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Change custom fields type from Option -> Enum

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Posted on by MM-21010727-0

Hi,

I was wondering if Microsoft is changing standard Option fields into Enum, should we do it also?

In BC25 Could version we have this field:

This is clearly an old field that before was an option and now is an Enum. If I open the sales order, is still option as it was originally.

If I Check Fields table:

OptionMembers = TableFilter,RecordID,OemText,Date,Time,DateFormula,Decimal,Media,MediaSet,Text,Code,Binary,BLOB,Boolean,Integer,OemCode,Option,BigInteger,Duration,GUID,DateTime;

There is No ENUM in this list.

For the breaking change Microsoft says:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/developer/analyzers/appsourcecop-as0071

This statement is a warning and is related to when you make a new field of type Enum and copy values from Option. As long as Option and Enum have same values, this warning should be no problem. Also, I tried, and changing custom fields from Option to Enum is nor an error or warning for AppSourceCope, also deploying change into Cloud environment the existing values in Option field are not lost.

Still I have this Question: Is it a breaking change if I Replace Option type of field with Enum directly, NOT to create a new Enum field and copy values from Option, that Microsoft says in the above link is a warning.

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Dynamics 365 Business Central

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Bilal Haider 442 on at

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Hi,

Interesting post! I never noticed that in page inspection the document type shown is still option although in table definition its an enum.

If you are replacing option type with enum then it is actually recommended by Microsoft. Also using enums make our lives easy as then we need to maintain only at one place. like if a new value is added, or value is being updated.

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Kamal Khakhkhar 2,492 on at

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Hii there,

As per requirement you can update data type from option to enum it's not make any error. You need to add all the options members to enum and then update the some of code as per enum . It will work. Even though you are worried about your data create new field . Move data to that field and obsolete the old field.

Thank you.

Kamal Khakhkhar

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Khushbu Rajvi. 21,593 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Replacing an Option with an Enum is safe if you preserve the same ordinal values (order and numbering) of the original Option members.

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Gerardo Rentería Ga... 25,547 Most Valuable Professional on at

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Hi, good day
I hope this can help you, and give you some hints. It's time to Enumify your Option fields in AL and Business Central

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Inkey Solutions 2,102 on at

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Hello,

If the field data type is either Enum or Option, it will always appear as an Option in the table field of Business Central.

When replacing an option field with an enum field, the ordinal values must match those of the original option members. Changing these values can cause data inconsistencies and corruption during upgrades. Additionally, extensions relying on specific ordinal values may fail if altered in the enum field.

To resolve this error, follow these steps:
Locate the enum field in your code that is replacing an option field.
Ensure that the ordinal values of the enum members match those of the original option members.
If the ordinal values don't match, adjust the enum members to preserve the original ordinal values.
Thanks.

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