MB 820 Exam Cram: Complete Guide

This comprehensive guide provides an in-depth exploration of Business Central Administration and Automation APIs in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, specifically designed to help developers, administrators, and consultants master programmatic environment management and automation for the MB-820 certification exam. The guide systematically covers both the Admin Center API (for tenant-level operations including environment management, telemetry retrieval, and Application Insights configuration) and the Automation APIs (for company-level operations including company creation, configuration package deployment, extension management, and user provisioning), explaining their authentication mechanisms, endpoint structures, and asynchronous operation patterns through real-world examples extracted directly from the Business Central System Application and Base Application. Special emphasis is placed on the infrastructure-as-code approach—utilizing PowerShell scripts and CI/CD integration to achieve repeatable, standardized tenant provisioning—along with advanced topics including the four-stage configuration package lifecycle (Create → Upload → Import → Apply), Extension Management codeunit (2504) for programmatic extension deployment, Security Group management for role-based access control, Azure Application Insights integration for long-term telemetry storage, and the Business Central Performance Toolkit (BCPT) for load testing with concurrent virtual users. Each concept is reinforced with practical code examples from Microsoft's own implementations (APIV2 automation pages, Config Package Management, and Extension Management codeunits), complete PowerShell automation workflows, error handling patterns with retry logic, and targeted MB-820 exam preparation materials including key concepts to memorize, 10 hands-on exercises with solutions, 10 practice questions with detailed answers, and a summary of critical best practices for professional Business Central administration and DevOps automation.

This comprehensive guide provides an in-depth exploration of Install and Upgrade Codeunits in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, specifically designed to help junior developers master these critical extension lifecycle management concepts for the MB-820 certification exam. The guide systematically covers both Install Codeunits (which execute during first-time installations and reinstallations) and Upgrade Codeunits (which handle data migration between extension versions), explaining their respective triggers, execution contexts, and best practices through real-world examples extracted directly from the Business Central Base Application. Special emphasis is placed on the Upgrade Tags pattern—a three-codeunit approach that prevents duplicate execution of upgrade code—along with advanced topics including the DataTransfer object for performance optimization, ModuleInfo for version detection, ExecutionContext for protecting sensitive operations, and debugging techniques for troubleshooting installation and upgrade scenarios. Each concept is reinforced with practical code examples from Microsoft's own implementations (E-Document, VAT Group, and No. Series modules), common problem-solving scenarios, and targeted MB-820 exam preparation materials including key concepts to memorize, practice questions with answers, and a summary of critical best practices for professional Business Central development.

Business Central Performance Toolkit: A Complete Guide is a comprehensive resource for developers, consultants, and IT professionals who need to validate and optimize the performance of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central solutions.

This guide teaches you to master performance testing in Business Central through practical, hands-on instruction. Learn to write AL performance tests, configure test suites for concurrent users, analyze results with Power BI and Application Insights, detect performance regressions before production, and integrate performance testing into CI/CD pipelines.

Perfect for developers building extensions, ISVs and VARs ensuring product scalability, consultants performing capacity planning, and MB-820 certification candidates, this guide includes over 25 pages of content, 4 hands-on exercises, 20 practice questions with detailed answers, real-world examples, complete code samples, and CI/CD integration templates.

The guide covers eight main parts: Foundations, Writing Tests, Configuration and Execution, Analysis, Advanced Topics, Workflows and Automation, Best Practices and Troubleshooting, and MB-820 Certification preparation.

Based on Microsoft's official documentation, real-world implementation experience, and community best practices, this guide is current as of January 2026 and covers Business Central versions 16.0 through 27.x.

MB-820 Exam Cram: Cloud Migration Tool

A Complete Guide for Business Central Certification

Master Business Central cloud migration from planning to go-live! This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about migrating on-premises Business Central, NAV, and Dynamics GP systems to Business Central Online.

