Tags: BPC, D365FO, Implementation guide 
Table of Contents
1. Business Documents Are Part of Business Processes
2. Understanding the Business Process Catalog
3. Standard Business Document Technologies in D365FO
4. Where Docentric AX Fits
Docentric AX Free Edition
Docentric AX Distribution Edition
Docentric AX Full Edition
5. From Business Processes to Business Document Implementation
From Business Document Requirements to Report Work Items
6. Business Documents in Order to Cash
7. Business Documents in Source to Pay
8. The Same Approach Applies to Other Business Processes
Microsoft Documentation
See Also
1. Business Documents Are Part of Business Processes
Business Documents such as Sales order confirmation, Sales invoice, Customer account statement, Requests for quotation and Purchase order are printed at specific steps while executing business processes in D365FO.
Microsoft's Success by Design implementation framework promotes a process-focused approach to Dynamics 365 implementations. The Business Process Catalog (BPC) makes this approach concrete by providing a standard catalog of end-to-end business processes, including Order to cash and Source to pay.
For example:
Order to cash
→ Manage sales orders
→ Confirm sales order
→ Run Sales order confirmation report
→ Print Sales order confirmation business document
or:
Source to pay
→ Manage purchase orders
→ Confirm purchase order
→ Run Purchase order report
→ Print Purchase order business document
In other words, the report is executed to print a Business Document.
D365FO Business Documents can be printed using the standard technologies SSRS or ER-CBD, or an ISV product such as Docentric AX.
In this article, we use Microsoft's Business Process Catalog (BPC) as the business-process framework to identify where Business Documents are printed in Order to cash and Source to pay, and show how Business Documents fit into the complete business process.
2. Understanding the Business Process Catalog
The Dynamics 365 Business Process Catalog (BPC) is Microsoft's standard catalog of business processes for Dynamics 365 implementations.
The July 2026 BPC contains 827 System Processes and 1,628 Test Cases and can be downloaded here.
It provides a common starting point for defining the business processes that are in scope for an implementation and organizes them into six levels:
End-to-End Process
→ Business Process Area
→ Business Process
→ Scenario
→ System Process
→ Test Case
For example, the July 2026 BPC contains the following hierarchy within Order to cash:
Order to cash (End-to-End Process)
→ Manage accounts receivable (Business Process Area)
→ Issue sales invoices (Business Process)
→ Create and process free text invoices in Dynamics 365 Finance (Scenario)
→ Create and process free text invoices (System Process)
→ Validate and process free text invoices (Test Case)
The catalog therefore goes from a high-level end-to-end business process down to concrete system processes and test cases that can be used during implementation and testing.
Microsoft provides the BPC as an Excel workbook and also supports importing its hierarchy into Azure DevOps, where the processes can be used as structured Work Items for implementation planning, requirements, fit/gap analysis and testing.
In the following chapters, we use this BPC hierarchy as our map and focus specifically on the steps where D365FO Business Documents are printed. Before looking at these steps in Order to cash and Source to pay, let's first look at the standard D365FO technologies used to generate Business Documents: SSRS and ER-CBD.
3. Standard Business Document Technologies in D365FO
The two main standard technologies used for printing Business Documents in D365FO are SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) and Electronic Reporting (ER).
SSRS
Many standard D365FO Business Documents are printed using SSRS reports.
An SSRS report consists of the report data source and report design. When the corresponding step in a business process is executed, D365FO runs the report and prints the Business Document.
For example:
Confirm sales order
→ Run Sales order confirmation SSRS report
→ Print Sales order confirmation business document
SSRS reports can be customized by developers, including changes to the report data source and report design.
ER-CBD
Electronic Reporting (ER) is Microsoft's configurable reporting framework. Within Docentric, we use the term ER-CBD for ER configurations that represent Business Documents.
ER-CBD separates the document data model, data mapping and document format, allowing Business Documents to be configured with less dependency on traditional SSRS report development.
For supported Business Documents, ER-CBD can be used instead of the corresponding SSRS report.
For example:
Confirm sales order
→ Run Sales order confirmation ER-CBD report
→ Print Sales order confirmation business document
Therefore, the same Business Document step in a business process can, depending on the report configuration, be implemented using SSRS or ER-CBD.
In the next chapter, we look at how Docentric AX works with these Business Documents and extends their design, generation, processing and distribution.
4. Where Docentric AX Fits
Design → Generate → Process → Distribute
How Docentric AX fits depends on whether the Business Document is designed and generated by SSRS, ER-CBD or Docentric AX.
