Custom development solves specific needs – apps solve repeated ones

Customizations are often created to solve problems that are not unique. The same functionality is built again and again:

• Process structure
• Data visibility
• User guidance
• Operational control

Each time:

• Time is spent
• Risk is introduced
• Maintenance responsibility increases

Best-of-breed apps, on the other hand:

• Are designed to solve well-defined problems
• Are continuously improved by ISVs
• Are tested across many customers and industries

For partners, this means less reinvention – and more consistency.

Upgradeability is no longer optional

With Microsoft’s rapid release cycle, upgradeability has become critical.
Custom code:

• Must be tested every release
• Can block upgrades
• Creates long-term technical debt

Certified apps:

• Follow Microsoft’s standards
• Are updated continuously
• Reduce upgrade risk for both partner and customer

A strong app strategy protects not only the customer’s system – but also the partner’s delivery model.

Best-of-breed apps support standardization and scale

Scalability is one of the biggest challenges for growing partners. Custom-heavy projects often lead to:

• High dependency on specific consultants
• Inconsistent delivery quality
• Difficult onboarding of new team members

Best-of-breed apps enable partners to:

• Standardize solution components
• Reuse proven setups
• Deliver consistent value across customers

This makes it possible to scale without increasing complexity.

Customers want faster time to value

Modern customers expect results – quickly.
Long custom development cycles:

• Delay go-live
• Increase project costs
• Create uncertainty

Apps accelerate delivery by:

• Providing ready-made functionality
• Supporting best-practice processes
• Reducing project risk

From a customer perspective, best-of-breed apps are not a limitation – they are an accelerator.

From technical delivery to commercial differentiation

An app strategy is not just a technical decision.
It is a commercial one. Partners who rely on custom development often compete on:

• Hourly rates
• Scope negotiations
• Technical complexity

Partners who build solutions with apps compete on:

• Outcomes
• Speed
• Predictability
• Value

This shift changes the sales conversation – and strengthens the partner’s position.

Best-of-breed does not mean one-size-fits-all

A best-of-breed strategy does not mean abandoning flexibility. It means:

• Using apps where problems are common and repeatable
• Reserving custom development for true differentiators
• Building solutions that are structured, but adaptable

The goal is not to eliminate custom development – but to use it deliberately.

Apps like Eagle help partners build repeatable solutions

Solution-oriented partners use apps as building blocks. Apps like Eagle help partners:

• Add structure without customization
• Package value into a repeatable offering
• Reduce delivery risk while increasing customer value

Instead of building everything themselves, partners can focus on what matters most: delivering outcomes.

The strongest partners build on ecosystems, not isolated code

Business Central is no longer just an ERP – it’s a platform. Partners who embrace a best-of-breed app strategy:

• Deliver more stable solutions
• Scale more efficiently
• Future-proof their business

Custom development will always have a place. But the future belongs to partners who know when not to use it.

As a Business Central partner, choosing the right apps is just as important as configuring the ERP itself. Recommending the wrong app – or recommending an app at the wrong time – can create friction instead of value. Recommending the right app at the right moment can strengthen your role as a trusted advisor.

So when does Eagle make sense?

This article outlines when you should recommend Eagle to a customer, and why it works best as part of a solution – not as “just another app.”

Eagle is not for every customer – and that’s a good thing. Eagle creates the most value for customers who need structure, clarity, and consistency around how Business Central is used.

If a customer:

• Is very small
• Has extremely simple processes
• Only needs basic ERP functionality

Then Eagle may not be necessary.

But for customers who want to get more value out of Business Central, Eagle becomes a strong addition.

1. When the customer needs structure around processes

A common challenge after go-live is not missing functionality – it’s missing structure. You should recommend Eagle when customers:

• Struggle to follow defined processes
• Rely heavily on individual knowledge
• Lack consistency across teams or departments

Eagle helps bring:

• Clear process structure
• Shared ways of working
• Better alignment between system and business operations

For partners, this reduces support issues and dependency on specific users.

2. When the customer wants faster time to value

Some customers want results quickly – without long change projects or heavy customization. Eagle is a good fit when:

• The customer wants visible improvements early
• You want to reduce project risk
• You want to avoid unnecessary custom development

By using Eagle, partners can:

• Deliver value faster
• Standardize parts of the solution
• Keep projects predictable

This makes Eagle especially useful in new implementations and early optimization phases.

