Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central v28: what’s new in 2026

Last month, Microsoft released the 2026 Release Wave 1 (v28) of the Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP, strengthening its evolution into an increasingly intelligent, automated, and operationally ready integrated management solution.

The main updates in version 28 align with three clear strategic priorities:

• Increased productivity with Copilot and intelligent agents;
• Greater operational control in supply chain, planning, and finance;
• Native quality management capabilities for industrial and assembly environments.

In this article, we highlight the key updates in Business Central v28 and explain their practical impact for finance, operations, procurement, production, and IT teams, with recommendations on how to prepare for the upgrade safely and effectively.
 

Copilot and agents: Business Central becomes increasingly “AI-first”

Version 28 deepens Microsoft’s investment in Copilot and intelligent agents within Business Central. In practice, this means stronger decision support and AI-assisted workflows, integrated directly into users’ daily work context—without the need to switch between applications.

Among the most visible enhancements are advanced item insights, featuring KPIs and automatic summaries that enable faster analysis of performance, stock levels, and inventory efficiency.

For organizations beginning to adopt automation with agents, v28 also improves operational management of these tasks, providing greater control, visibility, and validation of AI-generated results. The ability to review and approve agent-generated content directly within ERP pages makes adoption safer and accelerates user acceptance.
 

Expanded approval workflows in supply chain — more control, fewer errors 

Business Central v28 significantly enhances approval workflows, extending them to critical supply chain areas where control is essential.

It is now possible to configure approvals for:

• Batches in item journals
• Planning worksheet

Once an approval request is submitted, the lines are automatically locked from changes until a decision is made (approval, rejection, or delegation). This mechanism reduces the risk of unauthorized changes, improves data consistency, and strengthens audit and internal control requirements.

This feature is particularly relevant for companies with distributed teams, segregation of duties, or stricter compliance requirements.
 

Enhanced item management: attributes and images by variant

Version 28 takes an important step forward in product data quality with improvements in variant management. In sectors such as retail, distribution, and manufacturing, variants by color, size, material, or specification are critical for efficient operations, reliable reporting, and digital channel integration.

With this release, it is now possible to:

• Manage attributes at the variant level;
• Synchronize attributes from the “parent” item to its variants;
• Assign specific images to each variant.

These improvements reduce manual work, help maintain data consistency, and enhance the quality of information used in commercial processes, e-commerce integrations, and end-user experience.
 

Native Quality Management: end-to-end quality control

One of the most impactful updates in v28 is the introduction of native Quality Management capabilities. Instead of relying solely on extensions or separate processes, companies can now define and execute quality controls directly within the ERP workflow.

Controls can be applied at key moments, such as purchase receipts, production output, and assembly output, with the ability to verify by item, batch, or serial number. In compliance-driven or customer-sensitive scenarios, this approach increases traceability and reduces the risk of non-conforming items progressing through the supply chain.

An important highlight is quarantine support, which automatically isolates items that fail quality checks, preventing their consumption or shipment. Additionally, the generation of quality or analysis certificates simplifies communication with customers and regulatory entities.
 

Mandatory features in version 28 of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Version 28 also introduces structural changes that become mandatory, requiring advance preparation from organizations. Key updates include:

• New sales pricing engine;
• G/L currency revaluation;
• Improvements to search and the “Tell me” functionality.

For companies with customizations, extensions, complex pricing rules, or specific financial processes, this transition should be tested in a sandbox environment ahead of time. Best practice involves enabling, validating, and adjusting these features before the production upgrade, ensuring that documents, calculations, and integrations continue to function as expected.
 

Improvements for developers (AL) and administration

Version 28 also brings relevant updates for technical teams. There are improvements in the development and validation lifecycle of extensions, including testing capabilities and tools to assess code agent performance. These enhancements contribute to more robust extensions aligned with Business Central’s AI-ready strategy.

From an administration and integration perspective, notable improvements include enhanced interoperability with Power Platform and Dataverse, as well as advances in attachment management, including external storage options that improve scalability and data control.
 

E‑commerce and Shopify: more complete variants and exports

For companies with online sales channels, v28 strengthens integration with Shopify, offering more comprehensive support for variants, attributes, and collections.

These improvements enable exports that more accurately reflect the Business Central catalog, reducing rework in e-commerce platforms and ensuring greater consistency between ERP and online stores.


At Hydra IT, we support companies in adopting these new capabilities, focusing on operational continuity, compliance, and return on investment. If you’re looking to prepare your organization for the next phase of Business Central, get in touch with us for an assessment session and implementation roadmap.