At Rekaz Core, we are masters of this art. We don’t just customize code; we architect strategic extensions. Our goal is to mold D365 F&O into the perfect digital reflection of your business logic, while ensuring it remains a robust, upgradable, and future-proof platform.

The High Stakes of Getting Customization Wrong

Poor customization strategy leads to the “ERP graveyard” of failed systems:

• Upgrade Hell: A heavily customized system becomes so entangled that upgrades are delayed for years or cost millions, locking you out of new features, security patches, and AI capabilities.
• Performance Decay: Unoptimized custom code drags down system performance, frustrating users and harming productivity.
• Vendor Lock-In: You become hostage to the original developers, as no one else can unravel the complex web of customizations.
• Broken Integrations: Custom objects that don’t follow Microsoft’s patterns break standard integrations and third-party add-ons.
• Sky-High TCO: The total cost of ownership soars due to ongoing maintenance, specialized developer support, and missed innovation.

Our Philosophy: The Four Principles of Strategic Customization

We guide every customization decision through a strict filter:

1. Configure First, Customize Last: We exhaust every native configuration, personalization, and workflow rule before considering code.
2. Extend, Don’t Modify: We never alter Microsoft’s core code. We build alongside it using approved extension points, keeping the core pristine.
3. Business Value is the Only Justification: Every customization must solve a documented, quantified business problem or enable a strategic capability. No “nice-to-haves.”
4. Future-Proof by Design: We build using Microsoft’s latest tools and patterns (like Extension Classes and Chain of Command) to ensure compatibility and upgradability.

Our Customization Toolbox: The Right Tool for Every Job

We apply a tiered approach, using the least invasive method possible to achieve the required outcome.

Tier 1: Configuration & Personalization (No Code)

For changes to forms, views, and basic business rules.

• Personalization: Allowing end-users to modify their own workspace (hide fields, add tabs) without affecting others.
• Form & Workspace Configuration: Using built-in tools to rearrange fields, add quick tabs, and modify form layouts.
• Business Rules & Workflows: Leverating the powerful, no-code workflow editor to automate approvals and notifications.

Tier 2: Metadata Extensions (Low-Impact Code)

For adding fields, tables, and simple logic.

• Adding Fields: Extending existing tables with new fields (e.g., adding a “Customer Tier” field to the CustTable) that behave like native fields.
• Creating New Tables: Building complementary tables for ancillary data that relate to core entities.
• Simple UI Logic: Using event handlers to enable/disable fields or set default values based on simple conditions.

Tier 3: Logic Extensions (Pro-Code for Business Logic)

For complex, unique business rules and processes.

• Chain of Command (CoC): The gold standard. We wrap Microsoft’s methods to execute custom logic before, after, or instead of the standard code, without touching the original.
• Event Handlers: Subscribing to system events (e.g., onSalesOrderInserted) to trigger custom logic in response to standard processes.
• Business Events: Publishing or consuming business events for decoupled, service-oriented integrations.

Tier 4: Deep Customization & Integration (Specialized)

For revolutionary changes or deep integrations.

• Custom Services/APIs: Building new web endpoints to expose your custom logic or data to other systems.
• Overlayering (The Last Resort): Modifying Microsoft’s source code directly. We treat this as a major architectural decision, used only when no extension point exists for a critical, non-negotiable requirement.

Real-World Examples of Strategic Customization

Scenario 1: Complex Commission Calculation for a Sales Org

• Challenge: A manufacturer has a multi-tiered, product-family-based commission structure that native D365 cannot model.
• Our Approach: We extended the sales order and invoice tables with custom fields to hold commission metadata. We used a Chain of Command on the sales posting routine to call our custom commission calculation engine. The core sales process remains untouched and upgradable.

Scenario 2: Unique Lot Traceability for a Food & Beverage Company

• Challenge: The client must track “parent lots” (e.g., a batch of milk) through multiple splitting and blending processes, creating “child lots” (cheese, yogurt), beyond standard lot functionality.
• Our Approach: We created new custom tables to manage the parent-child lot genealogy. We used event handlers on inventory transactions to automatically create records in our custom tables. We built a custom Power BI report for traceability views. The core inventory module remains standard.

Scenario 3: Automated Project Revenue Recognition for a Professional Services Firm

• Challenge: The firm needs to recognize revenue based on a custom “percent-of-survey-completion” model, not standard time-or-materials.
• Our Approach: We extended the project module with custom fields and created a custom periodic process (batch job) that calculates recognition amounts. We used a data entity extension to feed these custom amounts into the general ledger. The core project accounting logic is preserved.

Our Proven Customization Delivery Framework

To ensure success, we follow a disciplined process:

1. Requirements Deep-Dive: We don’t just document what is needed, but why. We challenge requirements to find potential native solutions.
2. Solution Design Review (SDR): We present a technical design document specifying the exact extension pattern, impact on upgradeability, and test plan. You sign off before any code is written.
3. Development in Sandbox: We build in isolated development environments, following peer-reviewed code standards.
4. Rigorous Testing: Customizations undergo unit, integration, and user acceptance testing. We specifically test the “upgrade path” using Microsoft’s test frameworks.
5. Deployment & Knowledge Transfer: We deploy using Azure DevOps pipelines and provide complete documentation to your team.

Why Rekaz Core is Your Trusted Customization Partner

Customization is our core competency, not a side service.

• Architectural Discipline: Our leads are Microsoft-certified solution architects who enforce strategic patterns.
• Upgrade Expertise: We have a dedicated team that manages complex upgrades for heavily customized systems. We know the pitfalls because we’ve navigated them.
• Transparent Governance: We provide a “Customization Impact Scorecard” for every request, showing estimated maintenance cost and upgrade complexity.
• Long-Term Partnership: We maintain the customizations we build, ensuring they evolve cleanly with your business and the platform.

Conclusion: Customization is a Strategic Superpower—When Done Right

Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O is designed to be tailored. The power lies not in avoiding customization, but in mastering it. Strategic customization transforms your ERP from a generic business tool into a proprietary asset that codifies your unique way of winning in the market.

Let’s build your advantage, without building your legacy.