Add ocumentation on 'if not Insert then Modify' best practices

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Stefan Sosic 2025-06-04 00:18:38 +02:00
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---
title: "if not Insert then Modify"
tags: ["AL","Performance"]
categories: ["Best Practice"]
---
_Created by SosicStefan, Described by SosicStefan_
## Introduction
When handling data insertion in Business Central, a common but inefficient pattern is attempting to insert a record and modifying it if the insert fails due to duplicate keys. This approach introduces unnecessary performance overhead and should be avoided.
{{% alert title="Note" color="info" %}}
This pattern is only good when used on singleton table. Read more about [Singleton Table](https://alguidelines.dev/docs/navpatterns/patterns/singleton/singleton-table/).
{{% /alert %}}
## Why Not Use 'If Not Insert Then Modify'?
Using the following structure:
```al
InitializeRecord(SomeRecord);
if not SomeRecord.Insert() then
SomeRecord.Modify();
```
Presents several issues:
- Prevents buffered inserts: This impacts performance as batch insert optimizations are lost.
- Generates unnecessary SQL errors: If a duplicate primary key exists, the failed insert raises an error, which Business Central must handle.
- Slower and less efficient: Handling SQL errors is far from an optimal way to check for record existence.
## Best Practice: Use IsEmpty
Instead of relying on insert failures, ensure the records uniqueness upfront using a number series or an incremental primary key. If the data comes from an external source where duplicates might exist, use IsEmpty to check for existence.
```AL
InitializeRecord(SomeRecord);
SomeRecord.SetRecFilter();
if SomeRecord.IsEmpty() then
SomeRecord.Insert()
else
SomeRecord.Modify();
```
## Why IsEmpty is Better
- No SQL errors: The check is done before attempting an insert.
- Performance improvement: Avoids unnecessary error handling and maintains buffered inserts.
- More readable and efficient: The intent is clear—checking existence before performing actions.
## Summary
Avoid using if not Insert then Modify. Instead, ensure record uniqueness upfront or use IsEmpty to check existence efficiently. This leads to better performance and cleaner code.