If you have customized fields in Business Central that you would rather replace with standard master data information, you can move the existing data without losing it. The process exports your current field values to Excel, then reimports them as master data information, complete with a dropdown list of valid values.
You build an information matrix to export the values from your customized field. You create an information code and import the unique values as an information value list, which becomes a dropdown. You then import the item-level data so each item gets the correct master data information attached.
The first run takes some setup, but once your templates are in place, repeating the process for other fields is quick. You can also convert several customized fields in one go by handling them together in the matrix and the import.
Why swap a customized field for master data information
When you add a field as a customer extension, you create a custom development on your database. If you later want to use standard functionality instead, you can remove that extension and replace it with master data information.
The advantage is structure. A customized field is often just a free-text field on the item card. With master data information you get a proper dropdown list of valid values, so the data is controlled rather than typed by hand.
In this example, the customized field is called bike handle grips. Different items hold different grip values, and the goal is to keep those values but move them into a master data structure with a controlled dropdown.
Export the existing field values with an information matrix
Start by creating an information matrix so you can export the data from the customized field. From the item card, open the information matrix and create a new template.
Set up the template on table 27 (the Item table). Add the description field so you can confirm you have the correct items, then add the customized grip field.
The matrix now shows all your items with their current grip values. In this scenario the relevant items are the sales items with “bike” in the description, while the last three items are components rather than sales items. In a real database this could easily be thousands of items.
Export the matrix to Excel and save the file. This Excel sheet holds the data you will reimport as master data information.
Create the master data information field and build the dropdown list
Next, create the field as a master data information field. Open the specification on the item, drill into the information code, and create a new information code based on master data information. In this example it is called bike grip.
Rather than building the value list manually, you import it using the master data import worksheet. You import in two steps: first the information values that make up the dropdown, then the items with their values.
To prepare the values, copy the grip column from your exported Excel data and paste it into the information value template. Remove all duplicates, since the dropdown should contain each value only once. Add the information code (bike grip) so the values are linked to the correct dropdown.
In the master data import worksheet, choose to import data, select information value, and point to the prepared Excel sheet. Run the action to build the dropdown list. When it succeeds, you can clear the worksheet lines.
You can now check the information code list and see the dropdown you built. Where the old structure was a plain text field on the item card, you now have a controlled information value list on the bike grip. Adding a description to each value makes the list cleaner.
Import the item data and attach the master data information
The final step is to attach the correct value to each item. Prepare an Excel file with just two columns: the item number and the grip value. Delete the columns you do not need so the file stays simple.
In Business Central, create a simple import template on table 27. The item number is added automatically because it is the primary key. Add an information value field for the bike grip, and the template is ready.
Close the Excel sheet, then import the data using the template and selecting the export file. The worksheet shows each item number with the master data value attached. Run the action on those lines to complete the import.
When the import succeeds, each item carries its master data information. If you open an item and look at the master data specification, the bike grip value appears, for example a rubber grip multicolor.
Show the value on the item card and reuse the process
If you use the replicate functionality, you can add the value as a replicate field directly to the item card so it is visible there.
The first run looks complex, but the setup pays off. Once the templates exist, swapping another field is simple: change the field in the information matrix, and change the master data import code in the import. You know the drill, so the rest is fast.
You can also handle several fields at once. If you have ten modified fields on a table, you can convert all ten in one go using the same approach.
Q&A
What does it mean to swap a customized field for master data information in Business Central?
It means removing a field you added as a customer extension and replacing it with standard master data information. You keep the existing data, but it moves into a controlled structure with a dropdown list of valid values instead of a free-text field.
How do I export the values from an existing customized field?
Create an information matrix template on the Item table (table 27), add the customized field along with the description, then export the matrix to Excel. The exported file holds all item values that you reimport as master data information.
How do I build the dropdown list of values?
Create an information code, then copy the grip column from your exported Excel data into the information value template. Remove duplicates so each value appears once, add the information code, and import it through the master data import worksheet to build the dropdown.
How do I attach the master data value to each item?
Prepare an Excel file with just the item number and the value. Create a simple import template on table 27 with an information value field, import the file, and run the action on the worksheet lines. Each item then carries the correct master data information.
Can I convert several fields at once?
Yes. Once the templates are in place, you can handle multiple fields together. If you have ten modified fields on a table, you can convert all ten in one go using the same matrix and import process.
How do I show the master data value on the item card?
Use the replicate functionality to add the value as a replicate field directly to the item card, so it is visible there as well as in the master data specification.