Business process flow (BPF)
The staged progress-bar guidance pattern in Dynamics 365 model-driven apps — guides users through multi-step processes.
A business process flow (BPF) is the staged top-of-form progress bar in Dynamics 365 model-driven apps that guides users through a multi-step process — qualifying a lead through stages from Qualify → Develop → Propose → Close, for example. A BPF defines an ordered list of stages, each with steps (fields the user must complete). Required steps block stage transitions; optional steps prompt without blocking. BPFs can span multiple tables (lead → opportunity → quote), branch based on field values, and trigger automations on stage transitions through Power Automate. Best practice: three to seven stages, three to six steps each, with branching only where the process genuinely diverges.