Microsoft Ends Business Central Release Plans: What Changes?
Business Central release plans were discontinued starting with version 2026 release wave 2, and new capabilities are now published on the AI at Work Roadmap. The video covers the roadmap's filters, CSV export, MCP server access, and the unchanged release cadence of two major releases a year plus monthly minor updates.
- Introduction and Historical Context
- Release Plans and Version 28.0 Overview
- Transition to AI at Work Roadmap
- Release Schedule and Versioning Changes
- AI at Work Roadmap Features and Filters
- Launched and In-Development Features
- Roadmap Details and Multi-Product Integration
- Downloading Roadmap Data and MCP Integration
- Summary and Conclusion
Overview
Microsoft stopped publishing Business Central release plans starting with version 2026 release wave 2. New capabilities are now listed on the AI at Work Roadmap, a single destination for release information across Microsoft products. Existing release plans stay available for historical reference until further notice.
The video walks through the roadmap’s filters and its launched and in-development items, using examples such as the Copilot agent data queries with the MCP server and the Expense Agent withholding tax update. It also shows downloading roadmap data as CSV and querying the roadmap through an MCP server from AI clients. The presenter notes that roadmap items carry less detail than the old release plans.
Key points
- Starting with version 2026 release wave 2, Microsoft no longer publishes Business Central release plans; existing ones remain available for historical reference until further notice.
- New Business Central capabilities are published on the AI at Work Roadmap, which covers all Microsoft products.
- Business Central still delivers two major releases per year and monthly minor updates.
- Update version numbers are expected to continue, but wave terminology will likely evolve; Microsoft says it will share more details once plans are finalized.
- The Expense Agent withholding tax update is in preview from October 2026, typically with CU0 or CU1, with rollout starting in April 2027.
- Roadmap data can be downloaded as CSV for use in Excel or import into a Business Central environment.
- An MCP server lets IT admins and engineers query release and roadmap data from AI clients such as Visual Studio Code and GitHub Copilot, without using the website.
Features
| Feature | Status | At | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI at Work Roadmap | status not stated, demoed | 2:08 | |
| Release Plan Discontinuation | status not stated | 1:54 | |
| Copilot Agent Capabilities - Run Data Queries with MCP Server | generally available (roadmap Run data queries with MCP Server), demoed | 6:20 | |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central Expense Agent - Withholding Taxes | preview (roadmap Calculate withholding tax automatically in expense reports), demoed | 7:37 | “the preview available will be on October 2026 typically with CU 0 or CU1 and the roll out start in the next wave” (7:48) |
| Roadmap CSV Export | status not stated, demoed | 10:56 | |
| MCP Server Integration for Roadmap | status not stated, demoed | 11:44 | |
| Business Central Release Schedule | status not stated | 3:30 | |
| Roadmap Version Numbering and Wave Terminology Evolution | status not stated | 3:51 |
A status with a roadmap link comes from the Microsoft 365 roadmap feature this part of the video covers (matched by Haiku; links Opus dropped are not used); other statuses need a status word in the video itself.
AL objects mentioned
As heard in the captions. A name that matches one object page by exact type and name links to it; the others stay as named.
- other “AI at Work Roadmap” at 2:08
- other “Microsoft Learn article” at 1:02
- other “MCP server” at 6:20
Quotes
- 1:54 “Now starting version 2026 release wave 2, Microsoft stopped publishing release plan.”
- 2:08 “New business center capabilities will now be published to a new get a new home for this which is AI at work road map.”
- 3:02 “Microsoft is now trying to get all these release nodes into a unified destination for all Microsoft product.”
- 3:30 “The business center will continue to deliver two major releases every year and monthly minor update as it was earlier.”
- 4:03 “Microsoft says that they expect to continue with the update numbers which is virgin but the wave terminology will likely evolve.”
Disclaimers in the video
- 1:54 subject-to-change: Microsoft stopped publishing release plan starting version 2026 release wave 2
- 2:20 other: existing release plans uh available for historical reference until further notice
- 4:03 subject-to-change: wave terminology will likely evolve and Microsoft will share more details as the plan gets finalized
- 7:48 preview: preview available will be on October 2026 typically with CU 0 or CU1
Presenters (as heard): Jam.