Business Central already offers a lot of functionality on its own, but most businesses eventually hit a point where they need some extra features or add ons — usually a feature that isn’t built in for example it could be a shortcut to save time, or a tool that handles a specific workflow. That’s what ISVs are built for.
Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) create add-ons that sit on top of Business Central and make it even stronger. Some extensions improve reporting, some automate warehouse work, and others handle industry-specific needs like manufacturing, logistics, or retail.
As more companies move to Business Central and cloud ERP, ISVs are stepping up with smarter, more specialised solutions. They aren’t just filling gaps anymore—they’re reshaping the next generation of Business Central. Let’s know more about it in details.
What Is ISV Technology?
ISV technology is a software made by external companies that extends Business Central’s standard features. They’re not part of Microsoft, but their apps are built to work with Microsoft.
You’ll find these apps on Microsoft AppSource, and they plug in directly—just like installing an app on your phone.
ISVs cover things like:
- automated invoicing
- inventory scanning
- expense management
- manufacturing add-ons
- integrations with eCommerce or payroll
Basically, when Business Central can’t do something out of the box, an ISV probably can.
What ISV Solutions Are Available?
There are hundreds of ISV apps already, and more appear every month. A few common categories include:
Finance & Accounting Add-ons
Document scanning, AP automation, OCR tools, payment processing, bank recon tools.
Operations & Supply Chain Tools
Warehouse apps, barcode scanners, transport planning, manufacturing workflows.
Reporting & Analytics
Excel-based reporting, dashboards, forecasting tools, AI-driven analytics.
Industry-Specific Extensions
Food, distribution, textiles, construction, hospitality, retail—each with their own custom apps.
Integrations
Connections to Shopify, Magento, HubSpot, Power BI, payroll tools, and more.
If a business relies on it, there’s almost always an ISV designed for it.
How Much Do ISVs Cost?
Pricing is different for each app, but most ISVs follow one of these models:
- Monthly per-user subscription
- Monthly per-company subscription
- One-time licensing (rare today)
Some cost less than a coffee for each user monthly. Others—like warehouse or manufacturing add-ons—can be higher. But compared to custom development, ISVs are usually cheaper, quicker to implement, and easier to maintain.
Business Central Recommended ISVs
There are plenty of good ISVs out there, but a few show up again and again because they work well, are easy to set up, and solve real problems fast.
Continia Document Capture
Perfect for AP teams. It scans invoices, pulls out the data, and posts everything into Business Central. It cuts down manual entry and keeps things tidy.
Tasklet Mobile WMS
Great for warehouse teams. You can pick, pack, count and move stock using handheld scanners. No need to jump back to a computer for every update.
Jet Reports
Popular with finance teams. It lets you build reports directly in Excel and pulls fresh data from Business Central without exporting anything.
ChargeLogic Payments
Helps companies handle customer payments inside Business Central. Simple, secure and fully connected to your sales and accounting data.
Clever Dynamics Apps
They offer practical add-ons like barcode tools, document automation and scheduling helpers. Small improvements that remove daily bottlenecks.
Most of these apps start showing value quickly. Setup is usually light and teams pick them up fast.
Why Choose Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)?
You might wonder why businesses don’t ask their partner to “just build it.”
It’s simple:
ISVs already did the hard work.
They’ve built, tested, supported, and improved these apps for years.
You get:
- faster setup
- fewer bugs
- ongoing updates
- stable upgrades
- direct support from specialists
Plus, the apps must pass Microsoft’s quality checks before appearing on AppSource. That gives businesses some level of assurance.
The Benefits of ISV Add-ons for Business Central
ISVs aren’t “nice to have” anymore—most businesses depend on them for smoother operations. Here’s what they bring to the table:
- Faster Setup
Most apps install in a few clicks. You avoid months of custom development and jump straight to using the feature.
- Lower Overall Costs
When you compare the price of an ISV to a custom build, the math usually favours the ISV. You also avoid paying for future custom code fixes.
- Easier Upgrades
ISVs make sure their apps stay compatible with each Business Central release. That means fewer headaches when Microsoft pushes updates.
- Deep Industry Knowledge
Some ISV publishers focus on one industry for years. They understand the small, annoying problems that general ERP systems don’t catch.
- Less Manual Work
Whether it's automated invoicing, barcode scanning, or quick reporting tools, these apps remove the repetitive tasks that slow teams down.
- Better Accuracy
With fewer manual steps, businesses get cleaner data, fewer mistakes, and more confidence in their numbers.
- Room to Grow
As your business scales, you can add more features without rebuilding your system. Many ISVs are designed to grow as you grow.
- Focus on What Matters
Instead of chasing paperwork, fixing spreadsheets, or repeating the same tasks, your team can focus on planning, customers, and actual work.
You can pick and mix the tools you need—nothing is forced, and everything can be added over time.
Do You Need an ISV Partner If You Already Have a Microsoft Dynamics Partner?
Some businesses think one partner is enough. And in many cases, yes, your Microsoft Dynamics partner covers the big stuff — setup, upgrades, training, support, all of that. But ISV partners do something a bit different. They look after the add-ons themselves
They fix issues, release updates, tweak features, and make sure the extension keeps working when Business Central gets a new version.
So the roles don’t overlap much.
- Your Dynamics partner handles the system as a whole.
- The ISV team takes care of the app they built.
Most companies end up using both without even thinking about it. They work side-by-side, and the end result is a smoother setup without your team having to juggle things in the background.
FAQs
1. What is ISV technology?
It’s basically software made by another company that plugs into Business Central to add something the base system doesn’t do.
2. What is an example of an ISV?
Continia, Jet Global, Tasklet, ChargeLogic, Shopify connectors… anything built by a third party and made to work with Business Central.
3. ISV examples in Business Central?
OCR tools, mobile warehouse apps, reporting tools, eCommerce links, and industry-specific add-ons.
4. What is ISV in Dynamics 365?
It refers to outside apps designed to work with Microsoft ERP and CRM products, including Business Central.
5. How does an ISV work?
You install it, connect it, and the app adds extra features on top of what Business Central already offers. Pretty much like adding a plugin.
