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How to Safely Split a Deployed Business Central Extension Without Losing Data?

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Posted on by Jinal P.

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Hi everyone,

I have developed a Business Central extension with multiple functionalities (custom tables, pages, codeunit, and reports), and it’s already deployed in production as a single PTE (Per-Tenant Extension). Now, I’m planning to split this extension into multiple smaller extensions for better modularity and maintainability.

I have a few concerns:

Data Impact – If I move tables or fields to a new extension, how do I ensure data is preserved?
Upgrade Path – What’s the best way to use DataUpgrade codeunits to migrate or copy existing data from the original extension to the new one?
Dependencies – How should I manage inter-extension dependencies properly, especially if one extension still relies on functionality from another?
App Uninstall Risks – If I uninstall the old extension after splitting, will it cause data deletion even if the tables now exist in a new app?

Has anyone done this before? Any tips, pitfalls, or recommended practices would be appreciated.

This is urgent so anyone can help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

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Dynamics 365 Business Central

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YUN ZHU 84,278 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at

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How to Safely Split a Deployed Business Central Extension Without Losing Data?

If this is the case, you can only use the intermediate extension.
That is, create the tables and fields that need to be moved in the intermediate extension, and then make a migration tool to copy the data to the intermediate extension first.
Then delete the fields, add these fields in the new extension, and then use the transfer tool to transfer the data in the intermediate extension to the new extension.
Although this is troublesome after all, it should be no problem.

Hope this can give you some hints.

Thanks.

ZHU
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Sohail Ahmed 3,285 on at

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How to Safely Split a Deployed Business Central Extension Without Losing Data?

Adding more details https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/release-plan/2025wave1/smb/dynamics365-business-central/move-tables-fields-data-across-extensions-as-part-refactoring?wt.mc_id=DX-MVP-5004336

👉 ✅ Mark this answer as verified if it helps you.
Jinal P. 187 on at

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How to Safely Split a Deployed Business Central Extension Without Losing Data?

Hello YUN ZHU,

My extension is PTE mode and already deployed in the Production SAAS version [Not on-premise], and I would like to split them functionality wise, but in document I can see microsoft is saying PTE is not allowed.

What should I do?

Can you please advise.

Thanks
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Mansi Soni 3,391 on at

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How to Safely Split a Deployed Business Central Extension Without Losing Data?

Hello,

Hope following resources will help you as well!

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/developer/devenv-scenarios-moving-table-fields
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/developer/devenv-move-table-fields-between-extensions

Regards,
Mansi Soni
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Jainam M. Kothari 8,653 on at

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How to Safely Split a Deployed Business Central Extension Without Losing Data?

May this can help : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/developer/devenv-extension-moving-scope
SB-30050252-0 26 on at

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How to Safely Split a Deployed Business Central Extension Without Losing Data?

You could possibly also use the Config packages (or direct database access if on-prem) to download the existing data and then reapply the data after splitting. Depends on how many records and which type though.
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YUN ZHU 84,278 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at

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How to Safely Split a Deployed Business Central Extension Without Losing Data?

Hi, Starting from Business Central 2025 release wave 1 (BC26), Microsoft has supported the movement of fields between extensions, so there will be no data loss issues.

More details:

Move tables and fields with data across extensions as part of refactoring

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/release-plan/2025wave1/smb/dynamics365-business-central/move-tables-fields-data-across-extensions-as-part-refactoring?wt.mc_id=DX-MVP-5004336

What's new: Moving tables and fields between AppSource extensions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQU-oYfDn88&list=PL1FESh9FqyhQ5mLH-jqyMsSElcCIVg-KB&index=12&t=436s&pp=iAQB

Hope this can give you some hints.

Thanks.

ZHU