Business Central Career Paths: Functional vs. Technical—Which One Is for You?

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Are you curious about a career in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central but unsure whether to go Functional or Technical? You’re not alone. With Business Central booming across industries—from retail and manufacturing to finance and nonprofits—skilled professionals are in high demand. But choosing the right path is the first step toward a successful and satisfying career.
In this blog, let’s break down both roles without jargon, add real-world examples, and help you discover where you belong.

What Is a Functional Consultant?
A Functional Consultant is the bridge between the business and the system. You’ll work with clients to understand their processes and configure Business Central to meet their needs—no coding involved.
What You Do

Gather business requirements
Customize Business Central using configuration (not coding)
Conduct user training
Test and document business processes
Create reports using built-in tools and Power BI

Typical Skills

Business process knowledge (finance, sales, inventory, etc.)
Communication & documentation
Understanding of BC UI and standard modules
Power BI basics (bonus)

Use Case: Real Story
Ravi, a commerce graduate, became a Functional Consultant. He helped a mid-sized retail store set up inventory automation in BC. With no coding skills, he configured workflows and approval hierarchies—saving the client 15 hours/week in manual tasks.

What Is a Technical Consultant / Developer?
A Technical Consultant works behind the scenes, building customizations, extensions, integrations, and automations using AL language and APIs.
What You Do

Customize Business Central with AL code
Build new pages, tables, reports
Integrate BC with other platforms (e.g., Shopify, Power Apps)
Debug and troubleshoot extensions

Typical Skills

AL Programming
VS Code, GitHub, Docker (for sandbox)
Web services, APIs, JSON/XML
SQL and Power Platform (bonus)

Use Case:
Megha, a computer science graduate, built a custom barcode scanning extension for a warehouse using AL. She integrated it with Business Central and helped reduce inventory errors by 40%. Her role was purely technical—and deeply rewarding.

Functional vs. Technical: Side-by-Side Comparison

Criteria	Functional Consultant	Technical Consultant
Background	Business, Finance, SCM	Computer Science, IT
Skills Needed	Business process, UI config	AL coding, API, DevOps
Tools Used	Business Central UI, Power BI	Visual Studio Code, GitHub
Output	Process automation, reports	Extensions, integrations
Career Growth	Business Analyst, ERP Architect	Solution Architect, Technical Lead

Which One Is for You?
Ask yourself:

Are you more into understanding how businesses work? 👉 Go Functional
Do you love solving problems with code? 👉 Go Technical
Want both? 👉 Hybrid roles are real! You can grow into a Solution Architect

How to Get Started
Functional Path:

Learn Business Central basics (UI, modules, dimensions)
Take MB-820 Certification (Business Central Functional Consultant Associate)
Practice with demo companies like CRONUS

Technical Path:

Learn AL development from scratch
Practice building custom pages and reports
Build GitHub projects for your portfolio

Career Tip: What Hiring Managers Want

Functional: Strong documentation, understanding of industries, client-facing skills
Technical: Problem-solving mindset, clean code, GitHub repos, knowledge of integrations

Final Thought
The best part? Both roles are in demand. Whether you're a business mind or a coder, Business Central has room for you. Pick your path—or combine both—and start building your career in one of the fastest-growing ERP platforms in the world.

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CU07051400-0
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Business Central Career Paths: Functional vs. Technical—Which One Is for You?

Very informative thanks for sharing

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