Work Faster in Business Central with Keyboard Access Keys

If you spend a lot of time in Dynamics 365 Business Central, small efficiency gains can add up quickly. One of the simplest ways to work faster without installing anything or changing your setup, is by using keyboard access keys.

Access keys let you navigate Business Central using your keyboard instead of your mouse, helping you move through pages, trigger actions, and enter data more efficiently.

In this post, we’ll look at:

• What access keys are in Business Central
• How they work
• Why they’re worth learning
• A few practical examples you can start using today

(There’s also a short video below showing these shortcuts in action.)

What Are Access Keys in Business Central?

In Business Central, access keys (sometimes called key tips) are keyboard shortcuts that appear when you press the Alt key.

When you press Alt, Business Central highlights letters and numbers on:

• Actions in the action bar
• Navigation menus
• Buttons and commands on the page

You can then press the highlighted key to trigger that action—without touching your mouse.

This feature is built directly into the Business Central web client and works in most modern browsers.

Why Use Keyboard Access Keys?

Keyboard access keys aren’t just for power users. They’re designed to support both productivity and accessibility.

Some key benefits include:

• Faster navigation
  Jump straight to actions and menus instead of hunting with the mouse.

• Reduced mouse use
  Helpful if you spend long hours in Business Central or prefer keyboard‑first workflows.

• Consistency across pages
  Many shortcuts work the same way across lists, cards, and documents.

• Accessibility support
  Keyboard shortcuts make Business Central easier to use for people who rely on keyboard navigation.

Common Access Keys You Can Use Right Away

Here are a few practical examples that most Business Central users find useful.

Show Access Keys

• Alt
  Displays access keys for actions and navigation on the current page. 

Open “Tell Me”

• Alt + Q
  Opens the Tell me what you want to do search, letting you quickly find pages, reports, or actions. 

Create a New Record

• Alt + N
  Opens a new record on list pages, such as Customers, Vendors, or Items.

Refresh Data

• F5
  Refreshes the data on the current page without reloading the browser. 

Inspect Pages and Data (Power Users)

• Ctrl + Alt + F1
  Opens the page inspection pane, showing underlying tables, fields, and extensions.

How Access Keys Work with the Alt Key

A simple way to think about access keys is:

1. Press Alt
2. Look for the highlighted letters or numbers
3. Press the corresponding key to perform the action

For example, pressing Alt, then Q, opens Tell Me. Pressing Alt followed by other displayed letters can open menus, run actions, or switch views.

Because these keys are shown visually on the screen, you don’t need to memorise everything upfront.

🎥 Watch: Using Keyboard Access Keys in Business Central

To see this in action, here’s a short video showing how to:

• Reveal access keys with the Alt key
• Navigate menus without a mouse
• Speed up everyday tasks in Business Central

Tips for Getting Started

If you’re new to keyboard shortcuts in Business Central:

• Start with Alt + Q and Alt + N
• Use Alt occasionally just to see what’s available
• Don’t try to learn everything at once—pick one or two shortcuts and build from there

Over time, these small changes can noticeably speed up your daily work.