Simple Object Designer Documentation
Index

Installation

This page guides you through installing Simple Object Designer from Microsoft AppSource and launching it for the first time.

Installing from AppSource

Method 1: Install from Business Central

  1. Open your Business Central environment
  2. Click the Search icon (magnifying glass) or press Alt+Q
  3. Type "Extension Marketplace" and select it
  4. In the marketplace, search for "Simple Object Designer"
  5. Click on the Simple Object Designer tile
  6. Click Install
  7. Review the permissions and click Install again
  8. Wait for the installation to complete (this may take a few minutes)

Method 2: Install from AppSource Website

  1. Go to Microsoft AppSource
  2. Search for "Simple Object Designer"
  3. Click on the Simple Object Designer listing
  4. Click Get it now
  5. Sign in with your Microsoft account if prompted
  6. Select the Business Central environment where you want to install
  7. Click Install

Verifying Installation

After installation completes:

  1. Open Business Central
  2. Click the Search icon or press Alt+Q
  3. Type "Simple Object Designer" or "Object Designer"
  4. You should see "Simple Object Designer" in the search results

If the app does not appear in search results, check Extension Management to verify installation status.

Checking Extension Management

  1. Search for "Extension Management"
  2. Look for "Simple Object Designer" in the list
  3. Verify the Status shows as "Installed"
  4. Verify the Publisher is "Hougaard"

Opening Simple Object Designer

There are several ways to open SOD:

From Search (Tell Me)

  1. Press Alt+Q or click the Search icon
  2. Type "Simple Object Designer"
  3. Click on the result to open the main menu

From Role Center

After you use SOD for the first time, it may appear in your recently used pages or can be bookmarked for quick access.

Direct URL

You can bookmark the direct URL to the SOD main menu page for quick access. The URL follows this pattern:

https://businesscentral.dynamics.com/[tenant]/[environment]/?page=70310263

A bookmarked URL can break between versions. If the main menu page changes, an old bookmark stops opening — a known symptom is SOD appearing to start, then closing and locking up the session. Launch SOD with Alt+Q (Tell Me / Search) instead, and re-create the bookmark from the current main menu. See Common Issues.

First Launch

When you open Simple Object Designer for the first time, you will see the main menu. Before you can start creating customizations, you need to:

  1. Run the Setup Wizard - Configure basic settings for your generated extension
  2. Download Symbols - SOD needs to read metadata from your installed extensions

The setup wizard will guide you through these steps. See First Run for detailed instructions.

Installation Troubleshooting

Extension Not Installing

If the extension fails to install:

  • Verify you have Extension Management permissions
  • Check if there are conflicting extensions with overlapping object ID ranges
  • Review the Extension Deployment Status page for error details

If SOD is installed but not appearing in search:

  • Wait a few minutes for the search index to update
  • Try signing out and signing back in
  • Clear your browser cache

Dependency Errors

If you see dependency errors:

  • SOD requires the "AL Compiler and Interpreter" extension
  • This should install automatically with SOD
  • If missing, contact Hougaard support

Updating Simple Object Designer

SOD updates are distributed through AppSource:

  1. Go to Extension Management
  2. Find Simple Object Designer
  3. If an update is available, you will see an update notification
  4. Click to install the update
  5. Review release notes for any breaking changes

Updates may require you to re-download symbols if the app structure has changed significantly.

Uninstalling Simple Object Designer

To uninstall SOD:

  1. Go to Extension Management
  2. Find Simple Object Designer
  3. Click the three dots menu
  4. Select Uninstall
  5. Confirm the uninstallation

Important: Uninstalling SOD does not uninstall the customization extension you created with SOD. Those extensions must be uninstalled separately if desired.