June 16, 2021
Business Central features dozens of pre-built connectors. Each one enables you to connect your business accounts where you can then utilize triggers and actions to build customized workflows and applications. However, should you want to bring in certain services, systems, records, or APIs that don’t have an existing connector, you may need to create one yourself.
To get started creating a custom connector, you’ll first need to create a name, base path, and base API address. When you’re connecting to Business Central, the OAuth2 will utilize Azure AD, which means you’ll need to register your application within the Azure AD tenant.
Next, you’ll want to add the necessary permissions to access the Business Central API. It’s during this step that you’ll specify what actions or triggers you want your custom connector to perform.
Your specific request, whether that’s for an environment, company, entity, etc, will then be inputted. Next, you’ll then input your URL and choose a specific path and query. Once the action is created, you can test the performance by copying a response, such as: List records > environment path > swagger editor > choose list. This response will trigger the connector to retrieve a specific table from anywhere within Business Central.
That’s it! You’ve created a custom Business Central connector that will enable you to view information or data more quickly, improving your overall business performance.
View ERP Data in Real-Time.
To further illustrate the power of custom Business Central connectors, we’ll walk you through an example of viewing invoice data before it’s processed. In this scenario, we’ll show you how to create a Business Central connector that allows you to bring in data from your ERP system in real-time by embedding the Canvas app into the model-driven app.
First, you’ll start with model-driven form integration. Here, you’ll customize exactly what type of data you want the application to pull from Business Central. It’s important to remember that the pre-existing OOTB connector for Business Central does not support delegation, which is why you’ll want to integrate Business Central to Dataverse. This enables you to view data in nearly real-time with write-back options available.
Next, you’ll want to utilize Business Central virtual entities. This feature enables you to pull data in real-time from Dataverse tables, something you’re unable to do with the model-driven application.
Finally, you’ll expose a web service for an entity in Business Central. Once this is done, the Odata will then begin making calls against that particular web service. The table that’s created will then list all the information that was called on, enabling you to see data in real-time, decreasing your decision-making time.
Unlock the Benefits of Custom Connectors with JourneyTEAM
While Business Central’s pre-existing connectors enable you to extend its functionality across many platforms and applications, custom connectors allow you to extend that power even further. Whether you’re looking to automate processes, reduce costs, eliminate data errors, increase employee productivity, or enjoy robust data reporting capabilities, a custom connector may be your starting point.
For a step by step, see the article: Building a Custom Business Central Connector
For any additional questions, please contact Journeyteam at (801) 565-9199.
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