bcquality/microsoft/knowledge/performance/hidden-flowfields-still-calculate-before-bc26-opt-in.md
Jesper Schulz-Wedde 2b5550c346
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Improve partner onboarding and documentation navigation (#174)
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Co-authored-by: Jesper Schulz-Wedde <jesper.schulzwedde@microsoft.com>
Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
2026-09-09 17:31:03 +02:00

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bc-version domain keywords technologies countries application-area
all
performance
flowfield
visible
page-control
calculate-only-visible-flowfields
feature-management
hidden-field
al
w1
all

Hidden page FlowFields still calculate unless visible-only calculation is enabled

Description

By default, a FlowField used directly as a page control's source is calculated when the page loads even when Visible = false or its visibility expression evaluates to false. The hidden control can therefore issue an aggregate query that no user sees. Business Central 26 introduced the Calculate only visible FlowFields feature-management option; only environments with that option enabled skip calculation for controls that are not visible.

Best Practice

On BC 26 and later, enable and verify the visible-only FlowField feature before relying on Visible to suppress calculation. When the target environment does not guarantee that option, avoid binding an expensive FlowField directly to a usually-hidden control: calculate it only in the branch that displays it and bind the page control to a variable. Do not flag a hidden FlowField when the v26 feature is known to be enabled or the FlowField is cheap and intentionally preloaded.

See sample: hidden-flowfields-still-calculate-before-bc26-opt-in.good.al.

Anti Pattern

Adding a costly Sum or Lookup FlowField to a page with Visible = SomeRareMode and assuming the hidden state prevents its query on all supported versions. The review signal is the direct FlowField source plus conditional or false visibility, not visibility alone.

See sample: hidden-flowfields-still-calculate-before-bc26-opt-in.bad.al.