Study guide for Exam MB-500: Microsoft Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Developer

Purpose of this document

This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.

Useful links Description
Review the skills measured as of December 27, 2023 This list represents the skills measured AFTER the date provided. Study this list if you plan to take the exam AFTER that date.
Review the skills measured prior to December 27, 2023 Study this list of skills if you take your exam PRIOR to the date provided.
Change log You can go directly to the change log if you want to see the changes that will be made on the date provided.
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Updates to the exam

Our exams are updated periodically to reflect skills that are required to perform a role. We have included two versions of the Skills Measured objectives depending on when you are taking the exam.

We always update the English language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated. While Microsoft makes every effort to update localized versions as noted, there may be times when the localized versions of an exam are not updated on this schedule. Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete the exam.

Note

The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.

Note

Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on Preview features if those features are commonly used.

Skills measured as of December 27, 2023

Audience profile

As a candidate for this exam, you’re a developer who works with finance and operations apps in Microsoft Dynamics 365 to implement and extend applications that meet the requirements of a business. You provide fully realized solutions by using:

  • Standardized application coding patterns

  • Extensible features

  • External integrations

As a candidate for this exam, you do the following:

  • Develop business logic by using X++.

  • Create and modify finance and operations app reports and workspaces.

  • Customize the UI.

  • Provide endpoints and APIs to support Microsoft Power Platform apps and external systems.

  • Perform testing.

  • Monitor performance.

  • Analyze and manipulate data.

You also create technical designs and implementation details, and implement permission policies and security requirements.

You should have a deep knowledge and experience using the underlying framework, data structures, and objects associated with the finance and operations solutions.

You should have experience with products and services that include Microsoft Visual Studio, Azure, Power Apps, Power Automate, Azure DevOps, Lifecycle Services tools, Postman, GitHub, Microsoft 365, reporting tools [for example, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Power BI], and SQL Server Management Studio.

Skills at a glance

  • Plan the architecture and solution design (5–10%)

  • Apply developer tools (5–10%)

  • Design and develop AOT elements (15–20%)

  • Develop and test code (20–25%)

  • Implement reporting (10–15%)

  • Integrate and manage data solutions (15–20%)

  • Implement security and optimize performance (5–10%)

Plan the architecture and solution design (5–10%)

Identify the major components of finance and operations apps

  • Identify finance and operations app modules required for a solution based on business requirements

  • Identify architectural differences between the cloud and on-premises versions of finance and operations apps

  • Identify components of the application stack

  • Differentiate the purposes and interrelationships between packages, projects, models, and elements

Design and implement a UI

  • Describe the finance and operations UI layouts and components

  • Design workspaces

  • Design and personalize UI elements including forms and saved views

  • Define navigation elements including menus and menu items

  • Configure filtering and sorting options

Implement application lifecycle management (ALM) and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Lifecycle Services

  • Describe the capabilities of the Environment Monitoring Tool within Lifecycle Services

  • Select the purpose and appropriate uses of Lifecycle Services tools and components

  • Research and resolve issues by using Issue Search

  • Identify activities that require asset libraries

  • Prepare deployment packages and deploy packages between environments

Apply developer tools (5–10%)

Customize finance and operations apps by using Visual Studio

  • Create extension models

  • Design and build projects

  • Manage metadata using Application Explorer

  • Synchronize data dictionary changes with the application database

  • Create elements by using element designers

  • Perform debugging activities

Manage source code and artifacts by using Microsoft Azure DevOps version control

  • Create, check out, and check in code and artifacts

  • Branch and merge code

  • Compare code and resolve version conflicts

Design and develop AOT elements (15–20%)

Create and extend UI elements

  • Add a new form to a project and apply a pattern (template)

  • Configure a data source for the form

  • Add a grid and grid fields, groups, and other controls to a form

  • Create and extend menus and menu items

  • Test form functionality and data connections

  • Add a form extension to a project for selected standard forms

  • Create and use label files

Create and extend the data model

  • Create and extend tables

  • Add table fields and field properties to a table

  • Add field groups, relations, delete actions, methods, and indices

  • Create and extend views, queries, and maps

Create Extended Data Types (EDTs) and enumerations

  • Add an EDT to a project and populate EDT properties

  • Add an enumeration to a project

  • Add or update enumeration elements and enumeration element properties

  • Add an extension of EDTs and enumerations

Create classes and extend AOT elements

  • Add a new class to a project

  • Create a new class extension and add new methods

  • Add event handler methods to a class

  • Add attributes to a class

Develop and test code (20–25%)