What You'll Learn:

• Complete cloud migration architecture and data replication pipeline

• Step-by-step migration setup with Integration Runtime configuration

• Running initial and incremental migrations with monitoring and error handling

• Managing extensions, custom tables, and table mappings during migration

• Data upgrade processes and post-migration validation

• Cutover planning and go-live best practices

• Comprehensive troubleshooting guide for common migration issues

• MB-820 exam-focused tips and practice questions

Who This Book Is For:

✓ MB-820 certification candidates

✓ Business Central consultants managing migrations

✓ Partners implementing cloud migrations for clients

✓ IT professionals planning Business Central cloud moves

✓ Technical decision-makers evaluating migration strategies

What's Inside:

• 25+ pages of detailed content

• 4 hands-on exercises with solutions

• 20 exam-style practice questions with detailed answers

• Real-world migration scenarios and examples

• Architecture diagrams and configuration screenshots

• SQL scripts and PowerShell examples

• Complete troubleshooting reference

• MB-820 exam preparation tips

Key Topics Covered:

→ Cloud Migration Architecture (Azure Data Factory, Integration Runtime, Change Tracking)

→ Prerequisites and Planning (system requirements, data cleanup, capacity planning)

→ 9-Step Migration Setup Wizard (detailed walkthrough)

→ Running Migrations (initial, incremental, automated scheduling)

→ Data Upgrade Process (when required and how to execute)

→ Managing Cloud Migration (table mapping, extension compatibility, diagnostics)

→ Cutover Process (final migration, validation, go-live checklist)

→ Post-Migration Tasks (user setup, permissions, integrations)

→ Troubleshooting Guide (SQL issues, runtime errors, data validation)

→ Best Practices (planning, testing, optimization, common pitfalls)

Based on Microsoft Learn Documentation and Real-World Experience

Companion Resources:

• YouTube video walkthrough: https://youtu.be/5-dPtFVrRtE

• Official Microsoft Learn documentation links

• Community resources and tools

Perfect for:

→ Passing the MB-820 exam with confidence

→ Planning your first cloud migration project

→ Reference guide during active migrations

→ Training teams on cloud migration processes

→ Understanding Microsoft's cloud migration strategy

Author: Based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central official documentation, hands-on migration experience, and MB-820 exam requirements.

Get ready to master Business Central cloud migration and pass your MB-820 exam!

Part of the MB-820 Exam Cram Series:

• Business Central Admin and Automation API Guide

• Install and Upgrade Codeunits Guide

• Business Central Performance Toolkit Guide

• Cloud Migration Tool Guide (this book)

MB-820 Exam Cram: Create New Companies in Business Central

A Complete Guide for Business Central Certification

Master company creation and management in Dynamics 365 Business Central! This comprehensive guide covers everything from using the assisted setup wizard to advanced developer topics like ChangeCompany and intercompany transactions. Perfect for MB-820 certification candidates and Business Central professionals.

What You'll Learn:

- Complete company creation process with the assisted setup wizard

- Company templates and when to use each option

- Configuration packages and RapidStart Services for data migration

- The Configuration Worksheet for planning company setup

- Performance considerations when copying companies (and when NOT to)

- Developer topics: ChangeCompany method, CompanyName() function

- Working with the Company table in AL code

- Intercompany transactions setup and management

- Contoso Coffee demo data installation

- Company administration: renaming, deleting, badges, permissions

- Real-world code examples from Microsoft's Base Application

Who This Book Is For:

- MB-820 certification candidates

- Business Central functional consultants

- AL developers working with multi-company scenarios

- Partners implementing Business Central solutions

- Technical consultants managing company setups

- IT professionals administering Business Central environments

What's Inside:

- 20+ pages of detailed content

- 4 hands-on exercises with step-by-step solutions

- 20 exam-style practice questions with detailed answers

- Real AL code examples from Microsoft's source code

- Best practices for configuration packages

- Performance optimization tips

- Complete troubleshooting guidance

- MB-820 exam preparation tips

Key Topics Covered:

-> Company Creation (templates, wizard, permissions, limitations)

-> Configuration Packages (creation, export, import, application)