Docentric AX Free Edition
Docentric AX Free Edition works with SSRS and ER-CBD reports and provides a free set of capabilities for their distribution.
The original SSRS or ER-CBD report remains responsible for designing and generating the Business Document, while Docentric enhances what happens afterwards, including delivery through its improved print destinations.
Docentric AX Distribution Edition
Docentric AX Distribution Edition also keeps the existing SSRS or ER-CBD report responsible for document design and generation, but adds Docentric's advanced document processing and distribution capabilities.
These include advanced scenarios for emailing, printing, archiving and integrations, as well as printing with attachments, document processing, merging, zipping, e-signing, e-Invoicing, PDF/A and more.
This makes it possible to improve Business Document processing and distribution without replacing the existing SSRS or ER-CBD report.
Docentric AX Full Edition
With Docentric AX Full Edition, Docentric also takes over the design and generation of Business Documents.
Business Documents are designed as Word or Excel templates using Docentric Designer and generated by Docentric Document Generator. Existing D365FO report data can still be used and extended, including data from SSRS reports and ER Data models and Model mappings.
Docentric Template → Design → Generate → Process → Distribute
5. From Business Processes to Business Document Implementation
Once the Business Documents required by the business processes have been identified, the next step is to define how each Business Document should be implemented.
This is where the Docentric Implementation Guide comes in.
The guide recommends introducing Business Documents and reporting early in the implementation, together with the related business processes. Its Analyze and decide stage starts by identifying and documenting important requirements for each Business Document:
Business Document
→ Business process
→ Report
→ Legal entities and languages
→ Branding
→ Output format
→ Distribution
→ Print management
→ Additional data requirements
For example, a Sales order confirmation identified within the Order to cash process can be analyzed in terms of which report generates it, which companies and languages require it, how it should look, whether additional data is needed, whether it is controlled through Print management, and whether the final document should be emailed, printed, archived, saved to SharePoint or delivered elsewhere.
Based on these requirements, the implementation team can define the complete implementation approach for each Business Document.
The decisions are not limited to choosing between SSRS, ER-CBD and Docentric AX. Instead, the team decides how each part of the Business Document lifecycle should be implemented:
Business Document requirements
→ Design: SSRS report design / ER-CBD Format / Docentric Word or Excel template
→ Generate: SSRS / ER-CBD / Docentric Document Generator
→ Process: Standard D365FO / Docentric AX
→ Distribute: Standard D365FO / Docentric AX
This means that Docentric AX can cover the complete Design → Generate → Process → Distribute lifecycle, or complement an existing SSRS or ER-CBD report with processing and distribution capabilities.
The Implementation Guide then continues from analysis into the actual implementation, covering areas such as template strategy, report data sources and extensions, document processing, Print management, distribution and testing.
From Business Document Requirements to Report Work Items
Microsoft's Azure DevOps model separates the Business Process Catalog tree, which describes the business processes, from the Deliverables tree, which organizes the concrete work required to implement and tailor the Dynamics 365 solution.
Microsoft provides the Deliverables model, Work Item Types, and predefined Deliverables, while the implementation team selects the relevant Deliverables and creates additional ones required for the customer's implementation project.
The Deliverables tree in Azure DevOps includes Work Item Types defined by Microsoft, such as Configuration, Report, Enhancement, Integration, and Testing. Learn more >>
The Work Item Type particularly relevant to Business Documents is Report Work Item.
For a Business Document, the analysis described above can therefore result in:
BPC business process (Business Process Catalog tree in Azure DevOps)
→ Business Document
→ Business Document requirements
→ Report Work Item (Deliverables tree in Azure DevOps)
The Report Work Item can then serve as the central implementation artifact and be linked to related work such as configuration, testing, security and documentation.
For example, after identifying Sales order confirmation within the Order to cash process, its Report Work Item can capture the implementation of the required report or template and connect it with related Print management configuration, additional data requirements, distribution and testing.
The BPC therefore tells us where the Business Document belongs in the business process, while the Report Work Item in the Deliverables tree provides a place to manage its implementation in the Dynamics 365 project.
In the following chapters, we use this approach to identify and examine Business Documents within Order to cash and Source to pay.
6. Business Documents in Order to Cash
Order to cash is one of the largest end-to-end processes in the Business Process Catalog and contains many steps where Business Documents are printed.
