Copy Master Data

Copy Master Data lets you duplicate master data records — including all their associated specification data — in a single, controlled operation. Rather than manually recreating a new item, customer, vendor, or job and then re-entering its specifications from scratch, you can copy an existing record, choose exactly what to carry over, and optionally apply a template to standardize fields on the new record. The result is a complete, ready-to-use record with its master data fully intact.

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Feature Overview

When a new master data record closely resembles one that already exists, rebuilding it from scratch wastes time and introduces the risk of inconsistency. Copy Master Data addresses this by providing a dedicated copy dialog for each master data type. You select the source record, decide whether to create a brand-new record or copy data into an existing one, and then choose which categories of data to transfer. The copy covers both the standard Business Central fields of the record and — optionally — all specification data managed in the app, including information values, free-text values, descriptions, language translations, extended texts, and attachments.

For items, the copy dialog extends further to cover related BC data such as units of measure, BC extended texts, purchase and sales prices, production BOMs, routings, assembly BOMs, and default dimensions. For lot numbers, multiple new lot number records can be created in a single operation by specifying a quantity to create, using a number series to generate sequential lot numbers automatically.

Administrators can further control copy behavior using the Copy Master Data Action setup, where per-specification rules override the user's dialog choices. A specification can be marked to always copy or always skip regardless of what the user selects — and it can even be redirected to a different Information Code or Information Value on the target record. This makes it possible to enforce data governance rules centrally without requiring users to remember special-case handling for individual specifications.

Typical Use Cases

As a product manager, I want to copy an existing finished good item to a new item number with the same production BOM, routing, and all product specifications pre-filled, so that I can create a product variant quickly and only update the fields that differ rather than building the new item from zero.
As a purchasing agent, I want to copy a vendor record to a new vendor when onboarding a subsidiary of an existing supplier, retaining all classification specifications and default dimensions, so that the new vendor is fully categorized from the moment it is created.
As a sales administrator, I want to copy a key account customer to a new customer for a sister company in the same group, including pricing information and all customer specification data, so that the new customer is immediately ready for order processing with consistent data.
As a quality manager overseeing lot traceability, I want to copy the specifications from one lot number to a batch of new lot numbers using a number series, so that all new lots created from the same production run start with the same quality classification data without manual entry for each one.
As a data steward, I want to configure the Copy Master Data Action rules so that when any item is copied, a specific internal classification specification is always reset to a blank default value regardless of what the source item carries, enforcing that new items are not inadvertently given an inherited status that requires separate approval.

Key Concepts

Copy Item / Copy Customer / Copy Vendor / Copy Job / Copy Lot No / Copy Serial No / Copy Package No — the dedicated copy actions available on the respective master data pages. Each opens a dialog tailored to that master data type, with options specific to its structure.
Create New [record] — a toggle in the copy dialog that controls whether the operation creates a brand-new record or copies specification data into an existing one. When creating a new record, you can supply a specific number or use a number series to generate one automatically.
Copy Master Data Information — the main switch in the copy dialog that enables copying of specifications managed in the app. When enabled, additional options become available to control which parts of the specification data are included.
Copy Information Values — copies the classification code assigned to each specification (the Information Value field).
Copy Values — copies the free-text or numeric value stored alongside the classification code (the Value field).
Copy Description — copies the description text of the information value (the Description field).
Copy Attachment — copies any file reference or attachment stored against a specification entry.
Copy Master Data Language — copies multilingual description data stored for each specification, preserving translations already set up on the source record.
Copy Extended Texts — copies the MDI extended text records associated with specifications on the source record.
Use [master data type] Template — an optional template selection that applies a Master Data Template to the new record after the copy. The template can set default values for standard Business Central fields on the new record, such as item type, costing method, or base unit of measure. The system automatically suggests the default template if one is marked as such.
Copy Default Dimensions — copies the general ledger dimension defaults from the source record to the new record.
Master Data Template — a named configuration of standard BC record fields and their default values, maintained in the Master Data Template Header and its lines. Templates go through a lifecycle of Under Development, Pending Approval, and Released; only released templates can be applied during a copy operation. Each master data type can have one template designated as the default.
Copy Master Data Action — a global rule table, accessible from the Master Data Information Setup, the Information Code List, and the Information Code Card, that defines how specific specification entries should behave during any copy operation. Each rule identifies a combination of Information Code, Information Value, and Value, and assigns an action: Always Insert (force the specification to be copied regardless of dialog settings), Always Skip (suppress the specification regardless of dialog settings), or a remapping to a New Information Code and New Information Value (replacing the source classification with a different one on the target record).
Create New Quantity (Lot No only) — specifies how many new lot number records to create in a single copy operation. When set to more than one, the system increments the starting lot number automatically or uses a number series to assign sequential numbers.

Relations to Other Features or Apps

Within the Master Data Information app, Copy Master Data works directly with the specification data model. The Copy Information Values, Copy Values, Copy Description, and related options correspond exactly to the data fields stored in information entries, meaning all specification types — regardless of how they are structured or which Information Codes they use — are included in the copy scope.

The Master Data Template used during a copy is the same template used by the Import Worksheet and other creation workflows. Standardizing on a single template ensures that newly created records — whether created from import, manual entry, or copying — consistently receive the same baseline field values.

The Copy Master Data Action rules apply globally across all copy operations, meaning they affect items, customers, vendors, lot numbers, serial numbers, package numbers, and jobs equally. Rules are maintained centrally and do not need to be configured per master data type unless the specification is unique to one type.

Within standard Business Central, the Copy Item, Copy Customer, Copy Vendor, and Copy Job with Master Data actions appear directly on the standard master data pages (card and list views), integrating the feature naturally into the familiar BC navigation without requiring users to go to a separate area.

When This Feature Adds Value

When your business regularly creates new items, customers, or vendors that are structurally similar to existing ones — such as product variants, regional customers, or subsidiary vendors — where rebuilding from scratch is repetitive and error-prone.
When specification data is dense or complex and re-entering it manually for every new record is impractical, making data consistency between similar records difficult to guarantee.
When you need to create multiple new lot or serial number records at the beginning of a production run, all carrying the same quality, handling, or compliance specifications as the originating lot.
When organizational change or business growth results in new entities — such as new company subsidiaries or new product lines — that should inherit existing classification data as a starting point, with only a small number of fields requiring adjustment.