Develop X++ code

  • Identify and implement base types and operators

  • Implement common structured programming constructs of X++

  • Create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) data

  • Identify and implement global functions in X++

  • Implement table and form methods

Develop object-oriented code

  • Implement X++ variable scoping

  • Implement inheritance and abstraction concept

  • Implement query objects and the QueryBuilder class

  • Implement attribute classes

  • Implement Chain of Command (CoC) and wrapper classes

  • Implement event handler classes and delegates

Implement finance and operations app framework functionality

  • Implement the SysOperation framework

  • Implement the workflow framework

  • Implement the batch framework

  • Implement the SysExtensionSerializer

Perform testing

  • Implement the Regression suite automation tool (RSAT)

  • Perform unit/component testing using SysTest framework and Task recorder

  • Perform testing using Acceptance Test Library (ATL) tool

Implement reporting (10–15%)

Describe the capabilities and limitations of reporting tools in finance and operations apps

  • Create and modify report data sources and supporting classes

  • Implement reporting security requirements

  • Describe the report publishing process

  • Describe the differences between using Entity store and Bring your own database (BYOD) or Azure Data Lake as reporting data stores

Design, create, and revise Dynamics 365 reports

  • Create and modify reports in finance and operations apps that use SSRS

  • Create and modify finance and operations apps reports by using Power BI

  • Create and modify finance and operations apps reports by using Microsoft Excel

  • Implement Business document management

Design, create, and revise Dynamics 365 workspaces

  • Design and implement key performance indicators (KPIs)

  • Create drill-through workspace elements

  • Implement built-in charts, Power BI embedded visualizations, aggregate measurements, aggregate dimensions, and other reporting components

Integrate and manage data solutions (15–20%)

Identify data integration patterns and scenarios

  • Identify data integration patterns

  • Select an appropriate data integration API

  • Identify differences between synchronous and asynchronous patterns

Implement data integration concepts and solutions

  • Develop a data entity by using Visual Studio

  • Develop, import, and export composite and aggregate data entities.

  • Consume external web services by using RESTful APIs and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)

  • Implement electronic reporting

  • Implement custom services and Batch OData API

Implement data management

  • Import and export data using entities between finance and operations apps and other systems

  • Monitor the status and availability of entities

  • Enable change tracking for entities

  • Set up a data project and recurring data jobs

  • Design entity sequencing

  • Generate field mapping between source and target data structures

  • Develop data transformations

Integrate with Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft 365, and Azure

  • Integrate Power Automate and Power Apps with finance and operations apps

  • Integrate Microsoft Dataverse with finance and operations apps by using dual-write

  • Integrate Microsoft Dataverse with finance and operations apps by using virtual entities

  • Integrate finance and operations apps with Microsoft Excel by using OData

  • Implement business events

Implement security and optimize performance (5–10%)

Implement security policies and requirements

  • Create or modify duties, privileges, permissions, and roles

  • Enforce permissions policies

  • Implement Extensible Data Security (XDS) policies

  • Enforce Microsoft Entra ID authentication

Apply fundamental performance optimization techniques

  • Identify and apply caching mechanisms for forms and tables

  • Implement the global cache and singleton

  • Create or modify temporary tables for optimization purposes

  • Determine when to use set-based queries and row-based queries

  • Modify queries to optimize performance

  • Modify variable scope to optimize performance

  • Analyze and optimize concurrency

Optimize performance

  • Capture traces by using TraceParser and analyze traces

  • Diagnose and optimize client performance by using browser-based tools

  • Diagnose and optimize client performance by using Performance Timer

  • Optimize performance for data entities, data source queries, batch processes, and reports

  • Implement Async and Sandbox framework

Study resources

We recommend that you train and get hands-on experience before you take the exam. We offer self-study options and classroom training as well as links to documentation, community sites, and videos.

Study resources Links to learning and documentation
Get trained Choose from self-paced learning paths and modules or take an instructor-led course
Find documentation Dynamics 365 documentation and learning modules
Finance home page
Ask a question Microsoft Q&A | Microsoft Docs
Get community support Microsoft Dynamics Community
Follow Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn - Microsoft Tech Community
Find a video Exam Readiness Zone

Change log

Key to understanding the table: The topic groups (also known as functional groups) are in bold typeface followed by the objectives within each group. The table is a comparison between the two versions of the exam skills measured and the third column describes the extent of the changes.

