Business Central EDI Integration for E-Documents
One of the most significant additions is the expansion of the E-Documents framework to support Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
This enhancement provides a single platform for managing electronic business documents, allowing organisations to exchange information with suppliers and trading partners using industry-standard formats such as Peppol BIS 3. Businesses can automate the sending, receiving and processing of documents including purchase orders, remittance advices and other structured transactions.
The result is reduced manual processing, improved compliance and more efficient supply chain communication.
Business Central Supply Chain and Manufacturing Improvements
Several new features focus on streamlining manufacturing and supply chain processes.
Enhanced Subcontracting in Business Central Manufacturing
Business Central now makes subcontracting easier to manage through:
- Improved subcontracting setup and configuration.
- The ability to carry subcontracting instructions directly into purchase orders.
- Support for inventory put-aways and picks for subcontracting activities.
- Better integration with warehouse processes and transfer orders.
These updates help manufacturers manage external operations more efficiently while maintaining visibility and control.
Business Central Quality Management: Reduce Manual Work and Improve Traceability
Quality Management receives several practical enhancements designed to save time and improve user productivity:
- Quality inspectors can quickly assign inspections to themselves.
- Passed and failed quantities are calculated automatically.
- Destination bins can be selected during inventory disposition movements.
- Blocked transactions can be traced directly to the inspection causing the issue.
- Quality rules and permissions are consistently enforced across all processes.
Together, these improvements reduce administrative effort while ensuring quality procedures are followed correctly.
Business Central Manufacturing Documentation and Capacity Planning Improvements
Users working with manufacturing documents and capacity planning will benefit from additional workflow improvements aimed at simplifying document handling and improving operational efficiency.
New Business Central Word Add-In for Custom Report Layouts
Customising document layouts has become much easier. We are highlighting this new function because it remains of the most commonly asked questions:
‘Can we develop our own layouts and reports?’
Our answer has always been – ‘Theoretically, yes and here is a document to help you’
The outcome of these dialogues has usually resulted in Qi developing reports and layouts at a cost.
A new feature that empowers the customers to be more self-sufficient warrants more detail.
The Word add-in now includes pre-built document samples for common business documents, including:
- Invoices
- Pick lists
- Outstanding order reports
These samples provide a quicker starting point for designing and branding document layouts without extensive formatting work.
The Old Way: Why Business Central Word Layout Customisation Required Specialists
For many Business Central users, customising Word layouts was a task best left to technical specialists. The process involved exporting a report layout, opening it in Word, navigating unfamiliar content controls, interpreting complex data structures, and manually inserting XML tags. Even small changes could feel risky, with no guarantee that the layout would render correctly once uploaded back into Business Central.
As a result, many organisations either avoided customising layouts altogether or relied on a small number of individuals with the technical knowledge to make changes safely. What should have been a straightforward business task often became a time-consuming development exercise.
The New Way: Customise Business Central Word Layouts with the Data Picker
Microsoft’s redesigned Business Central Word add-in changes that experience completely. At the heart of the enhancement is the new Data Picker, which allows users to browse available report data through an intuitive visual interface rather than working with XML and content control syntax.
After opening an exported report layout in Word, users can access the Business Central (Preview) tab and select Add Data. A task pane appears, displaying the report dataset as an expandable tree structure. Instead of searching documentation to locate fields, users can simply browse the hierarchy and select the information they want to include.
Need to add a customer number to a document? Locate the field within the Data Picker and click Add Field. The add-in automatically inserts a correctly configured content control, complete with the required technical tagging behind the scenes. No coding, no XML, and no guesswork.
Create Repeating Tables in Business Central Word Layouts
The benefits become even more apparent when working with more sophisticated document layouts.
Previously, building a repeating table required an understanding of nested content controls, repeaters, and data binding. Even experienced users could spend significant time configuring layouts correctly.
With the enhanced Word add-in, the process is largely visual. Users can create a standard Word table, add column headings, and then use the Data Picker to insert fields where required. To create repeating rows, simply select the relevant table area, choose the appropriate data section, and apply a repeater control.
The add-in clearly identifies repeating sections, providing immediate visual confirmation that the layout has been configured correctly. Tasks that once required specialist knowledge can now be completed in minutes.
How to Install the Business Central Word Add-In
Getting started is straightforward. Within Microsoft Word, select Add-ins from the Home tab and search for Business Central in AppSource. Choose the version that includes Data Controls in the description to access the new Data Picker functionality.
