Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer Associate
MB-820 · ● Active · Associate · Microsoft
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $165 USD (regional pricing may vary) |
| Duration | 100 minutes |
| Questions | 40–60 scored items |
| Passing | 700/1000 scaled |
| Format | Multiple choice, multiple response, and performance-based questions (PBQs) |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE OnVUE (online proctored) |
| Languages | English; other languages available per region |
| Valid | 1 year |
| Renewal | Free, unproctored online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn |
| Prerequisites | None official; prior software development experience and Business Central familiarity strongly recommended |
| Released | 2023 |
| Retiring | N/A |
Vendor source — Microsoft Learn Certification ↗
Official exam guide — Study guide for Exam MB-820 ↗
Exam objectives — Microsoft Learn Study Guide ↗
About
MB-820 certifies developers who design, develop, test, and maintain solutions extending Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The exam validates competency in the AL (Application Language) programming model, Business Central architecture, app development, system integration with Power Platform, and application lifecycle management. Targeted at experienced software developers new to Business Central or those deepening expertise in the platform; 8–12 weeks of focused study is typical for developers transitioning from other languages.
Domain context — Software Engineering
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) development targeting Microsoft's mid-market accounting and operations platform.
Read full deep dive — Microsoft Dynamics 365 Ecosystem → · Software Engineering Domain →
Topics covered
Official exam blueprint (domain weights):
-
Describe Business Central (10–15%)
- Platform architecture, licensing, deployment models, role-based security.
-
Install, develop, and deploy for Business Central (10–15%)
- Environment provisioning, app packaging, publishing, extension deployment.
-
Develop by using AL objects (35–40%)
- Tables, pages, codeunits, reports, queries; CRUD operations; events; error handling.
-
Develop by using AL (15–20%)
- Language syntax, variables, type system, control flow, string manipulation, date/time handling.
-
Work with development tools (10–15%)
- Visual Studio Code, AL Language Extension, the AL debugger, test automation.
-
Integrate Business Central with other applications (10–15%)
- APIs (REST and SOAP), webhooks, Power Automate integration, data import/export.
Source: Official exam guide ↗
Common skills at Software Engineering · Associate
Shared competencies for the Software Engineering domain at Associate level — not specific to this cert.
- Object-oriented design principles and patterns (MVC, dependency injection, factory)
- Source control (Git fundamentals, branching strategies)
- Test-driven development and unit testing frameworks
- RESTful API design and consumption
- Debugging and profiling techniques
- Code documentation and readability standards
- Security best practices (input validation, auth/authz, secrets management)
- Database design and SQL fundamentals
- Application lifecycle management (CI/CD pipelines, versioning)
Recommended courses at Software Engineering · Associate
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Learn | MB-820T00: Develop solutions with Dynamics 365 Business Central | Free | ↗ |
| Udemy | MB-820: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer | $15–$100 | ↗ |
| Udemy | MB-820: Microsoft Business Central Developer Practice Tests | $15–$100 | ↗ |
| New Horizons | MB-820T00: Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer (Instructor-Led) | $2,000–$3,000 | ↗ |
| Learning Tree | Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer Training | $2,500+ | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: Each course listed is specific to MB-820 or Business Central development. Generic "Microsoft Dynamics" courses have been excluded.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| MeasureUp | MB-820 Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer Practice Test | $99 | ↗ |
| Udemy | MB-820 Practice Exams to Pass D365 BC Developer | $15–$100 | ↗ |
| Exam Topics (Community) | Free MB-820 Questions | Free | ↗ |
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft MB-820 Exam Prep: 500 Practice Questions for Dynamics 365 Developers Certification | Steve Brown | Self-published (Amazon KDP) | 2024 | 9798282444407 | ↗ |
| Microsoft MB-820 Study Guide: Key Concepts, Developer Insights, and Exam-Aligned Coverage | Steve Brown | Self-published (Amazon KDP) | 2024 | 9798282445442 | ↗ |
| MB-820 Exam Cram: Reports, Report Extensions, and Queries in Business Central | Silviu Virlan | Self-published | 2024 | 9798246265925 | ↗ |
Note: No official Microsoft Press "Exam Ref MB-820" title exists as of May 2026. Study materials are primarily from community authors and the official Microsoft Learn study guide (free).
Typical job titles at Software Engineering · Associate
Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer · D365 BC Developer · AL Developer · Business Central Application Developer · ERP Developer (Business Central) · NAV/BC Developer
(Drawn from current job postings on CareerJunction, LinkedIn, Indeed, and Nigel Frank that list MB-820 or BC development as required/preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $93,000–$166,000 | Glassdoor D365 Developer ↗ |
| ZAR | R840,000–R1,200,000 (annual; ~R70–100k/month roles noted) | CareerJunction ↗ · Glassdoor ZA (CRM) ↗ |
| GBP | £62,500–£80,000 | IT Jobs Watch ↗ · Reed.co.uk ↗ |
Salary note: USD and GBP ranges reflect broader Dynamics 365 Developer roles; BC-specific postings cluster at the upper end. ZAR data is limited; figures derived from active job postings and regional consulting rates. Salaries vary by city (London premium vs. regional UK; Johannesburg premium vs. Cape Town/Durban).
Skills validated
Exam-specific technical competencies tested:
- AL language (syntax, type system, control flow, patterns)
- Business Central object model (tables, pages, codeunits, reports, queries)
- Event-driven architecture and extension points
- RESTful and OData API consumption
- Power Automate integration and workflow automation
- Data migration and import/export patterns
- Debugging and test automation in VS Code
- App lifecycle management (versioning, publishing, dependencies)
- Security and data validation in Business Central context
Related certifications
- Stacks with: Microsoft MB-800 (Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant) ↗ — common foundation; BC developers often obtain both
- Prerequisite for: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Architect Expert (future) — advanced enterprise deployments
- Equivalent ecosystems: SAP C_FSPM_92 (SAP Financial Planning Associate) ↗ — ERP development in competing platform
- Vendor overview: Microsoft Vendor Overview ↗
Sources
- Microsoft Learn: MB-820 Certification ↗
- Official study guide for Exam MB-820 ↗
- Microsoft Learn: MB-820T00 Official Course ↗
- Glassdoor: Dynamics 365 Developer Salary (USA) ↗
- CareerJunction: Dynamics 365 Business Central Roles (ZA) ↗
- IT Jobs Watch: Dynamics 365 Developer Salary (UK) ↗
- Udemy: MB-820 Courses ↗
- MeasureUp: MB-820 Practice Tests ↗
Last verified: 2026-05-01
Parent ecosystem: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Ecosystem
Parent domain: Software Engineering Domain
Vendor overview: Microsoft Vendor Overview