CI/CD pipeline management service for Business Central

Manual deployments work for small solutions.

For larger Dynamics 365 Business Central solutions with multiple environments, extensions, and repositories, releases become far more challenging to control.

CI/CD pipeline management can help automate build, testing, and deployment – even without a costly DevOps transformation. A proper Business Central CI/CD approach turns a fragile release process into a predictable workflow with minimal manual interaction and, as a result, less room for errors.

Simplifying automated Dynamics 365 deployments without the full DevOps commitment

Consider new possibilities for your Business Central development with an automated CI/CD pipeline management service.

This service automates AL code builds, testing, validation, and deployment, without a full DevOps transformation.

It means we only focus on the automation pipeline. With processes built on AL-Go for GitHub or alternative CI/CD pipelines in Azure DevOps, and proven Microsoft frameworks, we can help your development team skip major organizational restructuring or expensive DevOps transformation.

Managed CI/CD services for Business Central is a proven way to enjoy the benefits of DevOps automation while keeping the way your team works.

◼️ No full DevOps commitment

◼️ No need for expensive transformation

◼️ You get the results – fast and secure

In brief, implementing CI/CD pipeline management independently may bring direct benefits:

faster releases

predictable deployments

fewer errors

cloud or on-prem environments

cost-efficiency

Discuss your options

What is CI/CD for Business Central?

CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) for Business Central is an automated pipeline to manage AL code compilation, testing, and deployment across multiple environments with minimal manual efforts.

According to 2025 DevOps industry statistics, adopting CI/CD can reduce manual errors and shorten software delivery cycles by up to 40 per cent.

Continuous integration: any changes made to the code automatically trigger builds and tests. It helps catch integration issues right away, instead of facing them during manual deployments.

Continuous deployment: automated deployment pushes validated code to development, test, and production environments, according to the approval rules you set.

For Business Central extensions and AL development, this means using either AL-Go for GitHub or tailored Azure DevOps pipelines to deal with BC-specific requirements like compiling AL extensions, managing app dependencies, deploying to Business Central environments (cloud or on-premises), running Test Codeunits, and maintaining environment consistency.

For Business Central on-prem, we extend AL-Go with custom PowerShell scripts to get the same level of automation.

As a result, deployment becomes a reliable, repeatable process, not a time-consuming, error-prone challenge.

Why CI/CD for Business Central depends on scale

Any solution can benefit from CI/CD pipeline management, but its value becomes more visible in complex environments with multiple extensions. As a solution evolves and scales up, it’s also getting more difficult to operate. Secure automated deployments are a practical and reliable way to manage it. The numbers below reflect a typical real-world large Business Central setup from our daily operations:

◼️ 20 extensions across separate repositories

◼️ depezles between extensions

◼️ 40 companies

◼️ an average of two environments per company

Altogether, it results in 1,600 extension installations in the correct sequence in a single release.

At this scale, manual deployment is not a controlled and reliable process. It brings in delays, unnecessary risks, and human errors.

▫️ 20 AL extension repositories

▫️ 40 companies per solution

▫️ 2 environments per company (typically: 1-4)

Result: 1,600 deployment steps

CI/CD pipeline benefits: what Business Central teams see first

Faster development

Development teams focus on building features, not on fixing deployment issues.

Minimal deployment risks

Automated testing and validation help find problems before they reach production.

Fast ROI

With full DevOps implementation on GitHub Enterprise Cloud, organizations achieved ROI within less than 6 months. With CI/CD pipeline management as a stand-alone service, teams typically feel operational benefits within the first releases.

Scheduled releases

Deployment takes minutes instead of hours and follows the same controlled process every time. The release timeline is easier to plan.

Transparent compliance and control

You know what was deployed, when, and who approved it, as every deployment is tracked.

Powered by time-proven technology: Microsoft's frameworks and best practices

To match each specific project’s needs, we rely on proven approaches and frameworks. This applies to AppSource publish automation and controlled deployment of Business Central extensions, be it per-tenant extensions (PTEs) or complex vertical solutions.

AL-Go for Business Central: we use this open-source DevOps framework designed by Microsoft, advancing it with our own tested configurations. The tool is flexible, powerful, and continuously maintained by Microsoft.

GitHub Actions / Azure DevOps: industry-standard CI/CD platforms naturally integrating with Business Central. Best practice templates: stable, properly framed workflows underpinned by 13+ years of successful experience in Business Central development and multiple deployments.

Better security and control with CI/CD pipeline management

In large, complex Business Central solutions, manual deployments and incomplete traceability pose the most risks.