Skill area prior to December 27, 2023 Skill area as of December 27, 2023 Change
Audience Profile No change
Plan the architecture and solution design Plan the architecture and solution design No % change
Identify the major components of Dynamics 365 finance and operations apps Identify the major components of finance and operations apps Minor
Design and implement a UI Design and implement a UI No change
Implement application lifecycle management (ALM) and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Lifecycle Services Implement application lifecycle management (ALM) and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Lifecycle Services No change
Apply developer tools Apply developer tools No % change
Customize finance and operations apps by using Visual Studio Customize finance and operations apps by using Visual Studio No change
Manage source code and artifacts by using Microsoft Azure DevOps version control Manage source code and artifacts by using Microsoft Azure DevOps version control No change
Design and develop AOT elements Design and develop AOT elements No % change
Create and extend UI elements Create and extend UI elements Minor
Create and extend the data model Create and extend the data model No change
Create Extended Data Types (EDT) and enumerations Create Extended Data Types (EDTs) and enumerations Minor
Create classes and extend AOT elements Create classes and extend AOT elements No change
Develop and test code Develop and test code No % change
Develop X++ code Develop X++ code No change
Develop object-oriented code Develop object-oriented code Minor
Implement finance and operations app framework functionality Implement finance and operations app framework functionality No change
Perform testing Perform testing No change
Implement reporting Implement reporting No % change
Describe the capabilities and limitations of reporting tools in finance and operations apps Describe the capabilities and limitations of reporting tools in finance and operations apps No change
Design, create, and revise Dynamics 365 reports Design, create, and revise Dynamics 365 reports No change
Design, create, and revise Dynamics 365 workspaces Design, create, and revise Dynamics 365 workspaces No change
Integrate and manage data solutions Integrate and manage data solutions No % change
Identify data integration patterns and scenarios Identify data integration patterns and scenarios Minor
Implement data integration concepts and solutions Implement data integration concepts and solutions No change
Implement data management Implement data management No change
Integrate with Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft 365, and Azure Integrate with Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft 365, and Azure No change
Implement security and optimize performance Implement security and optimize performance No % change
Implement security policies and requirements Implement security policies and requirements No change
Apply fundamental performance optimization techniques Apply fundamental performance optimization techniques No change
Optimize performance Optimize performance No change

Skills measured prior to December 27, 2023

Audience profile

As a candidate for this exam, you’re a developer who works with finance and operations apps in Microsoft Dynamics 365 to implement and extend applications that meet the requirements of a business. You provide fully realized solutions by using:

  • Standardized application coding patterns

  • Extensible features

  • External integrations

As a candidate for this exam, you do the following:

  • Develop business logic by using X++.

  • Create and modify finance and operations app reports and workspaces.

  • Customize the UI.

  • Provide endpoints and APIs to support Microsoft Power Platform apps and external systems.

  • Perform testing.

  • Monitor performance.

  • Analyze and manipulate data.

You also create technical designs and implementation details, and implement permission policies and security requirements.

You should have a deep knowledge and experience using the underlying framework, data structures, and objects associated with the finance and operations solutions.

You should have experience with products and services that include Microsoft Visual Studio, Azure, Power Apps, Power Automate, Azure DevOps, Lifecycle Services tools, Postman, GitHub, Microsoft 365, reporting tools [for example, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Power BI], and SQL Server Management Studio.

Skills at a glance

  • Plan the architecture and solution design (5–10%)

  • Apply developer tools (5–10%)

  • Design and develop AOT elements (15–20%)

  • Develop and test code (20–25%)

  • Implement reporting (10–15%)

  • Integrate and manage data solutions (15–20%)

  • Implement security and optimize performance (5–10%)

Plan the architecture and solution design (5–10%)

Identify the major components of Dynamics 365 finance and operations apps

  • Identify finance and operations app modules required for a solution based on business requirements

  • Identify architectural differences between the cloud and on-premises versions of finance and operations apps

  • Identify components of the application stack

  • Differentiate the purposes and interrelationships between packages, projects, models, and elements

Design and implement a UI

  • Describe the finance and operations UI layouts and components

  • Design workspaces

  • Design and personalize UI elements including forms and saved views

  • Define navigation elements including menus and menu items

  • Configure filtering and sorting options

Implement application lifecycle management (ALM) and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Lifecycle Services

  • Describe the capabilities of the Environment Monitoring Tool within Lifecycle Services

  • Select the purpose and appropriate uses of Lifecycle Services tools and components

  • Research and resolve issues by using Issue Search

  • Identify activities that require asset libraries

  • Prepare deployment packages and deploy packages between environments

Apply developer tools (5–10%)

Customize finance and operations apps by using Visual Studio

  • Create extension models

  • Design and build projects

  • Manage metadata using Application Explorer

  • Synchronize data dictionary changes with the application database

  • Create elements by using element designers

  • Perform debugging activities

Manage source code and artifacts by using Microsoft Azure DevOps version control

  • Create, check out, and check in code and artifacts

  • Branch and merge code

  • Compare code and resolve version conflicts

Design and develop AOT elements (15–20%)

