Extending Business Central With the Power Platform Without Over-Customizing Your ERP

If you are using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, you already have a powerful ERP that sits inside the Microsoft ecosystem. 

That is both a blessing and a trap. 

Because Business Central integrates so well with Microsoft tools, it is tempting to customize it heavily. Before long, finance teams end up managing workflows, forms, approvals, and reporting inside the ERP that were never meant to live there. 

This is where the Microsoft Power Platform comes in. Not to replace Business Central or turn it into a low-code playground, but to extend it in the right places. 

What you’ll learn in this article:

• When to extend Business Central instead of customizing it

• How Power Apps improves processes for non-ERP users

• Why Power Automate is better for complex approvals

• How Power BI and Microsoft Fabric improve ERP reporting

• How to reduce upgrade risk while improving visibility

 

The Guiding Principle 

Business Central should remain the system of record for financials and operations. 

The Power Platform should handle: 

• User interaction 

• Workflow and approvals 

• Automation across systems 

• Analytics and visibility 

When each tool stays in its lane, Business Central stays stable and scalable. 

Use Power Apps for Processes That Involve Non-ERP Users 

One of the most common mistakes we see is forcing everyone into Business Central. 

Not everyone needs ERP access. In fact, many people should not have it.

Using Power Apps, teams build lightweight apps for things like: 

• Purchase requests 

• Vendor intake 

• Expense submissions 

• Project or job setup requests 

• Customer-facing forms 

These apps collect clean, structured data and apply business rules before anything touches Business Central. 

Finance teams stop fixing inputs. Business Central stays cleaner. Users get a simpler experience that does not require ERP training. 

Handle Approvals With Power Automate, Not Custom Logic in Business Central 

Business Central has approval capabilities, but they can become complex quickly when approval paths vary by amount, department, or role. 

With Power Automate, approvals can be handled outside the ERP while still integrating cleanly with it. 

Common scenarios include: 

• Multi-level approvals based on dollar thresholds 

• Conditional routing based on department or job 

• Escalations when approvals stall 

• Full audit trails with timestamps and comments 

The result is stronger controls without cluttering Business Central with workflow logic that is hard to maintain. 

Automate Integrations Instead of Building Everything Inside Business Central 

Business Central often sits at the center of many systems. 

CRM, time tracking, payroll, support platforms, and project tools all need to interact with it. 

Rather than embedding custom integrations directly into Business Central, Power Automate is often the better integration layer. 

Examples we see frequently: 

• Syncing customers and jobs from CRM 

• Bringing approved time and expenses into Business Central 

• Pushing status updates back to teams 

• Coordinating data flow across multiple systems 

This approach keeps Business Central focused on core ERP functions and reduces upgrade and maintenance risk. 

Use Power BI to Make Business Central Data Easier to Consume 

Business Central has reporting, but most leaders want answers, not ERP screens. 

With Power BI, Business Central data can be turned into dashboards that show: 

• Budget versus actuals 

• Job or project profitability 

• Revenue and margin trends 

• Cash flow visibility 

Security can be applied so users only see what they should. Finance teams spend less time exporting data and more time analyzing it. 

Where Microsoft Fabric Fits In 

As reporting and data needs grow, some organizations hit the limits of direct ERP reporting. 

This is where Microsoft Fabric becomes a strong addition. 

Fabric allows Business Central data to be combined with data from other systems in a centralized analytics layer. 

This is especially valuable when teams want to: 

• Analyze multi-year history 

• Combine financial and operational data 

• Answer cross-system questions about profitability or performance 

• Standardize reporting across departments 

Business Central remains the system of record. Fabric becomes the analytics foundation. 

When to Extend Business Central vs Customize It 

A good rule of thumb we share with clients is this: 

Customize Business Central when the logic is core to accounting or operations. Extend with Power Platform when the logic is about people, process, or visibility. 

Examples that belong outside Business Central: 

• Intake forms 

• Department-specific workflows 

• Cross-system approvals 

• Executive reporting 

  
  

Examples that belong inside Business Central: 

• Core posting logic 

• Financial controls 

• ERP-native configuration 

This balance keeps Business Central maintainable long term. 

The Bottom Line 

Business Central works best when it is not asked to do everything. 

By using the Power Platform and Microsoft Fabric around it, organizations get: 

• Better user experiences 

• Cleaner data 

• Stronger controls 

• Better insight 

• Less risk during upgrades 

Business Central stays stable. The business stays flexible. 

Want Help Extending Business Central the Right Way? 

At PowerApps911, we help teams use the Power Platform and Microsoft Fabric to extend Business Central without turning the ERP into a bottleneck. 

If you are debating customization, struggling with approvals, or trying to get better insight out of your Business Central data, we can help you map a safer, more scalable approach. 

👉 Reach out to talk through your use case or start with a small pilot that actually solves a real problem. 

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