-> Configuration Worksheet (planning, organizing, managing setup data)

-> RapidStart Services (standardizing implementations)

-> Copying Companies (when to use, performance impact, limitations)

-> ChangeCompany Method (syntax, behavior, cross-company data access)

-> Intercompany Transactions (partners, chart of accounts, inbox/outbox)

-> Contoso Coffee Demo Data (modules, installation, usage)

-> Company Administration (display names, badges, user permissions)

-> Developer Scenarios (cross-company reports, data synchronization)

Based on Microsoft Learn Documentation and Real Business Central Source Code

Companion Resources:

- YouTube video walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blsva6hKXeo

- Official Microsoft Learn documentation links

- AL code examples from Base Application

Perfect for:

-> Passing the MB-820 exam with confidence

-> Planning company structures for new implementations

-> Understanding configuration package best practices

-> Learning developer techniques for multi-company scenarios

-> Reference guide during Business Central projects

Author: Based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central official documentation, Base Application source code analysis, and MB-820 exam requirements.

Get ready to master Business Central company creation and pass your MB-820 exam!

Part of the MB-820 Exam Cram Series:

- Business Central Admin and Automation API Guide

- Install and Upgrade Codeunits Guide

- Business Central Performance Toolkit Guide

- Cloud Migration Tool Guide

- Create New Companies Guide (this book)

MB-820 Exam Cram: Integrating Business Central with Outlook

A Complete Guide for Business Central Certification

Master the seamless integration between Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Outlook! This comprehensive guide covers everything from deploying the Outlook Add-in to advanced developer topics like Microsoft Graph API integration and Exchange Web Services. Perfect for MB-820 certification candidates and Business Central professionals.

What You'll Learn:

- Complete Outlook Add-in deployment (centralized, individual, and manual methods)

- Contact Insights and Document View components explained

- Technical configuration for Exchange Online and Exchange Server

- Microsoft Entra ID setup and Nested App Authentication (NAA)

- Working with emails, attachments, and incoming documents

- Developer deep-dives: Manifest management, Graph API, EWS

- Multi-environment and multi-company scenarios

- Performance optimization and troubleshooting

- Related Microsoft 365 integrations (Excel, Teams, Power BI)

- Real AL code examples from Microsoft's Base Application

Who This Book Is For:

- MB-820 certification candidates

- Business Central functional consultants

- AL developers working with Office integrations

- Partners implementing Business Central solutions

- IT administrators managing Outlook add-in deployments

- Technical consultants configuring Microsoft 365 integrations

What's Inside:

- 20+ pages of detailed content

- 4 hands-on exercises with step-by-step solutions

- 20 exam-style practice questions with detailed answers

- Real AL code examples from Microsoft's Base Application

- Architecture diagrams and visual explanations

- Deployment decision guides

- Complete troubleshooting reference

- MB-820 exam preparation tips

Key Topics Covered:

-> Outlook Add-in Components (Contact Insights, Document View)

-> Deployment Methods (Centralized, Individual, Manual)

-> Technical Configuration (Exchange Online, Exchange Server, Entra ID)

-> Nested App Authentication (NAA) requirements

-> Working with Outlook (creating documents, incoming documents, attachments)

-> Developer Topics (Manifest Management, Graph API, EWS)

-> Multi-Environment Scenarios (switching environments, multiple companies)

-> Troubleshooting (common issues, authentication problems, limitations)

-> Related Integrations (Excel Add-in, Teams, Power BI)

-> Code Deep-Dives (OutlookAddInServices, ExchangeAddinSetup, ManifestManagement)

Based on Microsoft Learn Documentation and Real Business Central Source Code

Companion Resources:

- YouTube video walkthrough: https://youtu.be/w_SBsxB7-C0

- Official Microsoft Learn documentation links

- AL code examples from Base Application

Perfect for:

-> Passing the MB-820 exam with confidence

-> Deploying Outlook add-ins for organizations

-> Understanding add-in architecture and manifest configuration

-> Learning developer techniques for Office integrations

-> Reference guide during Business Central implementations

Author: Based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central official documentation, Base Application source code analysis, and MB-820 exam requirements.

