Advanced Portal Designer Documentation
Index

System Requirements

Before installing Advanced Portal Designer, ensure your environment meets the following requirements.

Business Central Requirements

Platform Version

Advanced Portal Designer's exact platform and runtime requirements are declared in its app.json and the AppSource listing. Always check those for the authoritative minimum versions — they may change between APD releases. APD currently targets Business Central 2025 Wave 1 (v26.0) and a corresponding runtime version.

Deployment Type

APD is designed for Cloud deployments:

  • Business Central Online (SaaS)
  • Business Central Cloud environments

Dependencies

APD requires the following extension to be installed:

Extension Publisher
AL Compiler and Interpreter Hougaard

The required version of the AL Compiler and Interpreter is declared as a dependency in APD's app.json, so the matching version is installed automatically when you install APD from AppSource.

Azure WebApp Requirements

To serve your portal to the web, you need an Azure WebApp:

Azure Subscription

  • Active Azure subscription
  • Ability to create App Service resources
Workload Recommended Plan
Development/Testing B1 Basic
Small Production S1 Standard
Medium Production S2 Standard
High Traffic P1V2 Premium

Runtime Stack

  • ASP.NET Core on Windows platform (Linux works but not officially supported)
  • HTTPS enabled (required for production)

Browser Compatibility

APD-generated portals support modern browsers:

Browser Minimum Version
Google Chrome 90+
Microsoft Edge 90+
Mozilla Firefox 88+
Safari 14+

JavaScript Requirements

The APD JavaScript helper library (served by APD via the apdscript action — referenced from templates as <script src="<?action('apdscript')?>"></script>) requires:

  • JavaScript enabled in the browser
  • XMLHttpRequest support (standard in all modern browsers)
  • No additional frameworks required

Network Requirements

Outbound Connectivity

Business Central must be able to communicate with:

  • Azure WebApp endpoint
  • Auth0 servers (if using Auth0 authentication)
  • Microsoft Entra ID (if using Entra authentication)
  • GitHub API (if using GitHub integration)
  • Stripe API (if using Stripe integration)

CORS Configuration

If your Azure WebApp and Business Central are on different domains, ensure proper CORS headers are configured.

User Licenses

Business Central Licenses

APD operations run under the context of Business Central. Consider:

  • Essential or Premium license for the service account
  • Appropriate API access permissions

APD License

APD requires a valid license key:

  • Trial licenses available for testing
  • Production licenses from Hougaard
  • License key entered in APD Registration

Development Requirements

For template and script development:

Tool Purpose
Visual Studio Code Template and script editing
AL Language Extension AL script development
Browser DevTools Debugging portal pages

Knowledge Requirements

Developers should be familiar with:

  • HTML, CSS, JavaScript
  • Business Central table structures
  • Basic understanding of AL (for script actions)

Security Requirements

SSL/TLS

  • HTTPS required for production deployments
  • Valid SSL certificate for your domain

Password Policies

APD supports configurable password policies:

  • Minimum password length
  • Password expiration periods
  • Failed attempt blocking

Optional Integrations

Auth0 (Optional)

For Auth0 authentication:

  • Auth0 account and tenant
  • Application configured in Auth0
  • Redirect URIs configured

Microsoft Entra ID (Optional)

For Entra authentication:

  • Azure AD tenant
  • App registration in Azure Portal
  • Appropriate API permissions

GitHub (Optional)

For GitHub integration:

  • GitHub account
  • Personal access token
  • Repository for template storage

Stripe (Optional)

For payment processing:

  • Stripe account
  • API keys (test and/or live)
  • Webhook configuration (if needed)

Capacity Planning

Estimated Resource Usage

Users Recommended Setup
< 50 concurrent B1 App Service, Standard BC
50-200 concurrent S1 App Service, Standard BC
200-500 concurrent S2 App Service, Premium BC
> 500 concurrent Contact Hougaard for guidance

Database Considerations

  • Session data is stored in Business Central
  • Consider table growth for high-traffic portals
  • Regular cleanup of expired sessions recommended