FactBoxes are the side panels in Business Central that show related information – totals, links, attachments, and quick insights – based on the record you’re looking at.

Used well, they cut clicks and speed decisions. Used badly, they clutter pages and can hurt performance.

FactBoxes in Business Central: Meaning, Uses & Best Practice

The funny explanation

FactBoxes are the gossip column of Business Central. You click a customer and the sidebar starts whispering: “They owe you money. They’ve been buying the same thing for months. They’ve got three overdue invoices and a mysterious PDF called ‘FINAL_final_v7.pdf’.”

It’s like having a chatty accountant perched on your shoulder, handing you numbers you didn’t ask for… but occasionally saving you from doing something daft.

Add too many FactBoxes and your page becomes a messy fridge door: sticky notes, charts, totals, attachments, random history—everything except the thing you actually came to do.

Previous Glossary Term: Customer Pricing Groups

The proper explanation

In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, a FactBox is a panel (usually on the right-hand side of a page) that displays contextual information related to the current record. As you move between customers, vendors, items, or documents, the FactBoxes refresh to match what you’ve selected.

What FactBoxes typically show

FactBoxes are designed to provide quick context and reduce unnecessary navigation. Common examples include:

• Statistics (balances, sales totals, overdue amounts, quantities)

• Related records (orders, invoices, shipments, ledger entries)

• Attachments, notes and links tied to the record

• Charts or small insights (depending on the page and configuration)

In practical terms, FactBoxes are often implemented as “parts” (for example, CardPart or ListPart pages) embedded into a main page layout. That matters because it explains why some FactBoxes feel instant, while others can feel sluggish—what’s behind them varies.

FactBoxes vs FastTabs (don’t mix them up)

• FastTabs: the main sections where users view and edit fields (the core page).

• FactBoxes: supporting context shown alongside the page (the side panel).

If the main page is where work happens, FactBoxes are where checking and confirming happens.

How to use FactBoxes properly (best practice)

1. Use them for validation, not decoration
   A good FactBox answers questions like: Is this customer overdue? Are there open entries? Is there an attachment I need to check?
2. Keep the set small and role-relevant
   Finance users may need ledger and balance FactBoxes; Customer Service may need contacts and interactions. One layout does not fit all.
3. Treat “more FactBoxes” as a red flag
   Cramming the sidebar with everything creates noise. Users stop looking, which defeats the purpose.
4. Make drill-down the hero
   The best FactBoxes aren’t just “info”; they let you drill into related entries quickly and correctly.

Can FactBoxes hurt performance?

Yes, sometimes. The risk isn’t that FactBoxes exist; it’s that:

• You have too many visible at once, especially on list pages where users scroll quickly.

• A custom FactBox runs heavy calculations or pulls large sets of related data.

• Poor design causes repeated refresh work as users move between records.

If users complain “the page is slow”, the sidebar is a prime suspect, particularly if someone has customised it like a Christmas tree.

Can users customise or hide FactBoxes?

Often, yes:

• Users can typically toggle the FactBox pane on/off.

• They may be able to personalise pages to show/hide specific FactBoxes.

But: personalisation can be restricted by permissions or company policy, and some organisations standardise layouts for supportability.

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