Get ready to master Business Central Outlook integration and pass your MB-820 exam!

Part of the MB-820 Exam Cram Series:

- Business Central Admin and Automation API Guide

- Install and Upgrade Codeunits Guide

- Business Central Performance Toolkit Guide

- Cloud Migration Tool Guide

- Create New Companies Guide

- Integrating Business Central with Outlook Guide (this book)

MB-820 Exam Cram: Integrating Business Central with Microsoft Teams

A Complete Guide for Business Central Certification

Master the powerful integration between Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Teams! This comprehensive guide covers everything from installing the Teams app to advanced developer topics like extending Teams cards and customizing recommended content. Perfect for MB-820 certification candidates and Business Central professionals.

What You'll Learn:

- Complete Teams app installation (direct link, Teams store, centralized deployment)

- Working with interactive cards in Teams conversations

- Contact search functionality and capabilities

- Creating and managing Business Central tabs in Teams channels

- Multi-environment and multi-company scenarios

- Developer deep-dives: Extending Teams cards with AL code

- Page Summary Provider and Page Action Provider customizations

- Guest and external user scenarios

- Troubleshooting and administration best practices

- Real AL code examples for Teams customizations

Who This Book Is For:

- MB-820 certification candidates

- Business Central functional consultants

- AL developers working with Teams integrations

- Partners implementing Business Central solutions

- IT administrators managing Teams app deployments

- Technical consultants configuring Microsoft 365 integrations

What's Inside:

- 25+ pages of detailed content

- 4 hands-on exercises with step-by-step solutions

- 20 exam-style practice questions with detailed answers

- Real AL code examples for Teams customizations

- Architecture diagrams and visual explanations

- Deployment decision guides

- Complete troubleshooting reference

- MB-820 exam preparation tips

Key Topics Covered:

-> Teams App Components (Cards, Contact Search, Share to Teams, Tabs)

-> Installation Methods (Direct Link, Teams Store, Centralized Deployment)

-> Working with Cards (Sharing records, Card details, Data visibility)

-> Contact Search (Command box, Message compose, Contact cards)

-> Business Central Tabs (Recommended content, Page links, Permissions)

-> Developer Topics (Page Summary Provider, Page Action Provider, Events)

-> Administration (URL Previews, Privacy, Compliance, DLP)

-> Guest Scenarios (Sharing with guests, Guest experience differences)

-> Troubleshooting (Common issues, Authentication, Tab visibility)

-> Code Deep-Dives (OnAfterGetSummaryFields, OnAfterGetPageActions)

Based on Microsoft Learn Documentation and Real Business Central Source Code

Companion Resources:

- YouTube video walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-XxgjHYb6k

- GitHub code examples: https://github.com/SilviuVirlan/TeamsCustomizations

- Official Microsoft Learn documentation links

- AL code examples for Teams customizations

Perfect for:

-> Passing the MB-820 exam with confidence

-> Deploying the Business Central app for Teams in organizations

-> Understanding Teams integration architecture

-> Learning developer techniques for Teams customizations

-> Reference guide during Business Central implementations

Author: Based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central official documentation, TeamsCustomizations repository code analysis, and MB-820 exam requirements.

Get ready to master Business Central Teams integration and pass your MB-820 exam!

Part of the MB-820 Exam Cram Series:

- Business Central Admin and Automation API Guide

- Install and Upgrade Codeunits Guide

- Business Central Performance Toolkit Guide

- Cloud Migration Tool Guide

- Create New Companies Guide

- Integrating Business Central with Outlook Guide

- Integrating Business Central with Teams Guide (this book)

Master the foundation of data management in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central! This comprehensive 50+ page guide is your definitive resource for understanding tables, table extensions, keys, field groups, and retention policies.

