Steve Endow's Business Central Podcast

• I Need Coffee - Episode 188 - Weekly BC Review!

  Show Notes: Episode 188 - I Need Coffee (Nov 7, 2025)1. Still Sick (Week 2)   - Persistent cold since Halloween → low energy, cancelled calls, mostly resting.2. Vibe-Coding / AI-Agent-Assisted AL Development   - Spent the previous weekend refining a full “Vibe Coding Benchmark” PRD for a hypothetical Support Plan / Contract Management app.   - Now consistently hitting **99 % correct code** from a single prompt + detailed Markdown PRD + PowerPoint wireframes.   - Tested **Cursor vs GitHub Copilot** head-to-head:     - Code quality essentially identical.     - Cursor wins on **UX, speed, and innovation** (rapid new features, smoother flow, no constant approval dialogs).     - Copilot feels “dialogue-fatigued” and exposes too much plumbing.   - Best practices he now recommends:     - Write PRD in **Markdown** (VS Code) → Git from day one.     - Use **PowerPoint** for quick wireframes (screenshots → docs folder).     - Explicitly define **launch.json**, **app.json**, **number series**, and **setup pages** — agents have no intuition here.3. Partner Dashboard (formerly Tenant Admin Dashboard)   - Actively building an in-BC app to centrally manage all customer environments:     - Auto-list prod environments, flag non-recommended update windows/next-version settings.     - Will use BC Admin API to bulk-fix update windows, dates, etc.   - Triggered by a painful incident: customer auto-scheduled to 27.0 instead of 26.5 → Tuesday morning chaos (PTEs uninstalled, users locked out).4. BC Update & Admin Center Nightmares   - New minimum 6-hour update window (can no longer do 2-hour windows).   - Restore-point quirks: can’t always roll back to just before an upgrade if inside the window.   - Email notification overload is untenable → partner dashboard is the solution.5. Funny / Annoying Stuff   - Windows File Explorer “Date” column is meaningless (random mix of created/modified) → caused PRD rollback disaster → another reason for Git.   - Got asked to be a “subcontractor” who pretends to work for the customer (use their email, timesheets, etc.) → hard pass.   - Competitor claiming they’ll migrate **30 years** of history → Steve: “Hand them the deal and grab popcorn.”   - New Business Central icon announced at Directions EMEA → RIP to the guy with the old BC logo sculpted into his office ceiling.   - “Set Applies-to ID” in cash receipt journal still applies the **full invoice amount** even when payment is smaller → change request submitted. 6. AI Agent Security / Shenanigans   - Prompt-injection exploits now being embedded invisibly in websites (Oreos & baseball example).   - Perplexity’s Comet agent shopping on Amazon → Amazon is suing them.7. Events & Travel   - Directions EMEA happening now (new icon + 2026 Wave 1 focus areas).   - DynamicsCon 2026 (Las Vegas, May 12-15) session submissions just opened (closes Dec 31).8. Berlin, El Salvador Team Updates   - Joselyn (joined June 2024, zero accounting background) now deep in complex financial reports & RDLC.   - David crushing report layouts & Simple Object Designer work.   - Ronald becoming the **Western Hemisphere’s #1 McCorma Super Check + Overflow Remittance guru**; prepping big demo.   - Franklin refining the partner dashboard (new beta released).   - Fatima finishing PMP prep (50+ hours study + 100+ practice questions).

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• I Need Coffee - Episode 187 - Weekly BC Review!

