Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers powerful date and number field functionalities that can significantly enhance your productivity and efficiency. In this blog post, we’ll delve into some lesser-known tips and tricks to help you make the most out of these features. Whether you’re looking to streamline your calculations or automate date entries, these insights will help you optimize your workflow. Focus on the tips that align with your daily tasks to see the most significant improvements in your work speed.
Please note: This topic refers to Business Central being used with Australian Date format.
Numbers
Although simple, this feature can save you time and effort. With Business Central’s number fields, you can enter calculations directly into the system instead of using an external calculator. For example, instead of working out the total cost of 12 units at $2,643.00 each, you can input the calculation directly into Business Central.
It will automatically provide the correct result once you hit the “Enter” button.
Dates
Business Central’s date fields has hidden functionality that can boost your efficiency. For instance, you can use the arrows on the side of the drop-down menu to navigate through the months quickly. Additionally, clicking on the “Go to Today” button at the bottom of the drop-down will select today’s date.
Automated date entry
You can also use speed codes to automate date entry, such as typing “t” for today’s date or “w” for work date.
Use the work date to make multiple entries on dates other than the current date. For example, at the end of the month, you can set the work date to the last day of the previous month, and Business Central will default all journals and documents to that date instead of the current date. You can do this by adjusting your settings.
Date Format
Business Central can recognise various date formats. However, it is advisable to use the order you set it up, normally DD MM YY. For instance, if you enter 30/06/23 or 30623, Business Central will convert it to 30 June 2023, which is the correct date.
Part Dates
Business Central assumes the current month and year when you enter only the day in the date field. For instance, if you enter 15, Business Central will complete the date as 15/06/2023, assuming the current month is June 2023. Similarly, entering 1504 will be interpreted as 15/04/2023.
Weekdays and Calendar Week Codes
Business Central will also accept weekday names. If you type “Mon” BC will convert that to this Monday’s date. Entering “W24” will have the system fill in the date for week 24 of this year.
Closing Dates
Closing dates are crucial for the financial year-end process. Business Central marks this date as the last day of the financial year. Several financial reports in Business Central can ignore these dates so that you can, for example, run a financial report on the income statement and exclude the closing entries.
Date Entry Interpretation
The following table contains examples of dates using all the formats. It assumes region settings that format dates according to: year.month.day., a week starting on Monday, and the English language.
| Entry | Interpretation |
| 2023.12.31 | 2023.12.31 |
| 231231 | 2023.12.31 |
| 23.12.31 | 2023.12.31 |
| 23.12.31 | 2023.12.31 |
| 20231231 | 2023.12.31 |
| 23/12,31 | 2023.12.31 |
| 11 | work date year.work date month.11 |
| 1112 | work date year.11.12 |
| t or today | today’s date |
| p4 | date range that includes the fourth accounting period, such as 04/01/23..04/30/23 |
| w or work date | the working date |
| m or Monday | Monday of the work date week |
| tu or Tuesday | Tuesday of the work date week |
| sa or Saturday | Saturday of the work date week |
| s or Sunday | Sunday of the work date week |
| t23 | Tuesday of week 23 of the work date year |
| t 23 | Tuesday of week 23 of the work date year |
| t-1 | Tuesday of week 1 of the work date year |
Sum & Count
Lastly, our ebs-plus app has a Sum & Count function that can be found on most ledger entry pages and the posted sales invoice page to make calculating even easier.
By incorporating these tips into your workflow, you can increase your productivity and optimise your time with Microsoft Business Central.
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Hayeen Palencia is Customer Support Specialist at EBS. She is an experienced ERP Consultant specialising in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central / Dynamics NAV.