Business Central 29: Introducing Composite Document Layouts
Business Central 2026 release wave 2 introduces Composite Document Layouts, a modular approach to Word document layouts that separates body content, visual theming, and headers/footers into reusable components combined at runtime rather than maintaining separate complete layouts for each combination.
post think about IT
"Business Central doesn't create another permanent Word layout for every combination. The selected components are combined when the report runs."
Key points
- Composite layouts separate concerns: Body Layout (report structure), Theme (fonts and colors), and Header/Footer Layout (branding and company info) are composed at runtime into the final document
- Reduces layout maintenance across multiple reports and companies by reusing components instead of creating separate layouts for each combination
- Existing standalone layouts continue to work; composite layouts add a new optional model without forcing migration or changing default invoice designs after upgrade
- Defaults can be configured at multiple levels (global, company, report, body layout) allowing flexible overrides and gradual introduction through layout status controls
Quotes
- “Business Central doesn’t create another permanent Word layout for every combination. The selected components are combined when the report runs.” (This runtime composition model is the core innovation that eliminates the need to maintain separate layouts for each combination of report and branding)
Context
- Features: Composite Document Layouts, Body Layout, Theme, Header/Footer Layout, Layout status control, Feature Management, Default configuration levels
- Versions: 29.0, 29.1, 2026 release wave 2
Source: think about IT - Steven Renders, community blog. Summary, key points and quotes are derived (CONTENT-NOTICE.md); read the original for the full text.