The following table shows several D365FO Business Documents mapped to the BPC hierarchy, from the Process Area down to the Test Case for the Order to cash End-to-End Process.
| Business Process Area | Business Process | Scenario | System Process | Test Case | Business Document |
| Manage sales orders | Enter sales orders | Create sales orders manually in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Confirm sales order | Confirm a sales order using one-click confirm | Sales order confirmation |
| Manage sales orders | Enter sales orders | Create sales orders manually in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Confirm sales order | Confirm a sales order using advanced confirm screen | Sales order confirmation |
| Manage sales orders | Enter sales orders | Create sales orders manually in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Confirm sales order | Confirm sales orders in a batch job | Sales order confirmation |
| Manage accounts receivable | Issue sales invoices | Invoice sales orders in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Invoice sales orders | Manually invoice a single sales order | Sales invoice* |
| Manage accounts receivable | Issue sales invoices | Invoice sales orders in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Invoice sales orders | Summary invoice multiple sales orders | Sales invoice |
| Manage accounts receivable | Issue sales invoices | Invoice sales orders in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Invoice sales orders | Mass invoice sales orders through a batch job | Sales invoice |
| Manage accounts receivable | Issue sales invoices | Invoice sales orders in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Invoice sales orders | Generate a proforma invoice for a sales order | Sales invoice (Proforma) |
| Manage accounts receivable | Issue sales invoices | Create and process free text invoices in Dynamics 365 Finance | Create and process free text invoices | Validate and process free text invoices | Free text invoice |
| Manage credit and collections | Monitor customer credit | Create collection letters in mass in Dynamics 365 Finance | Create collection letters in mass | Validate collection letters in mass | Collection letter note |
| Manage credit and collections | Collect interest | Create interest notes in mass in Dynamics 365 Finance | Create interest notes in mass | Validate interest notes in mass | Interest note |
| Manage credit and collections | Manage customer collections | Automatically process customer account statements in Dynamics 365 Finance | Manage Automatically process customer account statements | Validate automatically process customer account statements | Customer account statement |
* Sales Invoice and Customer Invoice are terms used in D365FO interchangeably.
The first five columns come directly from the BPC hierarchy for the Order to cash End-to-End Process:
Business Process Area → Business Process → Scenario → System Process → Test Case
We add the sixth Business Document column to show which document is printed as part of executing the corresponding business process.
For example, the BPC does not simply tell us that Sales order confirmation belongs to Order to cash. It shows that it belongs to Manage sales orders → Enter sales orders → Create sales orders manually, and that the Confirm sales order System Process can be executed through one-click confirmation, the advanced confirmation screen or a batch job.
The same is visible for Sales invoices. A single System Process, Invoice sales orders, contains different Test Cases for manually invoicing one sales order, summary invoicing multiple sales orders and mass invoicing through a batch job. These different ways of executing the process can all result in a Sales invoice business document.
The BPC therefore provides useful context for Business Document implementation:
Business process → System Process → Test Case → Business Document
Once the Business Document has been identified, we can apply the implementation approach from the previous chapter using the Docentric Implementation Guide:
Business Document → Requirements → Design → Generate → Process → Distribute
The same approach can be applied to Source to pay, where Business Documents such as Requests for quotation and Purchase order appear at different steps of the procurement process.
7. Business Documents in Source to Pay
Source to pay covers the procurement lifecycle, from sourcing suppliers and requesting quotations to purchasing goods and services, processing supplier invoices and settling supplier payments.
As in Order to cash, Business Documents are printed at specific steps of these business processes.
The following table shows several Business Documents mapped to the BPC hierarchy for the Source to pay End-to-End Process.
| Business Process Area | Business Process | Scenario | System Process | Test Case | Business Document |
| Source and contract goods and services | Issue requests for quotation | Manage sealed bids using Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Invite vendors and lock bids | Send sealed bid invitations | Request for quotation (RFQ) |
| Source and contract goods and services | Issue requests for quotation | Manage unsealed bids using Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Invite vendors and allow bid updates | Send unsealed bid invitations | Request for quotation (RFQ) |
| Procure goods and services | Issue purchase orders | Create purchase orders in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Confirm purchase order | Confirm a purchase order using one click confirm | Purchase order |
| Procure goods and services | Issue purchase orders | Create purchase orders in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Confirm purchase order | Confirm a purchase order using advanced confirm screen | Purchase order |
| Procure goods and services | Issue purchase orders | Create purchase orders in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Confirm purchase order | Confirm purchase orders in a batch job | Purchase order |
| Manage accounts payable | Issue and settle supplier payments | Manage supplier payments in Dynamics 365 Finance | Pay suppliers by check | Print and post checks | Check |
| Manage accounts payable | Manage promissory notes | Manage promissory notes in Dynamics 365 Finance | Print promissory note | Print promissory note | Promissory note |
In the above table, we add Business Document as a last column to identify which document is printed while executing the corresponding process in the Source to pay End-to-End Process.