Business Central is built on a robust data layer where tables store everything from customer records to complex transactions. This booklet demystifies how data is structured, indexed, extended, and maintained in the platform.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Tables and Schema Design

- Creating tables with proper field definitions, properties, and data types

- Understanding table types: Normal, Temporary, System, and Virtual tables

- Understanding field classes: Normal, FlowField, and FlowFilter

- Implementing table triggers for business logic

- Data classification for GDPR compliance

- Using VS Code snippets for rapid development

Keys and Performance

- Designing primary keys for unique identification

- Creating secondary keys for query optimization

- Clustered vs. non-clustered indexes

- IncludedFields for covering indexes (why not just add more key fields?)

- ColumnStoreIndex for analytical queries and reporting

Field Groups

- DropDown field groups for lookup controls

- Brick field groups for tile views and Teams integration

- Extending field groups in table extensions

Table Extensions

- Adding fields to existing tables without code modification

- Understanding extension tables and primary key joins

- Key and field group additions in extensions

- Limitations and best practices for extensions

Retention Policies

- Managing database growth with automatic data cleanup

- Implementing the three retention policy interfaces:

* Retention Period

* Reten. Pol. Filtering

* Reten. Pol. Deleting

- Registering custom tables for retention policies

- Creating custom deletion implementations with archiving

HANDS-ON PRACTICE

This booklet includes:

- 9 practical exercises covering all major topics

- 30 exam-style practice questions with detailed answers

- Real-world code examples from Base App and Microsoft extensions

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

- Developers preparing for the MB-820 certification exam

- AL developers building Business Central extensions

- Solution architects designing data models

- Technical consultants implementing custom solutions

COMPANION RESOURCES

YouTube Videos:

- Tables and Table Extensions: https://youtu.be/V8cts4cWVRU

- Retention Policies: https://youtu.be/SMFtPteNP3s

GitHub Repository:

- Retention Policy Examples: https://github.com/SilviuVirlan/Directions2025InterfacesRetentionPoliciesCustomization

Microsoft Learn Modules:

- Work with Tables: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/work-with-tables/

- Extend and Modify Tables: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/extend-modify-existing-table/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This booklet was created based on real-world development experience, official Microsoft documentation, Business Central source code analysis, and hands-on expertise with AL development and extension architecture.

Perfect for self-study or as a companion to instructor-led training, this guide gives you the knowledge you need to confidently work with tables in Business Central and pass the MB-820 certification exam.

MB-820 Exam Cram: Pages and Page Extensions in Business Central

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Master user interface development in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central! This comprehensive 50+ page guide is your definitive resource for understanding pages, page extensions, profiles, role centers, and the Page Scripting tool.

Business Central's user interface is built entirely on pages—every card, list, document, and dashboard you see is a page object. This booklet demystifies how pages are structured, extended, and customized for different user roles.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Pages and Page Types

- Understanding the 14+ page types: Card, List, Document, RoleCenter, API, and more

- Creating pages with proper structure: metadata, layout, and actions sections

- Working with areas, groups, fields, parts, and repeaters

- Using VS Code snippets for rapid development (tpage, tpageext)

Layout Section Deep Dive

- Organizing content with areas and groups

- Field properties: Importance, Style, Editable, Visible, and dynamic expressions

- Parts and FactBoxes for related information

- Repeaters for list display with tree views

Actions and Navigation

- Action areas: Processing, Navigation, Reporting, Creation

- Modern promoted actions with area(Promoted) and actionref

- RunObject, RunPageLink, and RunPageView for navigation

- Keyboard shortcuts and action properties

Page Extensions

- Extending existing pages without modifying base code

- Placement keywords: addfirst, addlast, addafter, addbefore

- Moving and modifying existing controls

- Real-world extension examples

Role Centers and Profiles

- Creating Role Center pages for user dashboards

- Profile objects linking Role Centers to users

- Page customization objects for profile-specific UI

- Understanding the customization priority layers

Bonus: Page Scripting Tool

- Recording and replaying user actions

- Creating acceptance tests without code

- Power Fx integration for dynamic tests

- Best practices for modular test design

HANDS-ON PRACTICE

This booklet includes:

