Dynamics 365 Business Central Virtual Table with Dataverse (Custom Table)

In continuation to the previous post, where we have discussed how we can configure the Dynamics 365 Business Central Virtual table with Microsoft Dataverse from scratch, in this post, we will be walking through how we can extend and configure them for custom tables.

Prerequisite

1. Visual Studio Code.
2. Dynamics 365 Business Central Sandbox Environment.

VISUAL STUDIO CODE

Visual Studio Code is the primary code editor for the Dynamics 365 Business Central development. It allows us to write and debug the code in the AL language in which the extensions are written.

Installation

To install Visual Studio Code go to the page and download the current version for your platform.
After installation open Visual Studio Code and go to Extensions management and find the AL Language and Install it.

As you can see In my case It is already installed, It will take a few seconds to install.

ONLINE SANDBOX ENVIRONMENT

Below is my Dynamics 365 Business Central Sandbox Environment which we will use in this post.

First Step we need to create an AL project in visual studio code and connect to business central.

AL Project

To create a new project for Business Central open Visual Studio Code and then open Command Pallete. The key shortcut for that is Ctrl+Shift+P.

Then write al go You can also use the key shortcut Alt+A, Alt+L.

After specifying where the project should be stored, you will need to choose for which platform you are doing development. We will select the latest available platform.

The next step is to decide if your development environment will be an online sandbox or your own Docker container. If you would choose the online sandbox you will be prompt to log in to it.

In our scenario, we will select Microsoft Cloud Sandbox.

Our first application will create after this and it will contain bellow three files.

1. launch.json -This file describes where the development environment is placed.
2. app.jason – This file provides the most important information about the extension which you develop. You can find a name and a description of your extension, information about a publisher etc.
3. HelloWorld.al -This file is your first code. It simply shows the message when you open the customers list.

As a next step before connecting to the Bussiness Central sandbox environment, we have to download symbols.

Download Symbols

when you created a new project and open HelloWorld.al file, you have errors. One of them says
that the target page “Customer List” for the extension is not found. The reason you do not have symbols downloaded.

To download them you need to open Command Pallet (Ctrl+Shift+P) and run function AL: Download Symbols, Symbols can be found in the folder .alpackages.

If you are using Online Sandbox and running the function the first time, then you need to log in to your environment.

After the symbols will be downloaded, you should be able to see the app files in the .alpackages folder.

As a next step, you need to connect visual studio with your sandbox environment for this we need to write the below code in the launch.json file.

Once connected successfully, we will create New Table(s) and Page(s) in Business Central.

Below is the AL code for Car Brand Table, and Page that will be created in Business Central via Extension, used for Integration with Dataverse.

Car Brand Table

Car Brand Page

Car Brand Card Page

Car Brand List Page

Now when you publish this extension to business central the table and page will appear as shown below.

Navigate to tell me in business central and search for the car brand and it will give you a list of the car brands and administration page where you create your car brand data.

Administration Page

List Page

Most important to expose the Business central data/table to Datvaerse we need to create API in visual studio code below is the API code.

As a next step, publish the extension and wait for a few min you would see the Car Brand table in Available Business Central Table in Dataverse.

Open Available Business Central Table and navigate to Data, look for Car Brand.

Select the record and click on the edit record button in the command bar, it will redirect to a new page where check the visible field click on save and close.

After a few seconds in the list of Microsoft Dataverse tables, you will find a Car Brand entity with the name dyn365bc_carbrand_bctech_demo_v1_0. In this case, you will know that this entity is created from the Dynamics 365 Business Central list of entities.

Open CarBrand, and again navigate to Data, and Microsoft Dataverse will show you all lists of items from Dynamics 365 Business Central.

In this way, We have successfully fetched custom table data from business central to Dataverse using the Business central virtual table concept.

I hope this will help you.

Learn, Evolve & Share..!

Dynamics 365 Business Central Virtual Table with Dataverse

Recently, While doing a POC, I wanted to check the capabilities of storing business central data into Dataverse, while doing the same I came across an amazing feature developed by Microsoft which is Business Central Virtual Table which is in (Preview) mode currently.

In this blog post, I will show you how you can configure from scratch the Dynamics 365 Business Central Virtual table with Microsoft Dataverse.

Wait, before enabling this we need to integrate Dynamics 365 Business Central with Dataverse, click here to see how to integrate Business central with Dataverse.

Once Dynamics 365 business central is integrated successfully with Dataverse, The first step is to navigate to your Power Platform environment and then select Dynamics 365 Apps and click Open AppSource.

Next, we need to install the Business Central Virtual Table (Preview) app.

Click on the Get it now button you will be redirected to the Power Platform Admin Center, and a new pop-up will open.

Select your Power Platform environment for which you want to enable Business Central Virtual Table (Preview) app.

Check terms and conditions and click on install.

After a few minutes, refresh your browser and installation should be done, and Status will be Installed.

Now, navigate to Microsoft Dataverse tables filtered All in the upper right corner and search for the Business Central Virtual Data Source Configuration table.

Open Business Central Virtual Data Source Configuration table, navigate to Data, select Business Central, and click Edit record on the header.

A new tab will open, where we need you to provide Business Central information.

Specify the Environment Name and the Default Company click save and close.

Now, Navigate back to business central where we need to configure Azure Active Directory Applications. Search for the Azure Active Directory Applications from TellMe.

Open AADA & in the State field select Enabled.

Once this setup is completed, we need to enable virtual entities that will pull data to Microsoft Dataverse from Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Navigate to Microsoft Dataverse Tables and find the table called “Available Business Central Table”.

Open Available Business Central Table, navigate to Data, here you will get a list of all standard and custom entities.

To enable standard Dynamics 365 Business Central entity inside Microsoft Dataverse you should select one of the entities, for example, Item, and click Edit record.

It will redirect you to a new page, where you will see basic information about the Dynamics 365 Business Central entity. Here click Visible and after that Save & Close.

After a few seconds in the list of Microsoft Dataverse tables, you will find an Item entity with the name dyn365bc_item_v2_0. In this case, you will know that this entity is created from the Dynamics 365 Business Central list of entities.

Open Item, and again navigate to Data, and Microsoft Dataverse will show you all lists of items from Dynamics 365 Business Central. In case you don’t see all fields, change in the upper right corner view.

We have successfully fetched data from business central to Dataverse using the Business central virtual table concept.

Isn’t it cool..! 😎

Now, you all are thinking about custom tables, how we can fetch data from Business Central custom table to Dataverse.

I hope this will help you, Stay tuned will be discussing the custom table concept in my next blog.

Learn, Evolve & Share..!