As business systems accumulate more information over time, organizations need a practical way to manage historical data without making it difficult to access when needed.
A German IT development and consulting company, specializing in Microsoft Dynamics NAV solution for international logistics businesses, needed a reliable way to manage historical data inside its Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central environment.
Instead of creating a tool designed around a single use case, Xpand developed a multifunctional Business Central data archiving solution built to be reused and adapted to the requirements of other projects – delivered in 6 weeks.
Challenge: Creating a more effective Data Archiving Process for Business Central
Historical business data needs to remain available even when it is no longer required as part of everyday operations.
The company needed to establish a data archiving process that would provide effective storage while keeping historical information easy to access when required.
But solving the immediate archiving requirement was only part of the task. The solution also needed to be flexible enough to work with existing software environments and support future integrations.
Scalability was another important consideration. As the amount of archived information grows, the solution needs to continue handling increasing data volumes effectively.
Finally, archived business information still needs to be managed securely and in line with applicable data handling standards.
This meant the project required more than simply moving old data elsewhere. It required a structured approach to storing, accessing, integrating, and managing historical information over time.
Solution: a multifunctional and reusable Data Archiving Tool, delivered in 6 weeks
Xpand developed a multifunctional data archiving tool designed to address these requirements while remaining reusable for other projects – completed within 6 weeks.
Rather than building an archiving process tied exclusively to one implementation, the solution was designed to be easily adaptable to different project requirements.
The tool provides four key capabilities:
Effective storage and access to historical data
Historical information can be archived while remaining available for quick access when users or business processes require it.
Flexible integration
The solution can be integrated with existing software and adapted to work with future solutions, making it easier to incorporate data archiving into different technology environments.
Scalability
The tool is designed to accommodate growing volumes of information, allowing the archiving process to evolve alongside the systems using it.
Security and compliance
The solution supports secure handling of archived information while addressing relevant data handling requirements.
Results: a reusable data archiving tool, delivered in 6 weeks
The project resulted in a multifunctional data archiving tool that can be reused and adapted across different projects, delivered within 6 weeks
Key outcomes include:
- Effective storage of historical business data
- Quick access to archived information
- Flexible integration with existing and future software solutions
- Scalability for increasing data volumes
- Secure data handling
- Support for data handling standards
- Reusable functionality that can be adapted to other project requirements
Business value
The solution addresses both an immediate data management need and a broader development challenge.
Instead of treating data archiving as functionality that needs to be developed separately for every project, the reusable tool provides a foundation that can be adapted to different environments and requirements.
For the company's projects, this creates a more flexible approach to managing historical information while maintaining access, scalability, and security as data volumes and software environments evolve.
Why Xpand as a Business Central data archiving partner
Why Xpand as a Business Central data archiving partner
This project demonstrates how Xpand's Business Acceleration services can go beyond solving an isolated technical request.
By developing reusable functionality instead of a one-off implementation, Xpand created a solution that addresses the immediate data archiving requirement while also providing functionality that can be adapted for future projects.
The result combines Microsoft Dynamics expertise with a practical approach to software development focused on reuse, scalability, and long-term business value, delivered on a 6-week timeline.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to build a data archiving tool for Business Central?
In this project, Xpand developed a multifunctional Business Central data archiving tool in 6 weeks, designed to be reusable across other projects rather than built for a single use case.
Can a Business Central data archiving tool be reused across different projects?
Yes. In this project, the tool was designed from the start to be adaptable to different project requirements, so the archiving functionality doesn't need to be rebuilt from scratch for each new implementation.
Does archiving historical data in Business Central affect compliance or security?
Not if it's designed for it. In this project, the archiving tool was built to support secure handling of archived information and to address applicable data handling standards, alongside storage efficiency and scalability.
Looking for a better way to manage historical data in Business Central?
Data archiving does not have to mean losing easy access to valuable business information.
Talk to Xpand about building scalable, reusable functionality that fits your existing systems and future development needs: get in touch.
Contact us: bd@xpandsoftware.com | xpandsoftware.com