al-plan-documentation

name

al-plan-documentation

description

Documentation templates for AL development orchestration including implementation plans, phase completion reports, and project completion summaries. Use when creating multi-phase implementation plans, documenting phase deliverables, or generating final project summaries for Business Central AL extensions. Ensures consistent documentation across all orchestration workflows with AL-specific structure.

AL Plan Documentation

Overview

This skill provides standardized templates for documenting AL development orchestration workflows. It covers the full lifecycle from initial planning through phase completion to final project summary, with Business Central-specific structure and AL best practices built in.

When to Use

• Creating multi-phase implementation plans for AL features
• Documenting completed implementation phases with deliverables
• Generating final project completion summaries
• Ensuring consistent documentation structure across projects
• Tracking AL objects, event architecture, and performance patterns
• Maintaining audit trail of development decisions and progress

Instructions

Creating Implementation Plans

Use when starting a new multi-phase feature or enhancement.

Structure: See plan.template.md

Key Elements:

1. Plan Title: 2-10 words describing the feature
2. TL;DR: Brief what/how/why summary (1-3 sentences)
3. AL Context: Base objects, extension patterns, project structure, dependencies
4. Phases: 3-10 phases, each with:
   • Objective and AL objects to create/modify
   • Event architecture (subscribers/publishers)
   • Files and functions to change
   • AL patterns to apply (SetLoadFields, error handling, performance)
   • Implementation steps
5. Open Questions: Clarifying questions with options

Best Practices:

• Each phase should be incremental and self-contained
• Specify exact object types and IDs
• Document event-driven architecture patterns
• Reference file paths relative to src/ folder
• NO code blocks (describe changes instead)
• NO manual testing unless explicitly requested

Output File: .github/plans/<task-name>-plan.md (use kebab-case)

Documenting Phase Completion

Use after each implementation phase is reviewed and approved.

Structure: See phase-complete.template.md

Key Elements:

1. Phase Title: What was accomplished
2. TL;DR: Brief summary (1-3 sentences)
3. AL Objects Created/Modified: Specific IDs and names
4. Files Changed: Paths in src/ with descriptions
5. Functions Changed: Procedure names and event subscriber signatures
6. AL Patterns Applied: SetLoadFields, error handling, performance optimizations
7. Review Status: APPROVED or APPROVED with recommendations
8. Git Commit Message: Ready-to-use commit message

Best Practices:

• Document actual deliverables, not intentions
• Include specific AL object IDs
• Reference review outcomes
• Provide commit message for immediate use

Output File: .github/plans/<plan-name>-phase-<N>-complete.md (use kebab-case)

Documenting Project Completion

Use when all phases are complete and the feature is fully implemented.

Structure: See plan-complete.template.md

Key Elements:

1. Plan Title: Overall accomplishment
2. Summary: What was built and value delivered (2-4 sentences)
3. AL Extension Summary: Extension type, base objects, event architecture, project structure
4. Phases Completed: List of all completed phases
5. All AL Objects: Complete list of created/modified objects with IDs
6. All Files: Complete list of changed files
7. Key Functions: Important procedures and event subscribers
8. AL Performance & Quality: SetLoadFields usage, event-driven compliance, naming conventions, error handling
9. Recommendations: Optional next steps

Best Practices:

• Provide comprehensive summary of all work
• Validate AL quality metrics
• Document architectural decisions
• Suggest follow-up work if applicable

Output File: .github/plans/<plan-name>-complete.md (use kebab-case)

Resources

Templates

• plan.template.md - Implementation plan structure
• phase-complete.template.md - Phase completion report
• plan-complete.template.md - Project completion summary

Examples

• example-plan.md - Sample implementation plan
• example-phase-complete.md - Sample phase completion

AL-Specific Considerations

Event Architecture

Document all event subscribers and publishers:

• Event subscriber signatures with exact parameters
• Integration events published for extensibility
• Event-driven pattern compliance

Object Naming

Follow Business Central conventions:

• 26-character maximum for object names
• PascalCase for procedures and variables
• Descriptive names revealing intent

Performance Patterns

Track usage of AL performance best practices:

• SetLoadFields for optimized data loading
• Early filtering with SetRange/SetFilter
• Temporary tables for intermediate processing

Project Structure

All file paths relative to src/ folder:

• Organized by functional area
• Clear separation of concerns
• Consistent folder structure