- 4 comprehensive exercises covering page creation, extensions, and profiles

- 20 exam-style practice questions with detailed answers

- Real-world code examples following Microsoft patterns

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

- Developers preparing for the MB-820 certification exam

- AL developers building Business Central extensions

- Solution architects designing user interfaces

- Technical consultants customizing Business Central

COMPANION RESOURCES

YouTube Videos:

- Pages in Business Central: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9Bd_dBLT8

- Page Extensions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRSKmPtPJL4

Microsoft Learn Modules:

- Create Pages: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/create-page-dynamics-365-business-central/

- Extend Pages: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/extend-page-dynamics-365-business-central/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This booklet was created based on real-world development experience, official Microsoft documentation, Business Central source code analysis, and hands-on expertise with AL development and UI customization.

Perfect for self-study or as a companion to instructor-led training, this guide gives you the knowledge you need to confidently build and extend pages in Business Central and pass the MB-820 certification exam.

MB-820 Exam Cram: Reports, Report Extensions, and Queries in Business Central

A Complete Guide for Business Central Certification

Master data presentation and analysis in Business Central! This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about creating professional reports, extending existing reports without modifying base code, and building efficient queries for data retrieval.

What You'll Learn:

- Complete report object architecture with datasets, request pages, and triggers

- Understanding the three layout types: RDLC, Word, and Excel

- Creating processing-only reports for batch operations

- Extending reports with the reportextension object (BC 2021 wave 1+)

- Adding columns, data items, triggers, and new layouts to existing reports

- Report substitution patterns for complete report replacement

- Building queries for server-side data aggregation

- Using queries in reports for optimized performance

- Publishing queries as OData web services

- MB-820 exam-focused tips and practice questions

Who This Book Is For:

- MB-820 certification candidates

- Business Central AL developers

- Partners building reporting solutions

- Consultants customizing standard reports

- Technical professionals extending Business Central

What's Inside:

- 30+ pages of detailed content

- 7 hands-on exercises with complete solutions

- 20 exam-style practice questions with detailed answers

- Real-world report and query examples from the Base Application

- Report extension patterns and best practices

- Code samples from actual implementations

- Complete troubleshooting reference

- MB-820 exam preparation tips

Key Topics Covered:

- Report Object Architecture (dataset, request page, triggers, layouts)

- Layout Types (RDLC for precision, Word for documents, Excel for analysis)

- Report Properties (UsageCategory, ProcessingOnly, DataAccessIntent)

- Data Items and Columns (DataItemLink, RequestFilterFields, IncludeCaption)

- Report Triggers (OnPreReport, OnAfterGetRecord, OnPostReport)

- Rendering Section (multiple layouts per report)

- Processing-Only Reports (batch processing, data updates)

- Report Extensions (add columns, data items, triggers, layouts)

- Extension Triggers (OnBeforeAfterGetRecord, OnAfterAfterGetRecord)

- Report Substitution (OnAfterSubstituteReport event)

- Query Objects (server-side aggregation, SQL optimization)

- Query Properties (TopNumberOfRows, OrderBy, SqlJoinType)

- Aggregation Methods (Sum, Count, Average, Min, Max)

- Query-Based Report Pattern (using queries in reports)

- OData Web Services (publishing queries as APIs)

Based on Microsoft Learn Documentation, Base Application Examples, and Real-World Experience

Companion Resources:

- YouTube video walkthrough: Reports - https://youtu.be/z9t3cuCxD8A

- YouTube video walkthrough: Report Extensions - https://youtu.be/5Q8-jGCGYH4

- YouTube video walkthrough: Reports and Queries - https://youtu.be/t9PWMI1qkfM

- Sample code: https://github.com/SilviuVirlan/Episode-14-An-intro-to-AL-reports

- Sample code: https://github.com/SilviuVirlan/Episode16

- Sample code: https://github.com/SilviuVirlan/Episode-17-Report-Extension-sample

- Official Microsoft Learn documentation links

Perfect for:

- Passing the MB-820 exam with confidence

- Creating your first AL report

- Extending standard Business Central reports

- Building efficient query-based solutions

- Understanding report architecture deeply

- Reference guide during development

Author: Based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central official documentation, Base Application source code analysis, and MB-820 exam requirements.

