bcquality/microsoft/knowledge/ui/use-grid-data-table-pattern-consistently.md

bc-version	domain	keywords	technologies	countries	application-area
all	ui	grid fixed showcaption accessibility table-semantics	al	w1	all

Use the grid data-table pattern consistently

Description

Business Central grid and fixed layouts render either as data tables or layout tables based on a structural heuristic. A data table requires all direct children to be groups, every group child to be a field, and all fields to have ShowCaption = false. If the structure fails that heuristic, the client renders a layout table; hidden captions on editable fields then remove the only accessible labels.

Best Practice

Use one pattern consistently. For a data-table grid, make every direct child a group and every field ShowCaption = false. For a layout grid, keep captions visible on editable or tabular fields and hide captions only on standalone non-editable content where the missing label is not a form-field problem.

See sample: use-grid-data-table-pattern-consistently.good.al.

Anti Pattern

Mixing the patterns: one loose field, nested group, or visible field caption prevents data-table rendering, while other editable fields still hide captions. The result looks like a table visually but has layout-table semantics and missing labels for assistive technology.

See sample: use-grid-data-table-pattern-consistently.bad.al.