3. When you want to position yourself as a strategic advisor

If the conversation with the customer is shifting from features to outcomes, Eagle fits naturally. Recommend Eagle when:

• The customer asks “How do we work better with BC?”
• There is a need for governance and oversight
• Management wants transparency and control

Eagle supports partners in moving from:

• Technical delivery → business guidance
• One-time projects → long-term partnerships

4. When the customer has grown – and complexity has increased

Growth introduces complexity. Eagle is particularly relevant when customers:

• Are scaling operations
• Have more users, roles, or locations
• Need consistency across teams

Instead of solving growth challenges with custom code, Eagle helps partners deliver structure that scales with the business.

5. When you want a repeatable, scalable partner offering

Eagle doesn’t just benefit customers – it benefits partners. Recommend Eagle when you want to:

• Standardize how you deliver value
• Reduce custom development
• Build repeatable solution packages

Using Eagle consistently across customers allows you to:

• Improve delivery efficiency
• Onboard consultants faster
• Maintain higher quality across projects

When to introduce Eagle in the customer journey

Eagle can be positioned at multiple stages:

• During presales: To frame the solution around structure and outcomes
• During implementation: To support best-practice processes from day one
• After go-live: As a way to optimize and mature usage of Business Central

The key is to introduce Eagle as part of the solution story, not as an add-on. Eagle works best when it’s part of the bigger picture

Eagle is most effective when:

• It complements standard Business Central functionality
• It supports your solution methodology
• It reinforces your role as a trusted advisor

It’s not about selling more apps. It’s about delivering more value – in a structured, scalable way.

For many years, success as a Business Central partner was measured by one thing: delivering solid implementations. Projects were scoped, configured, customized, and handed over. The job was done.

But the role of the Business Central partner is changing – and fast.

Today’s customers expect more than a technically correct ERP implementation. They expect business outcomes, structure, and long-term value. And that shift is forcing partners to rethink how they deliver value. The future belongs to partners who build solutions, not just implementations.

Implementations solve technical problems. Solutions solve business problems.

An implementation focuses on how Business Central is set up:

• Configuration
• Extension
• Integration
• Go-live

A solution focuses on why Business Central is being used:

• Clear processes
• Defined responsibilities
• Measurable outcomes
• A roadmap beyond go-live

Customers don’t struggle because Business Central lacks features.
They struggle because processes are unclear, ownership is missing, and value is hard to measure. That’s where solution-driven partners stand out.

Customers want structure, not more custom code

Many partners still try to solve complexity with customization. But more custom code often leads to:

• Higher maintenance costs
• Slower upgrades
• Harder scalability
• Increased support burden

Modern customers want:

• Standardized best practices
• Clear workflows
• Tools that support the way people actually work
• Faster time to value

By building solutions around Business Central – instead of on top of it – partners can reduce complexity while increasing perceived value.

From project delivery to ongoing value creation

Traditional implementations often end at go-live.
Solution-oriented partnerships don’t.

Future-ready partners think in terms of:

• Continuous improvement
• Optimization after go-live
• Scalable frameworks across customers
• Repeatable value delivery

This shift doesn’t just benefit customers – it benefits partners too:

• More predictable revenue
• Stronger customer relationships
• Clear differentiation in a crowded market

Apps are the foundation of scalable solutions

You can’t build scalable solutions by reinventing the wheel in every project. That’s why successful Business Central partners increasingly rely on:

• ISV apps instead of custom development
• Best-of-breed functionality
• Standardized solution components

Apps like Eagle help partners package structure, processes, and value into a repeatable offering – without increasing project complexity. Instead of delivering “another BC implementation,” partners can deliver a complete solution.

The partner role is becoming strategic

The most successful partners of tomorrow will be:

• Advisors, not just implementers
• Focused on business outcomes, not features
• Able to clearly explain why a solution creates value

When partners shift from implementation to solution thinking, conversations with customers change:

• Less focus on requirements lists
• More focus on goals and results
• Less price pressure
• More trust

Building solutions is not about doing more – it’s about doing it smarter

Becoming a solution-driven partner doesn’t mean:

• Longer projects
• More customization
• Higher risk
  It means:
  • Standardizing what works
  • Using apps strategically
  • Delivering clarity instead of complexity

And most importantly: It means helping customers realize value faster – and keep realizing it long after go-live.