Get ready to master Business Central reporting and pass your MB-820 exam!

Part of the MB-820 Exam Cram Series:

- Install and Upgrade Codeunits Guide

- Business Central Admin and Automation API Guide

- Performance Toolkit Guide

- Cloud Migration Tool Guide

- Create New Companies Guide

- Outlook Integration Guide

- Teams Integration Guide

- Tables and Table Extensions Guide

- Pages and Page Extensions Guide

- Reports, Report Extensions, and Queries Guide (this book)

MB-820 Exam Cram: Error Handling, RAD, Debugging, Permissions, and Application Areas

A Complete Guide for MB-820 Certification

Overview

--------

This comprehensive guide covers five essential topics for Business Central developers preparing for the MB-820 certification exam. Drawing from real Microsoft base application code, official documentation, and practical implementation patterns, this book provides everything you need to master error handling, rapid development workflows, debugging techniques, security architecture, and user experience customization.

What You'll Learn

-----------------

Chapter 1-2: Error Handling

Master the art of graceful error handling in AL code. Learn how Try Functions catch and handle exceptions, returning Boolean values that let you control the user experience when things go wrong. Discover Collectible Errors introduced in BC19, which allow your code to gather multiple validation issues and present them all at once instead of stopping at the first problem. Understand the ErrorInfo data type, the ErrorBehavior attribute, and the complete Collectible Errors API.

Chapter 3: Rapid Application Development (RAD)

Accelerate your development cycles with RAD publishing. Understand how the rad.json file tracks changes, which modifications trigger updates, and critically important: what changes are NOT included in RAD builds. Learn the keyboard shortcuts, understand the limitations around translations and permissions, and discover best practices to avoid losing your work.

Chapter 4: Debugging and Deployment

From standard F5 debugging to production snapshot debugging, this chapter covers all the tools available to Business Central developers. Configure launch.json for different scenarios, understand attach debugging for live sessions, and master snapshot debugging for production troubleshooting. Learn about SQL statistics in the debugger and the various deployment methods for your extensions.

Chapter 5-6: Permissions and Entitlements

Design robust security architectures using permission sets and entitlements. Understand the layered permission model from licenses through entitlements to object permissions. Create permission set hierarchies, define entitlements for different license types, and leverage inherent permissions for elevated access during code execution. Learn when to use InherentPermissions and InherentEntitlements properties.

Chapter 7: Extending Application Areas

Customize user experiences through application areas. Create custom application areas, register them with experience tiers, and control which features appear for Essentials versus Premium users. Understand ApplicationArea property inheritance and best practices for tagging controls.

Key Features

------------

- Real code examples from the Microsoft base application

- Step-by-step implementation patterns

- Comprehensive coverage of exam topics

- Keyboard shortcuts and quick reference tables

- Best practices and anti-patterns

- 20 practice questions with detailed explanations

- Hands-on exercises for each major topic

- Complete reference section with official documentation links

Who This Book Is For

--------------------

- Developers preparing for the MB-820 Business Central Developer certification

- AL developers wanting to improve their error handling skills

- Consultants implementing security and permissions

- Technical architects designing Business Central solutions

- Anyone wanting to understand RAD, debugging, and application areas

Prerequisites

-------------

- Basic understanding of AL programming language

- Familiarity with Business Central development environment

- Access to Visual Studio Code with AL Language extension

- A Business Central sandbox environment for practice

About the Series

----------------

This is the eleventh book in the MB-820 Exam Cram series, which provides comprehensive coverage of all major certification topics. Each book combines theoretical knowledge with practical examples from the Microsoft base application, ensuring you understand both the concepts and their real-world implementations.

Page Count: Approximately 100 pages (formatted)

Format: Markdown (easily converted to PDF, EPUB, or print)