As part of a daily routine, CI/CD pipeline management handles this by embedding security into deployment, making it a repeatable and controlled process rather than a manual responsibility:

◾ Deployment sequences for extensions with dependencies are strictly controlled

◾ Human errors are minimized due to automated testing and validation

◾ Code quality is automatically validated before deployment

◾ Production releases are safer with approval gates

◾ Each deployment is fully traceable

◾ Production environments are secured with limited manual access

◾ CI/CD workflows are protected with role-based access and MFA

What the CI/CD pipeline management services include

Flexible implementation: you can transform the deployment process, be it Business Central on‑premises, cloud, or if you are just planning a cloud migration.

Automated build and test processes for Business Central extensions: checking every change before it reaches the users.

Standardized deployments across development, test, and production: verifying that the same code behaves the same way in every environment.

Easy integration with the existing code repositories (GitHub, Azure DevOps, etc.): fitting into the way your teams already work.

A clear, real‑time view of deployment status and history: keeping your team aware of what is running where and when it changed.

Who benefits most from CI/CD pipeline management

◾ NAV and/or BC ISVs managing multiple customer solutions or AppSource apps

◾ Business Central development teams maintaining custom extensions

◾ Organizations supporting customers with frequent updates and releases

◾ Organizations planning cloud migration and considering automated deployment from the very start

◾ BC teams fighting with manual releases bottlenecks, seeking fast relief without the full DevOps process

How we run managed CI/CD services

Discovery and planning

2-3 days

◾ Identify bottlenecks

◾ Discuss goals

◾ Choose tech

Pipeline setup and configuration

1-3 weeks

◾ Build AL-Go pipelines

◾ Automate tests

◾ Setup monitoring

Handover and support

Ongoing

◾ Full control to your team

◾ Documentation

◾ Optional support

Step 1: Initial analysis and planning (2-3 days)

Through practical discussions with our partners or customers, we identify what's slowing down their deployment process in Business Central and what their automation goals are.

We discuss:

◾ Current problems and bottlenecks in the deployment process

◾ Repository structure and environment setup

◾ Top priorities for automation (builds, tests, deployments)

◾ Timeline expectations and team readiness

◾ Technology set: AL-Go for GitHub, Azure DevOps-based pipelines, or mixed approach

◾ Next steps and implementation approach

Step 2: Pipeline setup and configuration (1-3 weeks)

We build your Business Central CI/CD pipeline based on proven frameworks and best practices, leaning on more than 13 years of hands-on experience in Business Central development.

We work side-by-side so the process moves as it should: we configure, you validate, we improve together.

We handle

◾ Automated builds for BC extensions (using AL-Go for GitHub or functionally equivalent pipelines in Azure DevOps)

◾ Testing automation (unit tests, integration tests)

◾ Deployment to multiple environments

◾ Security checks for AL code and compliance checks

◾ Secure deployments to production with rollback capabilities

◾ Pipeline monitoring (build and deployment status)

Step 3: Control handover and ongoing pipeline maintenance

Once all processes are set and your pipeline runs smoothly, we hand over control with full documentation. We provide training for your team if needed. You can now manage deployments independently.

As an option, we can keep supporting you with ongoing CI/CD pipeline maintenance as a managed service, including optimization as your needs evolve.

As part of ongoing pipeline maintenance, we offer:

◾ Monitoring and fixing pipeline performance

◾ Adding new apps and/or environments when needed

◾ Updating workflows as BC platform and tools evolve

◾ Audit reports on releases, failures, vulnerabilities

◾ Active support for your development team

Tech stack options: ◾ AL-Go for GitHub (Microsoft's open-source framework for Business Central) ◾ GitHub Actions or Azure Pipelines (CI/CD execution platforms) ◾ Business Central Docker containers for testing ◾ PowerShell automation for BC-specific operations

Managed CI/CD services: stand-alone or as part of a cloud migration suite

Stand-alone service

Already in the Business Central cloud or running a stable on-premises solution?

We can help implement CI/CD pipeline management independently for either version.

Perfect for teams who want automation benefits without a larger migration or DevOps project.

Integrated with Stairway to Cloud

Planning cloud migration?

CI/CD pipeline management integrates seamlessly into the Stairway to Cloud journey.

It helps support solution development, testing, and ongoing maintenance during and after the move to the cloud.

Why us?

Practicality: we focus on what really works in Business Central, not some abstract DevOps theories. CI/CD pipeline needs to serve your business, not vice versa.

Clear pricing: transparent, understandable costs, based on the agreed scope. No surprises, no hidden fees.

Direct communication: our software engineers work directly with your team. No email ping-pong translating requirements, but clear communication straight away.

Security-first processes: ISO27001 certification safeguards your code and sensitive data throughout the automation setup.

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