The future belongs to solution builders

Business Central will continue to evolve. Customer expectations will continue to rise. Partners who focus solely on implementations will struggle to differentiate. Partners who build solutions will:

• Scale faster
• Deliver more value
• Build stronger, longer-lasting customer relationships

The future of Business Central partnerships isn’t about doing more projects. It’s about delivering better solutions.

It was December 23rd in the village of Business Central.

Snow piled heavy on the servers, the APIs started to freeze—and stress levels in the finance department hit critical mass.

But four heroes were getting ready.

Eagle Ernesto – Guardian of the Reports

Ernesto swept over the village and spotted that the numbers didn’t add up.

With razor-sharp oversight and automated dashboards, he brought order back to the reports.

“No more errors in the profit and loss statement—not on my watch!”

He structured data across multiple companies, created KPIs, and delivered real-time insight to every manager in the village.

Badger Bob – Master of the Data Tunnels

Bob crawled out of his burrow, lit his digital lantern, and started digging.

“I open the pathways so the reports can flow!”

He exposed Business Central data to analytics tools—so Power BI and Excel could light up the darkness with insight.

Parrot Poppy – The Songbird of Contracts

In the middle of the chaos, Poppy sat calmly, repeating:

“Recurring billing, subscription posting, deferred revenue!”

She made sure every subscription, contract, and membership was invoiced on time—and that revenue became accurate and automatic.

The village’s finances finally breathed again.

Spider Sue – Weaver of Integrations

At last, Sue stepped forward, her web shimmering with API threads.

She tied Business Central together with Azure, SharePoint, and SFTP servers.

Every message, every data flow, found its way through her integration network.

“Now everything flows. No errors, no stoppages. Only synchronized Christmas magic.”

The Lesson of Christmas

When the clock struck midnight, the village was calm again. Reports ran smoothly, data flowed, subscriptions were invoiced, and integrations quietly smiled.

The four apps—Ernesto, Bob, Poppy, and Sue—hadn’t just saved Christmas.

They’d shown that when insight, sharing, automation, and integration work together…

…you get pure business magic.

And out in the digital snow, a message glowed on the screen:

Merry Business & Happy Data Flow!

Do you want professional, ready-to-use marketing assets for our SmartApps – branded with your logo, your colors, and your messaging?

We now offer fully customized, co-branded marketing materials designed specifically for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central partners. Simply fill out the form below and tell us what you need. We’ll take care of the design and deliver polished materials you can use in your sales, marketing, and customer engagement. 

What you can request 

• Product one-pagers 

• Social media posts 

• Website copy 

• Customer-facing flyers 

• Other marketing assets tailored to your audience 

What we’ll customize 

• Your logo and brand colors 

• Your preferred tone and messaging 

• Your chosen call-to-action 

• Your selected SmartApps products 

Why this matters 

With co-branded materials, you can accelerate your marketing, strengthen your position as a trusted advisor, and drive more Business Central opportunities—without spending time on design work. 

Contact cajsa.adenmark@smartappsford365.com for more details! 

Managing VAT reporting in Sweden has always been a challenge for businesses. Manual processes, file uploads, and compliance checks take time and increase the risk of errors. That’s why SmartApps developed Smart Swedish VAT for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central—a solution designed to automate and simplify VAT reporting for Swedish companies.

What’s New?

The latest update introduces direct integration with Skatteverket, the Swedish Tax Agency. This means you can now:

• Submit VAT reports directly from Business Central without leaving the system.
• Eliminate manual file uploads and reduce administrative steps.
• Ensure reports are sent in the correct format every time.

Why This Matters

Traditional VAT reporting often involves:

• Downloading and formatting files manually.
• Logging into Skatteverket’s portal to upload reports.
• Double-checking compliance and correcting errors.

These steps cost time and create unnecessary complexity. With Smart Swedish VAT’s new integration:

• Save hours of work by reporting in one click.
• Reduce errors thanks to automated processes.
• Stay compliant with Swedish VAT regulations effortlessly.

Other Key Features

Smart Swedish VAT doesn’t stop at Skatteverket integration. It also offers:

• Retrieve TAX entries from Skatteverket
• Export of VAT returns and EC sales lists in Skatteverket’s required format.
• Guided setup for quick and easy onboarding.
• Flexible reporting for any period.
• Customizable transfer rules for accurate accounting.

