Why Word layouts matter for technical consultants and developers
RDLC gets all the attention, but for many reporting scenarios in Business Central, Word layouts are the faster, more maintainable and more business-friendly choice. The problem is that most technical consultants and developers have never taken the time to properly understand how they work, and that gap shows up in reports that are hard to update, poorly branded and more complex than they need to be.
In this 60-minute expert session, Microsoft MVP Steven Renders gives you a thorough, practical understanding of Word layouts in Business Central, from the fundamentals all the way through to production lifecycle management.
Steven covers the full picture: how the dataset and layout separation works, how data flows from the report object to the rendered output, how to design and brand a layout from scratch in Word, and the technical considerations that most tutorials skip, including limitations compared to RDLC, dataset design best practices and performance. No shortcuts, no happy path only.
The right layout choice saves hours. Knowing Word layouts gives you that choice.
1. What Are Word Layouts?
- Definition and positioning vs RDLC
- Typical use cases
2. How Word Layouts Work
- Overview of dataset and layout separation
- Data flow from report object to layout rendering
3. Creating a Word Layout from Scratch
- Designing the layout in Word
- Formatting and branding tips
4. Technical Considerations
- Dataset design best practices
- Limitations vs RDLC (grouping, calculations)
- Performance considerations
5. Deployment and Lifecycle Management
- Handling multiple layouts
- Updating layouts in production environments
- Source control considerations (if any)
6. Q&A and Key Takeaways
- Recap of main points
- Questions from participants
- Links to further resources
Calendar
| Webinar | Price | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 26/05/2026 (16:00 - 17:00 CET/CEST) | € 75,00 | Register |
| 22/09/2026 (16:00 - 17:00 CET/CEST) | € 75,00 | Register |
| 25/11/2026 (16:00 - 17:00 CET/CEST) | € 75,00 | Register |
Enjoy a discount and leverage your Companial Service Funds.
This course is part of the following learning journeys:
- Business Central Consultant Learning Journey
- Business Central Developer Learning Journey
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Who is this course for?
Consultants and AL developers working with Business Central who want to confidently design, implement and manage Word layouts for reporting, and know when to reach for Word instead of RDLC.
What will you learn?
- What Word layouts are, how they compare to RDLC and when they are the better choice
- How the dataset and layout separation works and how data flows from the report object to the rendered output
- How to create a Word layout from scratch, including formatting, branding and structure
- What the technical limitations of Word layouts are and how to design your dataset to work around them
- Performance considerations and dataset design best practices for Word layout reporting
- How to handle deployment, updates and lifecycle management of Word layouts across production environments