Advanced Portal Designer Documentation
Index

Registration

Advanced Portal Designer requires license registration to use beyond the trial period. This guide explains the registration process.

License Types

Trial License

When you first install APD, you receive a trial license:

  • Full feature access
  • Limited time period
  • No registration required initially

Production License

For production use, you need a valid license key:

  • Unlimited time (based on subscription)
  • Full feature access
  • Obtained from Hougaard

Obtaining a License Key

Purchasing a License

  1. Visit https://www.hougaard.com/portaldesigner/
  2. Choose your license type:
    • Per-environment licensing
    • Enterprise licensing options
  3. Complete the purchase process
  4. Receive your license key via email

License Key Format

Your license key will be a unique string that identifies your subscription:

XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

Keep this key secure - it's tied to your subscription.

Registering Your License

Step-by-Step Registration

  1. In Business Central, search Tell Me for "Advanced Portal Designer" and open the menu page
  2. Click Setup to open APD Setup
  3. From the Setup page action bar, click License/Register — this opens the Register APD page
  4. Enter your license key in the appropriate field
  5. Click Register or Validate
  6. Wait for confirmation of successful registration

Note: The "Register APD" page is only reachable through the License/Register action on the APD Setup page — it cannot be opened directly from Tell Me search.

Registration Fields

Field Description
License Key Your unique license key
Company Name Your organization name
Contact Email Email for license communications

Checking License Status

View Current License

  1. Open the Advanced Portal Designer menu page (search for it in Tell Me) and click Setup
  2. On the Setup page, click License/Register to view the current license status
  3. Verify your license is active

License Expiration

If your license is subscription-based:

  • You'll receive email reminders before expiration
  • Renew before expiration to avoid service interruption
  • Expired licenses will show a warning in APD

License Expired

What Happens

When a license expires:

  1. A warning message appears when accessing APD
  2. You may have a grace period for renewal
  3. After the grace period, functionality may be limited

Warning Message

If you see "License Key Expired" message:

  1. The message indicates your license needs renewal
  2. Contact Hougaard to renew your subscription
  3. Enter the new license key when received

Renewing Your License

Subscription Renewal

  1. Contact Hougaard before your license expires
  2. Arrange renewal of your subscription
  3. Receive a new license key (or confirmation of extension)
  4. Enter the new key if required

Automatic Renewal

If you have automatic renewal set up:

  • Your license extends automatically
  • You receive confirmation email
  • No manual action required

Multi-Environment Licensing

Sandbox Environments

License terms may vary for sandbox environments:

  • Some licenses include sandbox access
  • Others require separate sandbox licensing
  • Check your license agreement for details

Multiple Production Environments

If you have multiple production environments:

  • Each environment may require its own license
  • Enterprise licenses may cover multiple environments
  • Contact Hougaard for multi-environment pricing

License Validation

Online Validation

APD may periodically validate your license:

  • Requires internet connectivity
  • Validates license is current and valid
  • Happens automatically in the background

Offline Operation

If Business Central loses internet connectivity:

  • APD continues to work with cached validation
  • Re-validation occurs when connectivity returns
  • Extended offline operation may require special arrangements

Troubleshooting Registration

Invalid License Key

If your license key is rejected:

  1. Verify you entered the key correctly (no extra spaces)
  2. Check for typos (0 vs O, 1 vs I)
  3. Ensure the key is for the correct product
  4. Contact support if the issue persists

License Not Recognized

If APD doesn't recognize your valid license:

  1. Clear any cached license data
  2. Re-enter the license key
  3. Restart Business Central session
  4. Contact support with your license details

HTTP Client Warning

APD requires HTTP client capabilities. If you see a warning:

  1. This is expected when making external calls
  2. Allow the HTTP client request when prompted
  3. This is needed for license validation

Transferring a License

Moving to a New Environment

If you need to move your license:

  1. Contact Hougaard support
  2. Provide details of old and new environments
  3. They will assist with the transfer
  4. De-register from old environment before registering in new

Change of Ownership

For organization changes:

  1. Contact Hougaard with documentation
  2. License can be transferred to new owner
  3. New registration may be required

Support for Registration Issues

If you encounter registration problems:

  1. Check the Common Issues page
  2. Gather your license key and environment details
  3. Contact Hougaard support at https://www.hougaard.com/portaldesigner/