Why Choose Smart Swedish VAT?

Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Smart Swedish VAT helps you:

• Streamline VAT processes.
• Minimize administrative burden.
• Focus on growing your business instead of wrestling with tax reports.

For us at SmartApps, it was a few intense, fun, and inspiring days filled with great meetings, new ideas, and fresh insights.

Lots of interest – and great conversations

Our booth had a steady flow of visitors throughout the event, and we had more meaningful conversations than ever before. It’s clear that interest in our apps is growing – both among existing and new partners.

The traditional Swedish dinner was, once again, a highlight that brought people together and sparked exciting discussions about the future.

AI and Agents – for real

AI was the big theme this year, both on stage and on the expo floor. Many visitors asked how far we’ve come with AI in our apps – and expectations are definitely high.

What we take with us is this: AI is no longer about the future – it’s happening now. And we’re ready to help both our customers and partners take the next step.

Our solutions are right on time

Interest in Eagle and our multicompany solutions was strong, confirming that we’re addressing challenges many businesses face today.

For us, that means continuing to share knowledge, support our partners, and develop our apps together with them.

In summary

Directions 2025 in Poznan gave us plenty to reflect on – and even more energy to bring home.

We’re looking forward to a year where AI becomes a real part of everyday business, where collaborations grow stronger, and where we keep doing what we believe in: making business simpler, for real.

Why is this the highlight of the year for us? Because it’s where ideas turn into reality. We’re heading there to meet both existing partners and exciting new connections, get inspired by hundreds of sessions, and catch up on the latest trends in Business Central and AI.

For us, it’s about more than just technology – it’s about relationships, networking, and truly understanding customer needs.

“We want to come back with fresh insights, new collaborations, and tons of energy for the future,” says Tina.

What’s happening at our booth?

Our booth at Directions EMEA will be the place to be! Stop by and:

• Join our competition for a chance to win
• Get a sneak peek at the latest in Eagle, including smart reconciliation features
• Meet Tina and Liza, who are happy to chat about how we can solve your challenges
• And of course – network, share ideas, and have fun!

We love meeting people who are passionate about growing their business. So swing by, say hi, and let’s talk about how we can create value together.

See you att booth B22 in Poznan!

All apps from SmartApps are officially validated for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2025 release wave 2, also known as version 27.

To be listed on AppSource, every app must undergo Microsoft’s validation process to ensure it is secure and meets the standards of Dynamics 365 Business Central. We are happy to announce that all SmartApps apps have successfully passed validation for 2025 release wave 2 (v27) and are ready to be downloaded for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

If you already have a SmartApps app installed in your Dynamics 365 Business Central environment, you will automatically receive the latest version when your system is upgraded to version 27.

Reconciliations are a key part of the month-end process – but how they impact the team varies depending on your role. Our new app is designed to support the entire finance department, from assistants to CFOs.

For finance assistants: Less manual work, more control
Finance assistants are often the ones doing the hands-on work – exporting data, filling in templates, and searching for discrepancies. Reconciliations for Eagle:

– Balances and changes are fetched automatically from Business Central

– Discrepancies are clearly visible – no need to build formulas

– Comments and specifications can be added directly in the system

The result: Less time spent on admin, more time for analysis.

For accountants: Structure and traceability
Accountants are usually responsible for ensuring reconciliations are correct and well-documented. The app provides:

– A clear overview of all accounts that need to be reconciled

– The ability to assign responsibility and track status

– Full traceability – who did what, when, and why

The result: A more structured process and stronger quality assurance.

For controllers: Better basis for analysis
Controllers need to understand why the numbers change – not just that they do. With the app:

– You see net changes between periods at a glance

– Easily identify discrepancies and follow up with comments

– Get better data to support budget and performance reviews

The result: Faster insights and more time for strategic analysis.

For CFOs: Control, efficiency, and peace of mind
CFOs need overview, reliability, and efficiency. Reconciliations for Eagle delivers:

– A consolidated, real-time view of reconciliation progress

– Reduced risk of errors and manual processes

– A reconciliation process ready for audit and internal control

The result: Greater confidence in the numbers – and more time to lead.

Our app isn’t just a tool – it’s a support system for your entire finance team. It simplifies the day-to-day, improves collaboration, and raises the quality of every step in your reconciliation process.