Business Central integrations and customization
Connect Business Central to the tools you already use, and extend it where standard features don’t cover your process.
Connected systems, less manual entry
Every time someone retypes an order, a tracking number or a stock level, you pay for it in time and errors. Integrations remove those steps so data is entered once and flows where it is needed.
AL development
Custom fields, pages, reports and business logic built as extensions.
System integrations
Data sync with other business systems through Business Central's APIs.
Shopify & e-commerce
Orders, items, stock and pricing kept in step with your online store.
Shipping & fulfillment
Carrier rates, labels and tracking connected to warehouse shipments.
Power Automate
Approvals, notifications and routine tasks handled automatically.
Power BI
Financial and operational dashboards on live Business Central data.
What typically connects to Business Central
| System | What syncs | Usual approach |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Orders, customers, items, stock levels and payments | Microsoft's built-in Shopify connector |
| Shipping carriers | Rates, labels and tracking numbers | An AppSource shipping app or an API integration |
| EDI trading partners | Purchase orders, advance ship notices and invoices | An app from a specialist EDI provider |
| Dynamics 365 Sales | Accounts, contacts, products and orders | Microsoft's standard Dataverse integration |
| Power BI | Financial and operational data | Microsoft's Business Central Power BI apps, extended as needed |
Configure first, customize only when it pays off
Every custom line of code is something to maintain. We check whether standard features or an existing app can do the job before we build anything.
- Fit check. Standard setup, AppSource app or custom extension: we compare the options and their running costs with you.
- Clear data flow. We agree which system owns each piece of data, how often it syncs and what happens when something fails.
- Built for updates. Extensions follow Microsoft’s extension model, which keeps Business Central updates much smoother. We still test custom work against each major release.
- Tested properly. Integrations are tested with realistic data volumes, duplicates and error cases, not just the happy path.
- Documented. You get notes on what was built, how it works and how to monitor it.
Connecting a Shopify store to Business Central
An e-commerce distributor sells through Shopify and keeps its accounting in Business Central. Staff re-enter every web order, stock levels are updated by hand twice a day, and the store sometimes sells items that are out of stock.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Design | Agree that Business Central owns items, prices and stock, and Shopify owns web orders. Map product variants to item variants. |
| Setup | Configure Microsoft’s Shopify connector: item sync, stock sync by location, and order import with customer matching. |
| Rules | Orders with unknown items or failed payments go to a review list instead of creating bad sales orders. |
| Testing | Run test orders, refunds and partial shipments through the full flow, from Shopify order to shipment, invoice and payment. |
| Go-live | Switch on scheduled sync and train staff to clear the exceptions list each morning. |
Outcome: Web orders arrive in Business Central without retyping, the store shows stock that matches the warehouse, and staff only touch the orders that genuinely need attention.
This example shows how we approach this kind of project. It is not a client case study.
Will integrations break when Business Central updates?
Microsoft releases two major updates a year. Integrations built on its standard APIs and extension model are designed to survive them, and we test custom work against each release preview so problems show up before your production system updates.
Do integrations run in real time?
It depends on the connection. Some sync within minutes, others run on a schedule such as every 15 minutes or nightly. We pick the timing based on what the business needs, such as near real-time stock for an online store and nightly for reporting.
Do we always need custom code?
No. We check for a standard connector or an AppSource app first, such as Microsoft’s Shopify connector. Custom development is only for gaps those options can’t cover.
Are there running costs?
Sometimes. Connector apps often have a monthly subscription, and some integrations use Azure services billed by Microsoft. We include these costs in the estimate so there are no surprises.
Have a system that needs to connect?
Tell us what you use today. We’ll suggest the simplest reliable way to make it work with Business Central.