Business Central is a data-driven solution that is adaptable enough to meet the needs of organizations across various industries. Tables play a central role in how the system functions. They store transactional data and help drive business logic within different modules. Every user, from customer service representatives to IT developers, ultimately relies on tables to support their processes. Let’s look at what Business Central tables are and their importance.
Understanding Business Central Tables Structure
Dynamics 365 Business Central tables are structured database objects that represent collections of records. Each record represents a single entity. For example, if you have a table called Customers, each record represents a single customer entity. It may contain fields labeled "First Name," "Last Name," "Date of Birth," etc.
Tables contain all critical business information needed for Business Central to function. You define tables using Application Language (AL), Business Central’s programming language. With AL, developers can create new tables, update existing ones, and build relationships between tables when modeling more complicated business processes.
You can also set up Business Central table lists to provide a visual representation of information stored in a table. Users can perform functions on table lists, such as inserting, searching, and sorting multiple records. Developers can set up a Business Central run table to open a list table to interact with the details.
How Tables Drive Business Central Functions
Let’s explore why tables are so foundational to Business Central operations.
- Data storage: All data entered into Business Central gets stored in a table, including master, configuration, and transactional data.
- Business logic driver: Tables contain business logic that defines how data should behave. This involves using triggers and automated validation rules that kick off whenever a new record is created, an existing record changes, or it's removed.
- UI layout: Pages like cards, lists, and documents are defined using tables. Every time a user uses a page to review or update a record, the interactions get handled through a table in the background.
- Data flow: Tables are integral to defining relationships between data entities. For example, you can find links from customer tables to sales order tables, which have a relationship with the sales invoices and the general ledger. It’s important to define these relationships accurately, as they are what drive workflows and protect data integrity.
Tables are what make it possible for users to retrieve and manipulate data. Using a relational design makes querying more efficient and gives users quick access to information. You need this organization when it’s time to generate reports, perform analysis on business performance, and make informed decisions.
As an organization grows, tables can expand to accommodate larger data volumes without impacting overall performance. Developers can add custom tables as needed to fit specific business needs. This enables companies to create tailored solutions that are aligned with their specific requirements.
Core Table Components
It’s important to understand how tables are built to understand how to perform other functions like creating a Business Central table extension. Below is a breakdown of all relevant components in a Business Central table.
Fields
The columns in Business Central are referred to as fields. Each field contains a definition of the type of data it stores. For example, you can have a field designed to hold string values, while another might hold a Boolean. Fields contain several important properties, including:
- Field number: Unique identifier for a field within a table.
- Field name: A readable identifier used by AL code.
- Data type: Defines the type of information a field holds, like integer or decimal.
Tables also support calculated fields, also known as FlowFields, which contain values derived from other tables through queries. You can also set up Field groups to improve the look of a page UI.
Keys
Keys in a Business Central define how data gets indexed, retrieved, and maintained. They’re essential to ensuring overall data integrity and a high level of performance. Keys are created by combining one or more fields to identify records and optimize data access.
All tables in Business Central must have a primary key, which makes every record unique. This ensures no two records have the same key values. You can also add secondary keys, known as indexes, to enhance performance when sorting or filtering data using other fields.
Triggers
Triggers are special code blocks that automatically execute when specific database events occur. They perform several functions, including:
- Implementing business logic
- Automating tasks during record operations
- Validating data
The three primary table triggers are called OnInsert(), OnModify(), and OnDelete(). For example, the OnInsert() gets called whenever a user enters a new record through a form. There’s also an OnValidate(FieldName) trigger that gets called when a field changes. It’s used to make sure data is entered accurately, perform calculations, or update fields. Data triggers enable the embedding of business rules within the data layer, ensuring consistency across Business Central functions.
Table Relationships
Business Central table relationships define how records in one table link to records in another. Relationships make for secure lookups and intuitive application navigation. An example of a relationship is having the Customer No. field in a Sales Header table, which corresponds to the Customer No. field in the Customer’s table.
Forming a relationship between the two fields ensures that you can only enter valid data into the Sales Header table. A user won’t be able to save the entry if it doesn’t exist in the Customer table. Relationships make it possible to perform lookups, field validations, and data filtering based on related tables.
Developers use the TableRelation property in the AL language to define table relationships. Clearly defined table relationships prevent orphaned or invalid references from occurring while improving the user’s data entry and navigation experience.
Make Business Central More Efficient With IES
Internet eBusiness Solutions (IES) can help you optimize every element of your Business Central instance. You can enhance your workflows while making it easier for users to maximize the benefits of the solution. Find out how we can help by contacting an IES representative.
