Business Central, a user-friendly ERP system, has plenty of terminologies specific to the product, and if you’re moving across to BC from some other program, or even considering an upgrade from NAV to BC, it may feel a little intimidating to get yourself caught up with these new terms.
FastTabs and FactBoxes are UI elements that enhance the user experience by organising and displaying information efficiently. They are powerful tools helping you segment and present data logically without switching screens.
In this Business Central how-to guide, we explain what FastTabs and FactBoxes are, how to use them, and how to customise them to align with your workflows.
What are FastTabs?
FastTabs are collapsible sections on a page that group related fields together. They allow users to quickly find key information by displaying data in separate groups. If you’re used to using NAV, you’ll probably recognise the standard FastTabs in BC as comparable to your existing separate tabs within cards.
For example, on a customer card page, you might see FastTabs for General, Communication, Invoicing, Payments, Shipping, and Foreign Trade. You’re likely to find them on most record pages, including invoicing, shipping and billing, and payments.
Each FastTab can be expanded or collapsed, enabling users to focus on one subject at a time. The cool thing about making this action is that BC will remember your choice; next time you come back to that page, if you’ve set a FastTab as collapsed, it will remain collapsed until you open it again (and vice versa).
What are FactBoxes?
FactBoxes are located on the right-most side of a page and display related facts about the current record. For those of you who are either still using or familiar with later versions of NAV, FactBoxes will be familiar. They can show content such as other pages, charts, data from related tables, Notes, and Links.
FactBoxes can be used to display information that is related to an item on the main content page, like a sales order list showing the sell-to customer sales history for a selected sales order.
Common FactBox examples include:
On a Customer Card: Use the FactBox tool to display the customer’s balance, sales history, and contacts.
On an Item Card: It shows the availability, sales statistics, planning parameters and more information.
On a Sales Order: You can view the line discounts applied or the shipping information.
Both FastTabs and FactBoxes help users navigate and interact with Business Central more effectively, providing a streamlined and organised interface.
Benefits of Using FastTabs and FactBoxes
These two features bring a host of practical advantages to your Business Central integration.
Better Navigation
FastTabs allows users to collapse or expand sections the way they want, which helps in reducing clutter on the screen and directing their focus on the relevant fields.
Using FactBoxes, you see data in a single view and don’t need to switch tabs or windows.
Improved Visibility
FactBoxes improve visibility by displaying relevant data, such as account balances or item availability. This gives users context at a glance and can be incredibly helpful when making decisions or cross-checking the accuracy of data.
Save Time and Effort
Using FastTabs and FactBoxes means fewer clicks and quicker access to data. This translates to spending less time navigating and more time completing more important tasks like entering orders or reviewing data.
Allows Customisations
You can customise and adjust which FastTabs are shown and which FactBoxes appear, which allows you to personalise the experience according to their role and workflow. This customisation option improves focus and ease of use.
How to Customise FastTabs and FactBoxes?
Admins can use profiles and role centres to customise FastTabs and FactBoxes for entire user groups. This lets each role see only the most relevant data.
Customising FastTabs
- Drag and drop to reorder FastTabs.
- Hide tabs that are irrelevant to your role.
- Move key fields to the “Show Always” section for quick access.
Customising FactBoxes
- Click the gear icon > Personalise
- Select or remove FactBoxes using the visual editor
- Save the layout for your profile or role
Speed Up Navigation and Productivity with FastTabs and FactBoxes
FactBoxes and FastTabs may seem like small features, but they can have a big impact on your business’ productivity. Without them, your workspace wouldn’t be as efficient, clean, or responsive to your specific needs.
Did you know that FactBoxes can also be customised by your MS Partner?
At Brookland Solutions, we’ve often made changes to tailor this area so that it really fits in with our clients’ business. We can also help you with training, creating tailormade layouts, and further optimising your Business Central system to harness more productivity.
Why not reach out today for a no-obligations chat about how we could improve your BC experience?
We’re just a call away to customise your Business Central setup. Get in touch today by filling out a contact form.
