Getting Started with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Development">
Enter Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management. Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management provides a robust, customizable ERP platform that can be molded to fit unique business needs.
Extending Dynamics 365 F&SCM capabilities is an excellent skill to cultivate—but with so many moving parts, where exactly do you get started? In this guide, we’ll be sharing our top tips for developers beginning their Dynamics 365 F&SCM journey.
Table Of Contents
- Why Develop In Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management?
- Identify Application-Specific Needs
- Get Familiar With These Coding Languages
- Understand Your Interface…
- …And The Application Object Tree
- Take Incremental Steps
- Identify Objects
- Understand Extensions
- Discover The Differences Between This & That
- Plan To A Tee - FAQ
Why Develop In Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management?
Like many types of coding, Dynamics 365 development is a highly precise operation. Just one false move (or missing semicolon) can render an entire string of command completely moot, which can make coding extremely intimidating for beginners. Unlike other programs, Dynamics 365 F&SCM has a kind of safeguard that makes coding much more approachable for beginners.
Dynamics 365 F&SCM system code resides in a kernel layer, which serves as the basis for the program. When developing customizations, this kernel code remains completely untouchable, meaning that there’s no way to break it accidentally. This feature keeps the integrity of the system code fully intact, giving new developers the freedom to experiment with their own unique extensions without disrupting the program’s underlying infrastructure.
Now that we’ve covered the advantage of working with Dynamics 365 F&SCM, here’s what you need to get started.
1. Identify Application-Specific Needs
A large part of understanding what you need to develop lies in understanding the baseline functionality of Dynamics 365 F&SCM. For a given application, do your best to go through your whole process so you can identify not just what’s already there, but also what’s missing. Take special note of how each step applies to your intended application. Often, developers may produce code that is functional to solving the needs of an individual step, but fails to contribute to the intended process as a whole. When you code. Don’t just worry about meeting requirements, but also do your best to avoid redundancies and ensure that your work will meaningfully improve the system rather than make it more tedious to use.
2. Get Familiar With These Coding Languages
In order to build, you need the right tools at your disposal—but even the right tools can’t get the job done if you don’t know how to use them. That’s why it’s crucial to gain a workable knowledge of Dynamics 365 F&SCM’s coding languages of choice. The first of these two languages is X++, which is used to code classes and object methods. The second language C#, which is used to develop external services and integrations to external applications.
3. Understand Your Interface…
Just like the coding languages themselves, understanding your coding interface will help you become a much more adept developer. In the case of Dynamics 365 F&SCM, the coding interface you will use is Visual Studio. This interface allows developers to not only edit code directly, but also debug their code at any time. We recommend that new developers frequently use the debugger as they go, not only to get familiar with the tool but also to identify any coding mistakes before they get buried amongst the other lines of code.
4. …And The Application Object Tree
Yet another invaluable tool, the Application Object Tree (AOT) is one that new developers should quickly familiarize themselves with. The AOT is where you will find nodes which represent unique objects. Each object has its own use, and eventually it will be up to you to decide when to add a new object or extend an existing object. It’s important to familiarize yourself with finding objects within the AOT and understand what objects you have to work with.
5. Take Incremental Steps
Although Dynamics 365 F&SCM boasts incredible customization capabilities, it can be both easy and discouraging to get ahead of yourself by taking on a large project. It’s best to begin by making small changes. This will not only make your projects more manageable, but will also help you better understand how each fraction of your work contributes to the whole as you go.
6. Identify Objects
Objects are housed in the AOT. Think of these Objects as canvases which you can edit to create your custom extensions. Objects can be identified within D365 F&SCM by right-clicking on the object, then selecting ‘More Information’. These names will correspond to the nodes displayed in the AOT.
7. Understand Extensions
Extensions are used to create augmented versions of existing objects within D365 F&SCM without modifying them. It’s important to understand just how these extensions can be used to augment existing objects, from simple field additions to complex subsystems. Take classes, for example. A custom extension can be created to return a calculated value when the augmented class is executed with user input. While that may seem like a plain extension, it’s best to start small before attempting to perform a more complex extension or extend a major posting class.
8. Discover The Differences Between This & That
When different classes or functions can return the same type of result, it can be tempting to use them interchangeably. However, each class serves its own distinct purpose. For example, a table value and an Enum can both be used to record the same type of data. However, an Enum would be the proper choice to use when extending a class if the intended purpose is to trigger a specific branch of code to be executed.
9. Plan To A Tee
Extending any part of D365 F&SCM can be a delicate operation, often requiring surgical precision to achieve the desired outcome. In order to successfully develop an extension, planning is an absolute must. With a clear path towards how you will approach an extension, executing the task becomes much more simple. Planning in advance can also be a good pace setting tool to keep your project scope manageable and prevent yourself from making too many changes at once.
Dynamics 365 development may seem like an intimidating journey to begin, but studying up and advancing incrementally can make the learning process both manageable and rewarding. Immersing yourself in the program, familiarizing yourself with coding languages X++ and C#, and carefully planning your customizations will all help facilitate your growth and success as a developer. At CFBS, our developers have worked diligently to hone their skills through the years. Now, as a part of our team they expertly tackle any D365 F&SCM dev projects that come our way.
Looking for a quick guide? Download the PDF Getting Started With
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Development, written by CFBS Managing Director, Mike Conti.If you’re looking for Dynamics 365 development services
to help customize your ERP without the learning curve, contact CFBS today.
FAQ
Q: What is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain development?
A: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain development focuses on extending and customizing the ERP’s functionality to meet unique business requirements. This is typically done using extensions, objects, and development tools like X++ and Visual Studio—without modifying the system’s core code.
Q: Do I need to know X++ to become a Dynamics 365 developer?
Yes. X++ is the primary programming language used for classes and business logic within Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain. While C# is also important for integrations and external services, X++ is essential for core ERP development.
Q: Why are extensions important in Dynamics 365 development?
A: The costing sheet in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain is a structured view that defines how costs are grouped, calculated, and rolled up. It uses nodes for materials, labor, and overhead, as well as indirect cost nodes like surcharges and rates. This makes it easier to see how each cost element contributes to the final item cost and to ensure absorption costing is applied consistently.
