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Can I add a custom column in BC Cloud without AL or via user interaction?

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Posted on by SV-30061135-0

Hi everyone,

I’m working with Dynamics 365 Business Central in a cloud (SaaS) environment and have a question regarding extending tables: Is it possible to add a new custom column to an existing table (like Customer or Item) without writing AL code or creating a table extension?

I’m specifically trying to avoid using Visual Studio Code and AL Language. Ideally, I’d like to allow end users to dynamically add custom fields through the UI—for example, by clicking an "Add Column" button that adds a new field at runtime.

Can this be done in any way, perhaps through:

1) Personalization or custom views?

2) Configuration packages or RapidStart?

3) Any third-party apps or tools?

If AL is truly the only supported way to add columns, is there still a way to allow user-driven column additions dynamically (like configurable fields or a flexible data model)?

Thanks in advance for any guidance or best practices!

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Dynamics 365 Business Central

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Mohana Yadav 60,993 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Please try this app

https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-us/product/dynamics-365-business-central/PUBID.hougaard-4699382%7CAID.designer%7CPAPPID.4c032704-5c36-4480-b710-29e8565568bc?tab=Overview

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Sohail Ahmed 11,136 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hope this might be helpful:

No, you cannot add a new, truly custom column to an existing Business Central Cloud (SaaS) table without AL code (table extensions) or via direct user interaction for field creation at runtime.

✅ Mark this answer as verified if it helps you.

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Ramesh Kumar 7,527 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Yes. but again its App you can use. simple object designer App is good for create custom fields

Thanks

Ramesh

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RockwithNav 8,600 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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You can try exploring what Mohana has suggested, Erik's extension but in standard BC you can not do without adding a piece of code.

Blog - rockwithnav.wordpress.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/RockwithNav
Facebook - https://facebook.com/rockwithnav/

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YUN ZHU 95,329 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi, this is not a standard feature of BC.
I have tried the following free app, which works to some extent, you can try it first.

Find the right app | Microsoft AppSource

Thanks.

ZHU

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Jeffrey Bulanadi 8,760 on at

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Hi,

In BC SaaS, you cannot add a truly new column to a table without AL code. The platform doesn’t support runtime schema changes via UI or personalization alone. That said, there are a few options that get you close depending on your goal:

Personalization lets users show/hide existing fields, rearrange columns, and pin views, but it doesn’t create new fields. It’s great for tailoring layouts, not extending data models.

Configuration Packages (RapidStart) can populate data into existing fields, including custom fields added via AL — but they don’t create new fields themselves.

Third-party apps like Designer by Hougaard offer low-code field creation, but they still rely on AL behind the scenes. They simplify the process, but don’t bypass it.

If you want end users to “add fields” dynamically, the closest supported pattern is to create a generic extension with a set of unused fields (e.g., CustomText1, CustomDate1, etc.) and expose them via personalization. You can then guide users to repurpose these fields as needed.

Helpful References
Customizing Business Central - Business Central | Microsoft Learn
Add additional columns through personalization in various pages to gain more insight - Dynamics 365 Release Plan | Microsoft Learn
How to Personalize pages (Customize pages) - Dynamics 365 Business Central
Dynamics 365 Business Central: How to add directly editable fields to Vendor Ledger Entries | Dynamics 365 Lab

If you find this helpful, feel free to mark this as the suggested or verified answer.

Cheers
Jeffrey

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