April 9, 2024
Author: Mahdy Ghane
Solution Architect, Data & Dynamics
Long View
The Microsoft Appsource for Business Central boasts an impressive repository of over 3,700 applications, albeit with a sizable proportion available for purchase. Nonetheless, certain independent software vendors (ISVs) have generously made select applications available at no cost. In this article, we will examine the top 10 free applications available in Microsoft Appsource for Business Central, based on our extensive experience. Our selection criteria were rigorous; we only considered applications that were entirely free and widely accessible. Additionally, we endeavored to select only one application per ISV to showcase the diversity of offerings. The applications are arranged in alphabetical order for ease of reference.
1. Availability Dashboard by Nubetech SpA
Nubetech offers several free apps such as Sales Delivery Route Plan, WhatsUpHeadline, and Availability Dashboard. We review Availability Dashboard in this article “The FREE Availability Dashboard application for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central allowing you to calculate item availability, SKU availability and order quantity from your inventory”.
After installing the app you can access it by going to “Availability Dashboard” then you can create different batch for different purposes.
Then for each batch you have three below methods to calculate your item availability. For each method you can define filters as well.
1. Calculate the order quantity when the calculated qty. Available is below zero
2. Calculate the Item availability replenished by purchase
3. Calculate the SKU availability replenished by purchase
Using “Calculate the order quantity” will show the item with QTY less than the zero. In addition, you can see all item setup in the right panel. In addition, for page header you can access some useful information such as Item Availability by Event or Item Card.
With the other two options you can review location by location or by SKU. Each option has their own set of filtering to provide more flexibility.
2. Finance Month End Activities Dashboard by ASQiT Ltd.
ASQiT offers several free apps such as Credit Control Basic, CSV Import, and Finance Month End Activities Dashboard. We review Finance Month End Activities Dashboard in this article.
It is crucial to always remember to complete financial routines before closing the accounting period. Have a quick glance at outstanding finance month-end activities in a dashboard, such as unposted journals, fixed assets to depreciate, VAT entries to settle, bank entries to reconcile and currencies to adjust. The dashboard also gives a quick access to those areas and related ledgers.
After installing, the app users (depending on permission and role) will see the following dashboard in their BC main dashboard: Role Centers – Accounting Manager, Business Manager Bookkeeper, Accountant.
From there users can review open activities to wrap up month end, then can click on each required activity and finish the task.
3. Find & Replace by 365 business development
Save valuable time by using Find & Replace instead of manually making data changes on a large amount of data. With this app, you can easily make bulk data changes through the "Find & Replace" action available in several master data areas. Currently, the app provides integrations for Customer, Vendor, Contact, Fixed Asset, G/L Account, Item, Resource, and Service Item (which requires the Premium Experience).
This app is particularly useful if you need to replace specific information in master data with new data. Once installed, simply navigate to the master data list, and if the app supports that specific type of master data, you can use it to make the necessary changes. In below example we will use the app in Customer List. We want to rename “relecloud” customer name with their new name which is “AICloud”.
In the Find & Replace menu, you can select the field you want to search and replace, and specify what you're looking for and what you want to replace it with. Additionally, you can define matching criteria and actions. Once you have confirmed your selection, the app will perform the specified changes across the selected master data.
After confirming your selection, Find & Replace will execute the search and replace operation as per your specifications. As shown below, the customer name has been successfully changed to "AI Cloud".
4) Graphical Inventory Profile by Abakion
Abakion provides several free apps, including Job Time Mobile for tracking time on jobs, Search Items for finding specific items, Created-by on Documents for identifying the creator of a document, and Graphical Inventory Profile for visualizing inventory levels. In this article, we will focus on reviewing the Graphical Inventory Profile app.
Graphical Inventory Profile provides an overview of future supply issues for individual products – and shows the means by which the company can address the issues.
After installing the app you can access it in several places.
In Item Card : you can select any item.
The Graphical Inventory Profile app provides users with a variety of options for selecting criteria.
Include Sales Orders: select All sales order, or released sales order or none.
Use Purchase Dates: Expected Receipt Date or Promised Receipt date.
Production Forecast: Select any production forecast that your company has created before.
Planning Worksheet Template Name: select any Planning Worksheet you want to include supply and demand in the result.
And many more.
You can see the edit and see the results in chart format.
You can also access the same functions from Purchase Line or Planning Worksheet which is extremely useful when you are planning for item.
5. iDynamics Internal Notes by iDynamics Business Solutions
iDynamics offers several free app such as iDynamics Warehouse Lite, iDynamics IRPF, and iDynamics Internal Notes. In this article we review iDynamics Internal Notes.
“iDynamics Internal Notes is a free app that allows the addition of internal notes, linked to customers and vendors. These notes are displayed when a user selects a customer or vendor, while creating a sales or purchase document.”
This app is particularly useful for setting reminders for specific customers, vendors, sales orders, or purchase orders. After installing the app, users can access it from various places within the system.