  Show Notes: Episode 187 - I Need Coffee (oct 31, 2025)1. Personal / Life Updates   - Persistent cold, late start, brewing coffee   - Rotated 18-month-old generator gasoline (10 gallons)   - Homemade “Zante bowls” (rice-beans-tofu bowls)   - Replaced/filled tiki torches for Halloween party   - Visited first ERP client/mentor (1996) who now has early Alzheimer’s2. Hardware & Power-Saving Obsession   - LA electricity prices insane (~33–55 ¢/kWh, bill up 63% in 4 yrs)   - Switched 24/7 servers to Lenovo M910Q Tiny PCs     - Ubuntu Server idle: 3.6–4.4 W (!)     - Windows 11 idle: 9–10 W   - Entire “data center” (3 servers + NAS) now <20 W3. Linux Desktop vs Windows Reality Check   - Tried Linux desktop again → quickly remembered why he doesn’t use it   - Deep Microsoft 365 ecosystem (Excel, Word, OneNote, Outlook, Teams, Snagit, etc.) simply doesn’t work well on Linux   - “You should use Linux” crowd ignores the “you” part (Lamborghini SVJ vs family minivan analogy)4. Open-Source Realities   - Comic about endless unpaid feature requests = open-source life   - Customer asked detailed security questions about 2012 closed-source GP ISV → ironic because open-source is now seen as higher risk by some auditors   - Attended Directions webinar on BC open-source apps → cool but maintenance is a thankless job5. Business & Project Updates   - Building multiple custom file-import solutions (sales/purchase invoices, bank deposits, AR apply)   - Customer on 15-year-old Dynamics GP10 waffling between upgrade vs BC   - Teaching Franklin about proper Statements of Work, scope, exclusions, change management   - Top practical PM practices he values: (1) crystal-clear scope, (2) budget tracking, (3) change management, (4) risk awareness (still figuring out how to formalize)6. Microsoft Outages & Azure Front Door   - Second major Azure Front Door global outage in a few weeks (90+ minutes for many BC tenants)   - Front Door is marketed as high-availability but itself becomes single point of failure7. AI & Development   - Cursor released Composer v1 (very fast frontier coding model)   - AI agent/MCP security nightmare is beginning (prompt injection, exfiltration, etc.)   - OnePassword adding “agentic autofill” with human-in-the-loop (scary but at least trying)   - Terminology chaos: agent vs persona vs MCP vs skill8. Upcoming Conferences & Travel   - Directions EMEA (Poland) next week   - Partner in Vibe Conference – Jan 28-30, 2026, South Padre Island (Steve is going)   - Directions NA – Apr 27-29, Orlando (call for speakers opens Nov 12)   - DynamicsCon May 12-15, Las Vegas9. El Salvador / Berlin Team Updates   - Helping huge multinational GP customer whose entire IT is in El Salvador   - Team bringing 500 ft Cat5e + rice cooker on next trip   - Ronald finished 70-hour “Berlin English Academy – Call Center” program with certificates & Halloween party10. Fun / Miscellaneous    - Windows 11 tiny taskbar icons “feature”    - Ridiculous BC admin job posting in Baton Rouge asking for one person to do 20 different senior roles    - Mechanical keyboard rabbit hole → hot-swappable custom boards (drooling over retro ThinkPad-style board)    - Family Halloween costumes & teenager’s party (Steve may be exiled from his own house)

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• I Need Coffee - Episode 186 - Weekly BC Review!

