How Data Change Alerts Work

The Data Change Alerts system is a tool that automatically reacts to changes in Business Central. Important: Alerts are shown to the person MAKING the change - not to other users.

Why would you need this?

The alert system helps in two main situations:

  • Informing - "You just added new customer CUS001"
  • Controlling - "STOP! You cannot delete this customer"

When does the system react?

1. Adding new data (Insert Record)

Example: You add a new customer → System reminds: "New customer: CUS001 - Assign salesperson and verify settings!"

2. Deleting data (Delete Record)

Example: You try to delete customer → System protects: "STOP! Customer CUS001 has open invoices - contact accounting"

3. Changes to specific fields (Field Value Change)

Example: You change item cost → System warns: "WARNING! Cost for CHAIR increased - update selling prices immediately!"

Types of alerts

Informational

  • Only inform what happened
  • You click "OK" and continue working
  • Example: "Customer CUS001 added"

Blocking (errors)

  • Stop the operation
  • You must make a decision
  • Example: "Cannot delete customer CUS001" - operation will not execute

Sample Data Creation

The system includes functionality to create sample alert rules:

  1. Navigate to Data Change Alerts page
  2. Use the Create Sample Rules action
  3. This creates example rules for common scenarios
  4. Review and modify the sample rules as needed
  5. Use Delete All Rules to remove all existing rules (use with caution)

alt text

Ready examples to use

Example 1: New customer alert

Rule Code: NEW-CUSTOMER
Description: Notification about adding new customer
Event Type: Insert Record
Table: Customer (18)
Alert Type: Info
Text: "New customer added: %1 - %2"

Example 2: Price change control

Rule Code: PRICE-CHANGE
Description: Alert when item price changes
Event Type: Field Value Change
Table: Item (27)
Field: Unit Price
Alert Type: Info
Text: "WARNING! Item price changed %1: %OLDVALUE% → %NEWVALUE%"

Example 3: Deletion protection

Rule Code: PROTECT-CUSTOMER
Description: Prevents customer deletion
Event Type: Delete Record
Table: Customer (18)
Alert Type: Error
Text: "Cannot delete customer %1 - %2. Contact administrator."

Important limitations

Who sees alerts?

  • Only the person making the change gets the alert
  • Other people are NOT automatically notified
  • This is not a team notification system

With Data Change Alerts you have better control over what happens during your work in the system!