For example users can access this app in Customer Card.
Users can add a note and choose how they want to display it. Notifications will appear as a blue line notification, while alerts will be displayed as popup messages.
After creating a note, users can specify which documents they want it to be displayed in.
Once the note is associated with a specific customer, users will be able to view the message anytime a sales order is created or opened for that customer.
In purchase or sales order from Comment section users can define specific notification or alert for that document.
6. Import Export PowerTool by Insight Works
Insight Works offer several free apps such as Insight Works PrintNode Connector, Barcode Generator, DocXtender, WMS Express, and Import Export PowerTool. We review Import Export PowerTool in this article.
Turbocharge your data migration tasks with lightning-fast imports & exports. Using this app user can Import data up to 30+ times faster than RapidStart Configuration Packages. Use existing Configuration Packages to perform fast exports. Automatically insert specified lot numbers and serial numbers on item journal imports, making it ideal for initial inventory loads. Create record links and notes for new or existing records. Bulk edit data quickly and easily.
Add two permission sets into Business Central. IEPT Manager that can modify Import Export Power Tools setup settings. User that can perform tasks allowed by Manager.
To set up the Turbocharge app, the manager can go to the Import Export PowerTool Setup. Here, they can customize the app's settings. For instance, the manager can disable delete access and provide enhanced confirmation for updating data, meaning the app will validate user actions before any updates are made. However, it's important to note that all user permissions apply when using this tool. If a user doesn't have write access to a table, they cannot use this app for that table.
After the setup users can use the app by going to Import Export PowerTool page.
From here user can select an action (if permitted) then work with the data.
Example #1:
I want to import my item journal with serial numbers. I have created a CSV file with all needed information.
In Import Export PowerTool select Import option and requirements for import.
Selecte Import Data and the file.
Example #2:
I want to delete item 1996-S from all sales order that we did not ship that item.
In Tools selected Delete then selected Table 37 (Sales Line). Then in Delete Filter define filters.
From Action, select Delete. Since Enhancement Confirmation is activated, the system will ask for confirmation.
7. Job Queue Monitor by Xtbc
Xtbc Job Queue Monitor notifies you if any Job Queues has stopped in your Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and enables you to take immediate action and bring all your Business Central transactions up to date.
This is a very useful app if company has many automations through Job Queue. Admin can setup notification or email message if Job Queue failed. Before installing this app make sure that Email field in Company Information page is populated. Also after installation users should go to “Job Queue Monitor Subscription” to register this app.
In “Job Queue Notification Codes” users can setup Code and who should be notified for that code. Make sure to setup Email Scenario for the Job Queue in Email Account.
After setting up the app, the manager can assign the code to the Job Queue in the Job Queue Card. If any conditions are applied to that Job Queue, users will be notified.
8. Mekorma Electronic Signatures by Mekorma Enterprises, Inc.
Print payables checks with automated electronic signatures based on check payment amount. Mekorma’s Electronic Signatures for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central makes it possible to print signatures on check payments.” If company wants to print signature on check and in addition defines threshold amounts and associate with the appropriate signatures this app is useful. The only downside is if you have a custom layout for your check you may need to modify that layout to incorporate this function.
After installing this app users need to register the app. Then in Mekorma Signatures List, add the signature file into the Signature card.
If Thresholds needed in Mekorma Thresholds List define the Thresholds.
For each Bank Account select the required thresholds.
Once the Mekorma Electronic Signatures app is installed, users can either modify their check format (if it's a custom layout) or use one of the four formats provided by the app. To select a check layout, users need to search for "Report Selection - Bank Account" and select "Check". Then, they can choose one of the following formats:
That is it. When you print the check the signatures will be printed on the check.
9. NAVtilus Mandatory Fields by Navtilus
Enables you to setup that certain fields on records in a table are mandatory to fill.” Many of our clients want to make some fields mandatory to capture all required data.
After installing the app, the user can go to the Mandatory Fields Setup and start setting up mandatory fields. In the following examples, we have made a few fields mandatory. Additionally, the user can define some conditions. For example, if the Customer Posting Group is equal to "USA", then the Gen Bus Posting Group must also be "USA".
10. Visual Financial Transactions Analysis by EXTENSIONSFORCE
This app adds a visual view to financial transactions and posting setups in Microsoft Dynamics 365. It allows the finance team to analyze posting setups by providing a visual representation of the postings or preview postings.
In this example we used posting preview in Sales Order and use Visual Analysis to see all the posting accounts.
Or in General Posting Setup we can use Visual Setup to visualize posting setup.
11. Bonus App - Custom Fields by Apportunix
This app has free version with limitation and paid version.
Easily create your own custom fields for customers, vendors, contacts and more”. If you have a need to add a few custom fields into your Business Central and do not want to hire developers this app can help.
After installing the app user can go to “Custom Fields Definitions” then start adding new fields. In below example we added Customer Status into customer card then selected copy to sales order to show the exact same field in the sales order.
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