Create and extend UI elements

  • Add a new form to a project and apply a pattern (template)

  • Configure a data source for the form

  • Add a grid and grid fields, groups, and other controls to a form

  • Create and extend menu and menu items

  • Test form functionality and data connections

  • Add a form extension to a project for selected standard forms

  • Create and use label files

Create and extend the data model

  • Create and extend tables

  • Add table fields and field properties to a table

  • Add field groups, relations, delete actions, methods, and indices

  • Create and extend views, queries, and maps

Create Extended Data Types (EDT) and enumerations

  • Add an EDT to a project and populate EDT properties

  • Add an enumeration to a project

  • Add or update enumeration elements and enumeration element properties

  • Add an extension of EDT and enumerations

Create classes and extend AOT elements

  • Add a new class to a project

  • Create a new class extension and add new methods

  • Add event handler methods to a class

  • Add attributes to a class

Develop and test code (20–25%)

Develop X++ code

  • Identify and implement base types and operators

  • Implement common structured programming constructs of X++

  • Create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) data

  • Identify and implement global functions in X++

  • Implement table and form methods

Develop object-oriented code

  • Implement X++ variable scoping

  • Implement inheritance and abstraction concept

  • Implement query objects and the QueryBuilder class

  • Implement attribute classes

  • Implement chain of command and wrapper classes

  • Implement event handler class and delegates

Implement finance and operations app framework functionality

  • Implement the SysOperation framework

  • Implement the workflow framework

  • Implement the batch framework

  • Implement the SysExtensionSerializer

Perform testing

  • Implement the Regression suite automation tool (RSAT)

  • Perform unit/component testing using SysTest framework and Task recorder

  • Perform testing using Acceptance Test Library (ATL) tool

Implement reporting (10–15%)

Describe the capabilities and limitations of reporting tools in finance and operations apps

  • Create and modify report data sources and supporting classes

  • Implement reporting security requirements

  • Describe the report publishing process

  • Describe the differences between using Entity store and Bring your own database (BYOD) or Azure Data Lake as reporting data stores

Design, create, and revise Dynamics 365 reports

  • Create and modify reports in finance and operations apps that use SSRS

  • Create and modify finance and operations apps reports by using Power BI

  • Create and modify finance and operations apps reports by using Microsoft Excel

  • Implement Business document management

Design, create, and revise Dynamics 365 workspaces

  • Design and implement key performance indicators (KPIs)

  • Create drill-through workspace elements

  • Implement built-in charts, Power BI embedded visualizations, aggregate measurements, aggregate dimensions, and other reporting components

Integrate and manage data solutions (15–20%)

Identify data integration patterns and scenarios

  • Identify data integration patterns

  • Select an appropriate data integration API

  • Identify differences between synchronous versus asynchronous patterns

Implement data integration concepts and solutions

  • Develop a data entity by using Visual Studio

  • Develop, import, and export composite and aggregate data entities

  • Consume external web services by using RESTful APIs and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)

  • Implement electronic reporting

  • Implement custom services and Batch OData API

Implement data management

  • Import and export data using entities between finance and operations apps and other systems

  • Monitor the status and availability of entities

  • Enable change tracking for entities

  • Set up a data project and recurring data jobs

  • Design entity sequencing

  • Generate field mapping between source and target data structures

  • Develop data transformations

Integrate with Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft 365, and Azure

  • Integrate Power Automate and Power Apps with finance and operations apps

  • Integrate Microsoft Dataverse with finance and operations apps by using dual-write

  • Integrate Microsoft Dataverse with finance and operations apps by using virtual entities

  • Integrate finance and operations apps with Microsoft Excel by using OData

  • Implement business events

Implement security and optimize performance (5–10%)

Implement security policies and requirements

  • Create or modify duties, privileges, permissions, and roles

  • Enforce permissions policies

  • Implement Extensible Data Security (XDS) policies

  • Enforce Microsoft Entra ID authentication

Apply fundamental performance optimization techniques

  • Identify and apply caching mechanisms for forms and tables

  • Implement the global cache and singleton

  • Create or modify temporary tables for optimization purposes

  • Determine when to use set-based queries and row-based queries

  • Modify queries to optimize performance

  • Modify variable scope to optimize performance

  • Analyze and optimize concurrency

Optimize performance

  • Capture traces by using TraceParser and analyze traces

  • Diagnose and optimize client performance by using browser-based tools

  • Diagnose and optimize client performance by using Performance Timer

  • Optimize performance for data entities, data source queries, batch processes, and reports

  • Implement Async and Sandbox framework