Once installed, the add-in is available immediately. There is no complex configuration or development setup required, enabling Business Central users to begin creating and modifying layouts straight away.
Gaining ‘in-house’ control for super users
Perhaps the most significant benefit is who can now create and maintain document layouts.
Rather than depending on developers or technical consultants, like Qi, organisations can empower users who understand their business processes and documents. Sales teams can refine quotations, purchasing departments can improve purchase order formats, and warehouse teams can adapt operational documents as requirements evolve.
This reduces bottlenecks, shortens response times, and allows document formats to keep pace with changing business needs.
Best Practices for Adoption
To make the most of the new capabilities, organisations should take a structured approach:
Identify key layout owners who have both strong Word skills and a good understanding of business processes.
Start with simple, high-value documents such as quotes, orders, and customer statements before moving to more complex reports.
Document layout standards and changes to maintain consistency and simplify future updates.
Test thoroughly before deploying changes to ensure data, formatting, and repeating sections behave as expected.
Control Permissions for Business Central Word Layout Customisation
As layout customisation becomes more accessible, governance becomes increasingly important.
Organisations should consider who can modify customer-facing documents, how branding standards will be maintained, and what approval processes should be followed before layouts are published. Establishing these guidelines early helps ensure flexibility does not come at the expense of consistency or control.
More Than a Productivity Improvement
While the new Word add-in undoubtedly saves time, its real value lies in improving business agility.
When customer requirements change, branding evolves, or regulatory obligations introduce new document requirements, organisations can respond quickly without waiting for technical resources. Document layouts become easier to adapt, easier to maintain, and far more aligned with the pace of modern business.
Ultimately, Microsoft’s enhanced Word add-in transforms report layout customisation from a technical task into a business capability, allowing organisations to create professional, tailored documents with far less effort and significantly greater flexibility.
Caveat
“With great power comes great responsibility”
Not all businesses will have the skills, time or inclination to use this new functionality. If you design a report ‘in-house’ and for some reason the impact of that report output has detrimental affect across the business, putting that right may not be covered by your Business Partner.
Recommendation
Start small, start simple and build your confidence and skills over time. Consider investing in some training for this feature before you start using it.
Business Central AI and Microsoft Copilot Enhancements
As expected, Microsoft continues to invest heavily in AI-powered capabilities throughout Business Central.
Business Central Expense Agent Enhancements
The Expense Agent receives a substantial update, including:
- Mileage calculations with date ranges and vehicle types.
- AI-driven approvals.
- Automated VAT calculations from expense reports.
- Automatic withholding tax calculations.
- Improved duplicate prevention controls.
These capabilities aim to reduce manual processing and improve accuracy across expense management.
Business Central AI Agent Management and Governance
As more AI agents become available, administration becomes increasingly important. New features include:
- Simplified agent permission management.
- A dedicated task pane for managing activities across all agents.
- The ability to review agent-generated content directly within Business Central pages.
- Expanded Microsoft Copilot chat experiences.
These additions make it easier to govern and manage AI across the organisation.
Business Central Financial Report Packs and Scheduled Reporting
Financial reporting becomes more efficient with the introduction of report packs.
Users can group multiple financial reports into a single pack and then run them on demand or schedule delivery directly to inboxes or via email. This helps finance teams automate regular reporting processes and distribute information more consistently.
Business Central Excise Duty Management and Automated Tax Calculations
Businesses dealing with multiple environmental or product taxes will welcome new excise duty functionality.
Business Central can now:
- Assign multiple excise duty definitions to a single item.
- Automatically calculate all applicable duties during transactions.
- Support complex tax scenarios such as products liable for both plastic and sugar taxes.
- Improve tax accuracy across purchasing, inventory valuation and financial reporting.
This removes the need for workarounds or duplicate item records while helping organisations remain compliant with increasingly complex tax regulations.
What Business Central 2026 Release Wave 2 Means for Your Business
Wave 2 continues Microsoft’s focus on automation, AI and operational efficiency. From EDI integration and enhanced quality management to smarter reporting and AI-driven processes, the latest release offers practical improvements that can help businesses reduce manual effort, improve accuracy and scale more effectively as they grow.
To be continued….
As we know – the Waves ‘roll out’ in sequence, not just in the UK but globally, and the proof is always in the actual using rather than the reading and theoretical testing. As we continue to work with Wave 2 we will share further tips and highlights regarding specific functionality.
Discuss Business Central 2026 Release Wave 2 with Qi
