Customizing Acumatica: 5 Examples from No-Code to API Integration

No ERP solution fits perfectly right out of the box, but customizing Acumatica is incredibly flexible. Whether you’re looking for simple tweaks that don’t require coding or you need deep API integrations, Acumatica has got you covered.

Let me walk you through five practical examples that show just how adaptable this platform can be for your specific business needs.

Before jumping into examples, it helps to understand what tools we’re working with. Acumatica gives us two main approaches:

For the non-developers among us (Low Code/No Code):

• Generic inquiries
• Import/export scenarios
• Reports and dashboards
• Business events
• Site maps and user-defined fields
• Actions, fields, and workflows

For the tech-savvy folks (Programming Options):

• ASPX pages
• Business logic controllers
• Data access classes
• Database objects
• Code libraries

What’s great about this is that your business users and technical team can work together—business folks can handle visual designer tools while developers can dive into Visual Studio when needed.

1. Adding a Menu Option to Print BOL (No Coding Required!)

Let’s say your shipping department needs quick access to Bill of Lading (BOL) documents. You can add this feature without writing a single line of code!

Here’s how:

1. Set up the attributes and user-defined fields you need
2. Create your custom report with the Report Designer
3. Add the report to your Site Map
4. Add the menu option to the Shipment screen

What’s happening behind the scenes is that Acumatica’s Actions feature lets you add menu picks and side panels to existing screens. The system passes the key fields as parameters, and you can control who sees what based on user rights and conditions. Super handy for making your shipping process smoother!

2. Smart Forms That Adapt Based on What You Enter (No Code)

Don’t you hate seeing a form cluttered with irrelevant fields? With Acumatica, you can control which fields show up, which ones are required, and which ones are disabled—all based on what the user has already entered.

For instance, when someone selects “LOCAL” for shipping, you could automatically show fields like “Tare Weight” and “Skids” that aren’t relevant for other shipping methods. It’s like having a form that thinks along with your users!

You can chain conditions together for more complex logic, and all of this happens without writing a single line of code.

3. Keeping Your Legacy Data Without the Headaches (Low Code)

Switching from an old system? You don’t have to leave your historical data behind or keep your old system running just for archives.

With a bit of low-code work, you can:

1. Define a Data Access Class (DAC) for your legacy data
2. Import everything from Excel using an import scenario
3. Use that data for inquiries, side panels, and reports

This way, your team can still access historical sales data or other important information without hopping between systems.

4. Creating a Custom PTO Request System (Low Code)

HR processes like time-off requests often need to match your specific company policies. Instead of using a separate system, why not build it right into Acumatica?

With some low-code effort, you can:

1. Create a custom table (DAC) for PTO requests
2. Design a screen and workflow for the approval process
3. Build a dashboard so everyone can see what’s happening

Your workflow can include multiple states like “On Hold,” “Pending Manager Approval,” “Pending HR Approval,” “Rejected,” and “Approved.” This ensures requests follow your company’s approval hierarchy while giving everyone visibility into where things stand.

5. Bulk File Uploading with PS AcuFile (API Example)

Sometimes you need something more advanced. That’s where tools like PS AcuFile come in (developed by Parallel Solutions). This utility lets you bulk upload files to any entity in Acumatica—think stock items, sales orders, customers, you name it.

It uses the Acumatica API for secure, reliable file transfers and comes with both a command-line interface (perfect for scheduled background tasks) and a user-friendly interface for selecting entities and endpoints.

It’s a great example of how the API can be leveraged to add functionality that makes your team’s life easier.

Things to Know Before Starting Acumatica Customization

A few things to keep in mind before you dive in:

• The customizer role is powerful—be careful who gets it, as changes affect everyone
• Some customizations apply across all tenants in multi-tenant setups
• Do yourself a favor and complete relevant Acumatica training or talk to experts like Parallel Solutions before making big changes
• Applying customization projects restarts the website, so schedule these during off-hours
• Most low-code/no-code customizations survive version upgrades smoothly, but always test critical ones in a sandbox first

Want to Learn More?

Acumatica’s Open University (http://openuni.acumatica.com/courses) has tons of resources, including:

For Low Code/No Code Approaches:

• F350 Analytical Reports
• I100 Integration Scenarios

For Programming:

• T190 Quick Start in Customization

For Integration Development:

• I300 Data Retrieval with OData

Getting Started

The beauty of Acumatica is that you can start small with no-code tweaks and gradually tackle more complex customizations as your team builds expertise. From simple menu additions to sophisticated approval workflows and external integrations, you can make Acumatica truly yours while keeping it maintainable and upgrade friendly.

My advice? Start with the easy wins—those no-code customizations that give you immediate value. Then, as your confidence grows, explore the more advanced capabilities. And always remember to test in a sandbox before making changes to your production system!

Ready to make the leap with customizing Acumatica to fit your needs? I’d love to hear from you and help you succeed with this! Contact me.