For example, the BPC describes two different scenarios for Requests for quotation: sealed bids and unsealed bids. Both contain a step for sending the RFQ invitation to vendors. In D365FO, sending an RFQ generates an RFQ journal and report for each vendor, which can be printed, archived or emailed.
Purchase order provides another example:
Source to pay (End-To-End Process)
→ Procure goods and services (Business Process Area)
→ Issue purchase orders (Business Process)
→ Create purchase orders in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management (Scenario)
→ Confirm purchase order (System Process)
→ Confirm a purchase order using one click confirm (Test Case)
→ Print Purchase order (Business Document)
The BPC also defines Test Cases for confirming a Purchase order using the advanced confirmation screen or through a batch job. D365FO can print or send the purchase order confirmation after the purchase order is confirmed.
Business Documents also appear later in Source to pay. For example, under Manage accounts payable, the BPC explicitly contains Print and post checks and Print promissory note as Test Cases.
The same pattern that we saw in Order to cash therefore applies:
Business process → System Process → Test Case → Business Document
Once the Business Document has been identified, its implementation can be analyzed using the Docentric Implementation Guide:
Business Document → Requirements → Design → Generate → Process → Distribute
Together, Order to cash and Source to pay demonstrate how Business Documents are embedded in the D365FO business processes they support.
8. The Same Approach Applies to Other Business Processes
Order to cash and Source to pay contain many of the most commonly used Business Documents, but they are not the only end-to-end processes where Business Documents are printed.
The July 2026 Business Process Catalog contains document-related steps across other D365FO business processes as well. Some examples are shown below.
| End-to-End Process | Business Process Area | Business Process | Scenario | System Process | Test Case | Business Document |
| Inventory to deliver | Process inbound goods | Receive goods | Receive a purchase order in a warehouse in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Receive a purchase order | Post a product receipt from the purchase order form | Purchase order product receipt |
| Inventory to deliver | Process inbound goods | Receive goods | Receive a purchase order in a warehouse in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Receive a purchase order | Generate a proforma packing slip | Purchase order product receipt (Proforma) |
| Inventory to deliver | Process outbound goods | Pack goods | Manually generate packing slips in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Sales order packing slip | ||
| Inventory to deliver | Process outbound goods | Pack goods | Generate customer-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA) in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Customer-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA) | ||
| Inventory to deliver | Process outbound goods | Load goods for shipping | Generate bill of ladings for loaded goods in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Bill of lading | ||
| Prospect to quote | Estimate and quote sales | Define sales quotations | Manually create or edit sales quotations in Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management | Sales quotation | ||
| Project to profit | Manage project financials | Invoice project milestones | Invoice project milestones in Dynamics 365 Project Operations for manufacturing | Project invoice | ||
| Project to profit | Manage project financials | Invoice project transactions | Invoice project transactions in Dynamics 365 Project Operations for manufacturing | Project invoice |
Not every BPC branch is modeled to the same depth. Some scenarios continue to System Process and Test Case, while others stop at the Scenario level. Empty columns in the table therefore reflect the actual level of detail available in the BPC.
The first two examples show another interesting pattern. The same System Process, Receive a purchase order, contains Test Cases for both posting the actual document and generating its Proforma version:
Receive a purchase order
→ Post a product receipt from the purchase order form
→ Print Purchase order product receipt (Business Document)
or
Receive a purchase order
→ Generate a proforma packing slip
→ Print Proforma Purchase order product receipt (Business Document)
This is similar to the Proforma Customer invoice (Customer invoice = Sales invoice) example we saw in Order to cash and shows that Proforma documents can appear in different business processes.
The same approach can therefore be applied throughout the Business Process Catalog:
Business process → document-producing step → Business Document
The Business Process Catalog provides the business-process context. Once a Business Document has been identified, its implementation can be analyzed in terms of its report technology, data source, template, processing and distribution, as described in the Docentric Implementation Guide.
Microsoft Documentation
- Success by Design implementation framework
- What are the end-to-end scenarios and business processes in Dynamics 365?
- Introduction to the business process catalog for Dynamics 365 apps and services
- Business process documentation
- Download Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Process Catalog
See Also
Docentric Implementation Guide >>
Reusing Dynamics 365 BPC Across Azure DevOps Implementation Projects >>
The Role of Success by Design, Business Process Catalog and Azure DevOps in Dynamics 365 Implementations >>