  Show Notes: Episode 186 - I Need Coffee (oct 24, 2025)1. Personal Updates- Sharpened knives while watching BC launch videos (Tinfister tip); engaging.- Storage comic: Floppy disks to 2TB micro SDs; consumer-grade unreliable.2. Professional/Technical Updates- AI/Engineering:  - Dave Farley video: DORA 2025 report; use engineering practices for AI chaos.  - Reading "Vibe Coding" by Kim/Yegge: AI coding success.  - Windgate blog: Trust consultants to vibe code with principles.- BC Projects:  - AL file import PTE (~30hrs): Single-page upload; beats config packages/Power Automate; sellable.  - McCormma overflow: 30 lines/check success; needs testing/demo.  - Partner Dashboard: Progress despite DevOps rename issues.  - BC v27: Learning features (page scripting, reports).  - Bulk delete invoices: Use Edit in Excel.- DevOps: Don’t rename Azure projects (breaks pipelines); Cosmo Apaca helps but rule-bound.- AWS Outage: DNS error downed US East-1; exposed redundancy myths; smart beds failed (16GB/day telemetry, GitHub fix).- Pi Hole: On Ubuntu (Lenovo ThinkCentre); GeoIP blocking; DNS config issues fixed.3. Cybersecurity- Reassess redundancy (Azure Front Door risks); Namecheap SSL renewal messy, good support.- Avoid smart homes; loose IoT on VLANs.4. Community/Events- El Coyolar Festival: $2K funded (Summit NA); toys/snacks for 150+ kids; 2026 sponsors open.- Events:  - Partner in Vibe: Jan 28–30, 2026, South Padre Island (partnerin.io/vibe).  - Directions NA: Apr 27–29, 2026, Orlando.  - DynamicsCon: May 12–15, 2026, Las Vegas.  - Dynamics Minds: May 25–27, 2026, Slovenia.  - Summit NA Road Shows: Dec 9 & 11, 2025, Houston/Ft. Lauderdale.- Vibe Sessions: Nearshore scaling, practice building, lawsuit avoidance, AI engineering.5. Other Notes- Keyboards: Filco Majestouch 3 Ninja + O-rings; Switch and Click YT; eyeing mechanicalkeyboards.com.- Linux: Testing Ubuntu; considering Omari (Arch); critiques theme obsession.- Video: Cort Guitars factory (Indonesia, 2M+ guitars/yr, 2,500 employees).- Team: Joselyn (reports), David (SOD/SOW), Ronald (v27/McCormma), Franklin (dashboard), Fatima (PMP/festival).6. Q&A/Closing- Vibe code AI? Learn BC v27; prep for outages.- Closing: Vibe code, break/learn, enjoy weekend.

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• I Need Coffee - Episode 185 - Weekly BC Review!

  Show Notes: Episode 185 - I Need Coffee (oct 17, 2025)1. Personal Updates- Woodworking: Built shelves/spice rack for El Salvador with pine and Festool Domino; will flat-pack and ship.- Desk Cleanup: Rare cleaning, noted by daughter.- Wi-Fi Angel: Bought humorous "Wi-Fi Angel" at Dollar Tree.2. Professional/Technical Updates- Business Central (BC):  - BC v27 Issues: "Average days to pay" field obsoleted; no clear upgrade path from v26.5. Avoid upgrading without testing.  - Number Series: Poor configurations (e.g., 5-digit limits) cause issues; recommends 7-8 digits, no ending number. Number Series Copilot ineffective.  - PTE Challenges: Hard to find PTE due to poor naming; suggests AI for repo scanning.  - BC Web API 2.0: Overnormalized API complicates image retrieval; custom API not viable.  - Report Customization: 10,000-series reports use temp tables, needing PTEs for custom fields.  - Invoice Cancel: AL procedure lacks payment checks, unlike UI; needs customer input.  - Tenant Admin Dashboard: Franklin’s pull request hit DevOps issues; fixes needed.  - BC v27 Features: Ronald’s curated feature doc for internal review.- Project Management:  - Saying No: Declined risky software project due to liability.  - Fatima: Training for PMI PMP, leading calls, organizing festival.  - Azure DevOps: Don’t rename projects (breaks VS Code/pipelines); migrate code instead.  - Cosmo Apaca: Automates DevOps setup for small teams.- AI/MCP:  - BC Telemetry Buddy: Waldo’s VS Code extension queries BC telemetry via MCP.  - BC Code Intelligence: Jeremy Visa’s 14-agent project for code optimization, security, upgrades. See Dynamics Corner Ep. 434.3. Cybersecurity- F5 Compromise: Hackers accessed systems for months, affecting 23,000 customers.- Cisco Flaw: SNMP exploit deploys rootkits; replace devices.- LastPass/Bitwarden Phishing: Fake alerts compromise systems; prefers OnePassword.- Sonic Wall: Testing Cloud Secure Edge for secure VPN overlay.4. Community/Events- El Coyolar Festival: Team shopping for toys in San Salvador for 150+ kids.- Events:  - Summit NA: Oct 20–23, 2025, Orlando  - BC Bash: Oct 21, 2025, Orlando  - Directions AMIA: Nov 4–6, 2025, Poland  - Summit NA Road Shows: Dec 9 & 11, 2025, Houston/Ft. Lauderdale  - Partner in Vibe: Jan 28–30, 2026, South Padre Island  - Directions NA: Apr 27–29, 2026, Orlando  - DynamicsCon: May 12–15, 2026, Las Vegas  - Dynamics Minds: May 25–27, 2026, Slovenia5. Other Notes- Manufactured Urgency: Criticized manipulative email urgency; sanitized requests.- Dynamics GP 18.8: Upgraded ISV solutions.- Starship 11: Praised SpaceX launch.- Global Operations Center: Planning clocks/dashboard for El Salvador BC support.- Team: Joselyn (reports), David (Simple Object Designer), Ronald (McCormma), Franklin (DevOps), Fatima (PMP/festival).6. Q&A/Closing- Focus: Learn number series, AI, MCPs.- Closing: Encouraged learning and “MCP all the things.”

