Dynamics 365 Business Central brings finance, ERP and operations into one system. Its standard features cover many business needs, but some businesses have requirements that go beyond what is available within the platform.

The Power Platform offers a way to extend Dynamics 365 Business Central within the Microsoft technology stack. Businesses can use it to automate document workflows, build reports and give field workers mobile solutions. This article looks at the integration options and where they can be useful.

How the Power Platform connects to Business Central

The right approach depends on what you need to do with Business Central data. Common options include connectors, Dataverse virtual tables and tools available within the Business Central interface.

  1. Business Central connector: Connect Power Apps and Power Automate to Business Central records, such as customers, vendors, items and sales orders. Custom API pages can support requirements that standard endpoints do not cover.
  2. Dataverse virtual tables: Make Business Central data available through Dataverse without copying it into Dataverse storage. This can support Power Apps and Power Pages solutions, subject to the capabilities of the tables and the access required.
  3. Tools within Business Central: Bring Power BI reports and Power Automate workflows into the Business Central interface so users can work with them alongside their everyday tasks.

What each Power Platform tool can do

Tool Connection method Example uses
Power Apps Business Central APIs or Dataverse virtual tables • Barcode scanning apps for warehouse staff.

• Mobile inspection apps that update Business Central records.

• Simple order-entry forms for staff who only need specific functions.
Power Automate Business Central connector triggers and actions • Purchase order approvals routed through Teams, with different approval levels where needed.

• Invoice workflows that save PDF documents to SharePoint or OneDrive.

• Updates to Business Central following activity in a CRM or e-commerce system.
Power BI Business Central APIs, OData feeds and Power BI models • Financial reporting across several Business Central companies.

• KPI dashboards displayed in the Business Central Role Centre.

• Reports combining inventory data with logistics or online sales data.
Power Pages Dataverse virtual tables • Customer portals for viewing invoices and checking order status.

• Supplier portals for submitting quotes or updating price lists, with appropriate access and licensing.
Copilot Studio Business Central APIs and configured agent actions • Internal agents that answer stock availability or order status questions in Teams.

• Customer service agents that retrieve order history from Business Central.

Architecture and licensing considerations

  • API limits: Allow for request limits and throttling when designing integrations. For high volumes, assess how to batch requests, handle retries and process updates asynchronously.
  • Licensing: A tailored app or portal can give users access to the tasks they need, but it does not automatically remove Business Central licensing requirements. Check the licensing terms for each proposed solution.
  • Security and environments: Plan how Business Central and Power Platform environments will connect. Check Microsoft Entra ID authentication, permissions and security policies before deployment.

Practical use cases for extending Business Central with Power Platform

  1. Operations and supply chain
    • Goods receiving and warehouse scanning: Warehouse staff can use a mobile Power App to scan barcodes, photograph damaged goods and record deliveries. The app can pass the information to Business Central through the relevant APIs.
    • Reorder approvals: A Power Automate workflow can check stock against agreed thresholds and send an approval request to the purchasing manager in Teams. Once approved, the workflow can create the relevant purchasing record in Business Central.
  1. Finance and accounting
    • Expenses and receipts: Employees can capture receipts in a mobile Power App. AI Builder can extract receipt details for review, while Power Automate routes expenses for approval before passing them to Business Central.
    • Multi-company reporting: Power BI can bring data from several Business Central companies or other ERP systems into one dashboard. Currency conversion, intercompany adjustments and refresh frequency need to be designed around the reporting requirements.
  1. Sales and customer portals
    • Customer self-service portal: A secure Power Pages site can let customers check stock, view outstanding invoices and download statements. Dataverse virtual tables can provide access to Business Central data, with permissions and licensing checked as part of the design.
    • Field sales quoting: Sales representatives can use a Power App to view products and customer pricing, then prepare quotes for Business Central. If offline working is needed, the app must be designed to store changes and synchronise them when a connection is available.
  1. Field service and asset maintenance
    • Inspections and compliance records: Technicians can record asset inspections and health and safety checks in a Power App. A Power Automate workflow can then save reports to SharePoint and pass the information needed for billing or job records to Business Central.
  1. HR and onboarding
    • Employee onboarding: Power Automate can coordinate tasks such as creating an employee record in Business Central, requesting equipment and notifying finance about payroll setup. Access changes should follow the organisation’s approval process.

Our Power Platform Development Services

At Bridgeall we offer a range of Power Platform development services to help businesses extend systems like Dynamics 365 Business Central. We can easily automate workflows, improve reporting and provide mobile apps for workers. Get in touch today to learn more.