Choosing a Business Central partner is rarely about the original implementation. Most companies looking today already run Business Central, often with extensions a previous partner built, and what they need is different: an honest review of that code, a predictable way to keep improving the system, and someone watching the integrations that keep the business running. This guide covers what to look for, what to ask, and how to switch partner without losing momentum.
The key points
- Licensing, implementation, development and operations are separate services. One partner does not have to do all four.
- Start with an independent code and extension review before planning anything new.
- A fixed monthly improvement agreement keeps the budget steady and the backlog moving.
- Microsoft runs the platform. Your partner should monitor what is yours: extensions, job queues and integrations.
- Own the source code of your custom extensions so that changing partner stays possible.
Not sure what your extensions contain?
We review your Business Central extensions and give you a prioritised list of what to fix.
What a Business Central partner should actually do for you
“Partner” covers a lot. Some focus on selling licences, some on implementation and finance processes, others on development: AL extensions, APIs and integrations. Licences are bought through a Microsoft partner with a licensing agreement, but that does not have to be the company that develops for you.
So be clear about what you need now. If the system is live and the work is changes, new features and stable operations, judge the development and operations capability, not the sales demo. If you are still deciding between platforms, our comparison of Dynamics 365 vs Business Central is the better starting point.
An independent code and extension review
If someone else built your extensions, you rarely know exactly what is in them. An independent review gives everyone a shared baseline. A good one covers:
- Which extensions are installed, who owns them, and whether you have the source.
- Code analyser warnings and use of features marked obsolete that will disappear in a later release.
- Event subscribers and modifications likely to break in Microsoft’s two major updates each year.
- Permission sets, test coverage and how integrations handle failure.
The output should be a written report with priorities: fix now, fix later, remove. That is the core of our code audit services, and the principles behind healthy extensions are in our Business Central customization guide.
A predictable monthly improvement agreement
Buying Business Central development one quote at a time makes every small change a procurement exercise, and the backlog grows. The alternative is a fixed monthly agreement with an agreed number of hours, prioritised together each month.
A good agreement includes a shared backlog, fixed release windows, testing in a sandbox before production and a plan for each of Microsoft’s release waves. Unused hours and urgent work should be written down, so nobody is surprised by an invoice. That is how our software maintenance service is set up.
Monitoring and operations
In Business Central online, Microsoft looks after servers, backups and the platform itself. What breaks is usually yours: a stalled job queue, an overnight integration to the web shop or warehouse that fails, or an extension that slows down after an update.
Business Central can send telemetry to Azure Application Insights, so a partner can set alerts on exactly those failures. Ask what is monitored, who gets alerted and which response times apply outside office hours. Not every business needs round-the-clock cover, but every business should know what happens when the overnight sync fails.
A fixed monthly price for improvements?
We offer a monthly agreement with a shared backlog, planned releases and monitoring of your integrations.
Questions to ask a Business Central partner
- Who writes the code, and can we speak to them?
- Where is the source code kept, and who owns it?
- How do you test extensions ahead of Microsoft’s updates?
- What does the monthly agreement include, and what happens when it is exceeded?
- What do you monitor, and what happens if something fails overnight?
- How does handover work if we ever move on?
Switching partner without losing momentum
Changing partner is less dramatic than it sounds if the basics are in place. For extensions built specifically for you, you should hold the source code. AppSource apps belong to their publisher, so you simply continue as a customer. Secure access to the repository, documentation and environments, and let the new partner start with a review before changing anything. Licences can usually be moved to another partner; check the notice period in your current agreement.
How we work
We work with Business Central as a development partner: AL extensions, integrations, code reviews and ongoing improvement. See our Microsoft Business Central development services, or our Dynamics 365 developers for work across the wider Microsoft stack. If AI is on your list, our article on Copilot in Business Central explains what to prepare.
Frequently asked questions
Usually, yes. Check the notice period, secure the source code and access to your extensions, and have the new partner start with a review.
No. Many companies buy licences in one place and development in another. What matters is that responsibility for each part is clear.
It depends on how many extensions you have and how large they are. We look at the scope first and then give a fixed price.
The contract decides. You should own the source code of extensions built specifically for you; AppSource apps belong to their publisher.
The short version
Choose a Business Central partner for the work you need now. If the system is live, start with an independent review, agree a fixed monthly frame for improvements, and get monitoring on what is yours. Own your source code, so the choice always stays with you.
Looking for a new Business Central partner?
Start with a conversation about your extensions, your integrations and what is slowing you down.
