenario | AL only | BuildCentral |
|---|---|---|
| Adding a custom field | AL table extension + page extension required | Configured in minutes, no AL |
| Validation on posting | Custom trigger code in AL | Rule defined visually |
| Approval or guided flow | Workflow codeunit + setup | Flow built in the builder |
| Reuse across customers | Manual copy, diverges over time | Template library, governed |
| BC release upgrade | Developer review per extension | Governed, structured for maintainability |
| Highly complex scenarios | Full AL flexibility | AL escape hatch available |
BuildCentral vs. narrow point solutions
Cover approval workflows. Do not address fields, page changes, validation, or reusable templates.
Generate custom API endpoints. Do not address extension delivery for partner implementation work.
Handle field-level rules. No broader extension scope — fields, flows, and templates are out of scope.
Fields, page extensions, validation rules, logic, guided flows, and reusable templates — in one partner-first platform.
Partner use cases
What BC partners deliver with BuildCentral
These are the recurring customization scenarios where BuildCentral removes the AL bottleneck.
Customer-specific fields and page changes
Add contract references, customer category codes, credit fields, or internal identifiers to BC customer and vendor cards without AL table extensions.
Validation rules on orders and invoices
Enforce business rules at posting — mandatory fields, conditional checks, approval prerequisites — without custom AL trigger logic per customer.
Guided approval and sign-off flows
Build structured approval steps for purchase orders, discount exceptions, or operational decisions — without building workflow codeunits from scratch.
Item classification and attribute extensions
Extend item cards with classification fields, quality attributes, or industry-specific codes. Applied consistently across customer projects via templates.
Packaged customizations for repeat deployments
Build a template library for your vertical — retail, manufacturing, services — and apply the same governed set of extensions across multiple customers.
Lightweight updates across the customer base
Maintain simple customizations for managed-service customers without AL developer involvement for every minor change request or BC release update.
Partner economics
Why partners choose BuildCentral
The case for BuildCentral is not feature depth — it is delivery economics.
Deliver faster
Common extension work that took days in AL can be done in hours. More output per consultant per sprint.
Less dependence on AL specialists
Functional and junior consultants can handle the common 80% of customization work without senior AL developer time.
Better margins on small projects
Repetitive small-customization requests become profitable instead of break-even. Lower cost-to-deliver on the long tail.
Standardize your practice
Templates and governed patterns replace individual decisions. Quality is consistent across projects and team members.
Easier BC upgrades
Extensions built through BuildCentral are structured for maintainability — not ad hoc code that needs manual review every release.
AL stays available
BuildCentral does not wall off AL. Advanced scenarios, complex integrations, and AppSource requirements are still fully supported in AL.
Pricing
Pricing for Business Central partners
BuildCentral is not priced per end user. It is priced by partner capacity — builder seats, customer environments, and governance scope. All plans are billed annually.
- 2 builder seats
- Up to 5 customer environments
- Visual field and page extension builder
- Basic validation rules
- Simple flows and guided logic
- Reusable templates
- Sandbox access
- Email support
- 5 builder seats
- Up to 20 customer environments
- Everything in Starter
- Advanced rules and logic blocks
- Shared team template library
- Version history
- UAT/production promotion flow
- Priority email support
- 15 builder seats
- Up to 75 customer environments
- Everything in Growth
- Advanced governance and role-based access
- Approval workflow for publishing
- Audit trail
- AL handoff / export support
- Onboarding and enablement workshops
- Custom builder seat volume
- Unlimited or contracted environments
- Everything in Pro
- SSO / SAML
- Enterprise policy controls
- Dedicated customer success manager
- Premium SLA and support
- Custom commercial terms
| Starter | Growth | Pro | Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | €299 / mo | €799 / mo | €1.999 / mo | From €4.500 / mo |
| Builder seats | 2 | 5 | 15 | Custom |
| Customer environments | 5 | 20 | 75 | Unlimited / contracted |
| Visual field builder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Page extension builder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Validation rules | Basic | Advanced | Advanced | Advanced |
| Logic and flow builder | Simple | Full | Full | Full |
| Reusable template library | Yes | Shared team library | Packaged templates | Custom IP packaging |
| Version history | - | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UAT / production promotion | - | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Role-based access | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Approval workflow for publishing | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Audit trail | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| AL handoff / export | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| SSO / SAML | - | - | - | Yes |
| Onboarding | Standard docs | Guided | Workshops included | Private programme |
| Support | Priority email | Priority + SLA | Dedicated + premium SLA |
Optional add-ons
Add capacity for additional builders beyond the included seat count. Rate varies by plan tier.
Extend active customer environment capacity beyond the plan limit. Available on Growth and Pro.
Setup, partner enablement, first templates, and internal rollout guidance. For partners that want to move fast.
NavaTron converts your recurring AL customization patterns into governed BuildCentral templates. For partners with established delivery IP.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need AL knowledge to use BuildCentral?
Can BuildCentral replace AL completely?
Is BuildCentral for end customers or for partners?
How does BuildCentral help with Business Central upgrades?
Can I reuse what I build across multiple customers?
Is BuildCentral relevant for AppSource or PTE strategies?
What pricing tier fits my practice?
See BuildCentral for your BC practice
Book a walkthrough with the NavaTron team. We will focus on the customization scenarios your practice delivers most often and show you where BuildCentral removes the AL bottleneck.