I’m proud to introduce my latest app, the Simple Object Designer. This is a no-code solution built inside Business Central that empowers users to perform development tasks without development tools.
The first version of the app focuses on adding fields to any table and easily placing fields on any page. The app is available from AppSource.
Below is a series of videos showcasing different features of the app:
Walk-through Video
Creating fields with table relations
Adding a single field to multiple pages
Place an existing fields on multiple pages
Add a single field to multiple tables
In this video, Erik introduces the Simple Object Designer, a new app for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central that enables users to customize their system without writing any code. The app is available on AppSource and is designed to empower super users and administrators to add and manage fields directly within Business Central — including Business Central in the cloud.
What Is the Simple Object Designer?
The Simple Object Designer is a true no-code solution for Business Central customization. If you’re working in environments like the Power Apps family, this app serves as the perfect companion. It eliminates the need to hire a developer just to add a field or place something on a screen. Instead, super users or administrators within your organization can handle these tasks themselves.
What Can You Do With It?
In the first version of the Simple Object Designer, you can:
- Add fields to any table — there are no restrictions on which tables you can extend.
- Place fields on any page — specifically on pages where it makes sense to do so.
- Surface existing fields — Business Central ships with a large number of fields that aren’t necessarily visible where you might want them. The Simple Object Designer lets you place those existing fields onto pages as well.
- Set up proper field options — including table relations, ensuring that the data structure is correct and that your new fields relate properly to other parts of the database.
True Extensions, Not Shortcuts
Erik emphasizes an important technical point: the Simple Object Designer creates true fields in a true extension. There is no predefined set of fields sitting on a predefined set of tables. The app generates fields exactly the same way a developer would if you called them up and asked them to create a field manually. The code generated behind the scenes is written the same way Erik himself would write it.
Deployment Options
The app provides flexible deployment workflows:
- Work in a sandbox environment and then deploy to production.
- Work directly in production if that suits your workflow.
Why Use the Simple Object Designer?
There are several compelling reasons to adopt this tool:
- You keep control of your own customizations — this is you doing the work, not someone else.
- It works on your schedule — the app is available Friday evening and any other time when it might be hard to reach a developer, but the result is the same as if a professional had done it.
- It’s not a dead end — this is a critical point. The extensions generated by the Simple Object Designer can be downloaded and opened in a development tool like Visual Studio Code. If you ever outgrow the app and need to take your customizations to the next level, you can continue building on what was already created. There’s nothing to scrap, no data to lose — you simply carry on from where you left off.
Getting Started
If the Simple Object Designer sounds like a good fit for your organization, you can learn more at hogarth.com/designer or download the app directly from AppSource. The first field is free, so you can try it out with no commitment.
Summary
The Simple Object Designer fills an important gap in the Business Central ecosystem by giving non-developers the ability to create and manage fields and page layouts through a true no-code experience. It generates real AL extensions behind the scenes — the same quality code a developer would produce — while offering a clear upgrade path if your needs eventually exceed what the tool provides. For organizations that want to stay agile and keep customization in-house, this is a tool worth exploring.