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• I Need Coffee - Episode 184 - Weekly BC Review!

  Show Notes: Episode 184 - I Need Coffee (oct 10, 2025)1. busy week, time flies.2. Viewer Interaction:   - Encourages questions via X/Twitter, YouTube, Twitch.3. Trivia and Food Experience:   - Turkish delight from Locom in Santa Barbara: Chocolate-hazelnut (chewy, intensely sweet, one piece/month max); traditional red pistachio milder but very chewy, honey-based; education via Joselyn's recommendation.4. Weekend Activities:   - Road trip with wife to central California (winery region) for friend's R-rated adults-only wedding: Casual, comedians, balloon animals, caricature artist.   - Visited Hearst Castle: First time, highly recommended; ornate, managed by California State Parks; tour guides know every detail (e.g., light fixtures).   - Ongoing mild cold.5. Credit Card Lessons:   - Overcharges: Passenger Coffee subscription ($34.68 → $75.24 randomly, twice; credits issued, must monitor); Turkish delight ($6 → $9.60, possibly weighed vs. per piece; owner blamed POS, others reported issues).   - Annoying principle; now requires receipts for all transactions; hard to refute without proof.6. Work and Projects:   - Team Updates (ERP Center of Excellence, El Salvador):     - Joselyn: Report layouts; learned copy document for recurring purchase invoice lines; exploring service contract recurring billing.     - David: SOD updates; petrified of after-hours deployments (kicks users out, risks breaking); needs single-pager on implications, best practices; late nights (midnight/1 AM).     - Ronald: McCormma super check/overflow remittance; repetitive data prep/testing (10-50 invoices); internal demo/sell to Tanya/Alyssa; dogfooding for expertise.     - Franklin: Resuming tenant admin dashboard: One BC page for customer environments, apps, capacity, updates (API limits: no apps pull; avoids admin centers).     - Fatima: PMI PMP studying; runs daily 8 AM/2 PM Pacific team calls (plans/reviews); leads Doug user group (first in Latin America); El Coyolar Christmas (microbus to San Salvador for toy/food shopping next Friday).   - One-on-one team calls: 2 done, 2-3 left.   - McCormma: Luxury of 16-24 hours internal testing before customer offer.   - Azure tenants: Imagined setup; redid as independent for security (pros: isolation; cons: admin hassle); lacked documentation, concerning.   - Lawyering: Contract review, legal quotes ($1,200-$3,000 fixed, $175-$500/hour); disliked task.   7. Technical Challenges:   - SOD deployments: Eric working on sandbox scheduling; needs disciplined procedures for chaotic partners (e.g., Tanya).   - Recurring billing: Avoid if complex.   - Job queues: Unreliable, no notifications.8. Professional Development:   - Berlin team: Focus on medium/long-term goals vs. fire-fighting.9. Upcoming Events:   - Summit NA Road Shows: Houston Dec 9, Fort Lauderdale Dec 11 (year-end; none in Oct/Nov).10. Q&A and Headline:    - BC antics: Undiscovered features like copy document (17 menu levels deep).    - JP Morgan: Paid $115M legal bills for Charlie Javice (codefendant in $175M fraud); contract clause forced JP to cover defense; underscores due diligence.11. Weekend Plans:    - Modify app, finalize file import SOW, handle lawyer/contract review.12. Community and Collaboration:    - Shout

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