Business Central Tips: Running Reports Without the Request Page

 he Request Page plays a key role in how reports are executed, allowing end-users to apply filters, choose output options, and preview results. However, there are scenarios where skipping the request page is not just possible—but also preferred.

This blog explores the way and reasons for skipping the request page, and how it affects report behavior. 

Skipping the Request Page Using UseRequestPage = false

The most straightforward way to skip the request page is by setting the UseRequestPage property to false in the AL report definition.

report 50100 "My Custom Report"

{

    UseRequestPage = false;

    // Other report definitions

}

💡 What happens when it's skipped?

  • The request page won’t be shown.

  • Report executes immediately.

  • User cannot set filters or options at runtime.

  • Default filters set in AL code are used (if any).

  • Send to, Print, Preview, and Cancel buttons won’t appear.


🧠 Best Practices When Skipping Request Pages

If you choose to skip the request page:

✅ Predefine clear filters in AL code.

✅ Document the behavior for users or developers.

✅ Only skip when user interaction is unnecessary.

✅ Use it for technical or automated reports—not for ad-hoc user reports.


🔒 Risks and Limitations of Skipping the Request Page

While skipping the request page can be powerful, it comes with trade-offs:

❌ No runtime filtering: Users can't refine data manually.

❌ No output selection: Limited to predefined destinations.

❌ No easy cancel: Once started, users can't stop report execution as easily.

⚠️May cause confusion if users expect interactive options.


Thanks For Reading...!!


Regards,

Khushbu Rajvi

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