Business Central online is a service that consists of a Microsoft-maintained platform and business functionality. Microsoft partners provide extra business functionality, to address specific industry or localization needs. Both business functionality and service components are monitored continuously and updated as appropriate.

New capabilities roll out in release waves that consist of a major update and monthly minor updates. Most capabilities are made available in major updates, but some become available in minor updates.

Critical fixes roll out as soon as possible after they pass tests and are verified in Microsoft’s protected staging environment. Refer to the release plan for an overview of new and upcoming functionality. 

All updates that Microsoft applies to Business Central online are also shipped with the subsequent cumulative update for Business Central on-premises.

Microsoft releases two major updates per year—typically in April (Wave 1) and October (Wave 2)—plus monthly minor updates.

 Each major release introduces new functionality and enhancements based on user feedback and Microsoft’s roadmap for continuous improvement.

Administrators can set a maintenance window for each environment that determines when Microsoft is allowed to update that environment. F

Unlike traditional on-premises systems, updates cannot be skipped or indefinitely delayed in Business Central’s cloud environment. Microsoft gives you a grace period if you request it, but eventually, your environment will be updated automatically.

That means:

• Customizations or extensions may break if they’re not compatible with Microsoft’s code changes
• Key processes could be disrupted
• Integrations might fail
• Your team has a tight window to test and adapt before the update goes live

Preview period

The preview period allows for testing of the new functionality before the version is made available as update to your environment. Administrators can create a Sandbox environment from the Business Central administration centre on the new version, for example to try out new functionality or test compatibility of extensions in a cloud environment. This period typically starts a month before the release of the new major version, that is, every March and September

What can go wrong if you ignore updates?

Many organizations underestimate the complexity of Business Central updates—until something breaks. Here are just a few of the issues we’ve seen:

• Custom reports no longer pull the correct data
• Integrations with Power BI, Shopify, or CRMs stop syncing
• Custom apps or extensions become incompatible
• Users are locked out, or their permissions change unexpectedly
• Month-end close is delayed due to unexpected system behavior

These disruptions affect more than just IT—they delay invoicing, reporting, inventory planning, and other critical business functions.

How the update process should work

To minimize risk, companies need a structured approach to Business Central updates. Here’s best-practice update process overview :

1. Review the release notes

Before proceeding, your team should carefully review the upcoming release’s changes. Microsoft publishes detailed documentation outlining new features but does not include deprecated code, functionality, or compatibility changes.

2. Deploy to a sandbox

Next, create a sandbox environment and apply the new version. This gives your team a safe place to:

• Restore a copy of your production environment
• Test standard workflows and reports
• Check third-party extensions and integrations
• Identify and resolve issues early

3. Run Regression and User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

Involve users from accounting, sales, operations, and IT to test core business processes. Regression testing ensures that existing processes still work, while UAT confirms that end-users can do their jobs without surprises.

4. Plan for go-live and support

After successful testing, plan your rollout. Make sure users know what’s changing and when. Post-update monitoring is also critical to catch any lingering issues quickly.

Why so many teams struggle with updates

The challenge isn’t just about knowledge—it’s capacity. Most internal IT and finance teams are already stretched thin and don’t have a stand by test and update team. Testing update gets pushed to the back burner—until it’s too late.

Common problems include:

• Lack of a sandbox
• No time to review or understand release notes
• No  time to create a test plan
• In-house customizations that are undocumented, or  break with new or deprecated code
• Inconsistent documentation of business processes
• Managing downtime during busy periods (like month-end, audits  or year-end)

What to do next

If your team hasn’t started preparing for the next update, now’s the time. Here are three steps you can take today:

Consider Is your team ready for the next Business Central update? Have they read the Microsoft release notes?

Talk to our experts: Its more cost effective to avoid an issue than to correct it.

Synergy Software Business Central release management services.

To help you to stay current, secure, and focused on running your business, we can handle:

• Review of  release notes
• Testing in a sandbox
• Regression testing of key workflows
• Advising you of changes
• Resolving compatibility issues
• Guiding your team through go-live
• Training end users and initial handholding support as the deal with new or changed featrures
• Stay informed: Subscribe to our blog for updates, news, best practices, and Business Central tips.