System Requirements

Before installing BCCL, verify that your environment meets the following requirements. BCCL is designed to work with a wide range of Business Central deployments, but certain components have specific prerequisites.

Business Central

BCCL works with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central in all deployment models:

Deployment	Supported	Notes
Business Central Online (SaaS)	Yes	Standard cloud deployment via Microsoft
Business Central On-Premises	Yes	Self-hosted, version 14 and later
Business Central in Docker	Yes	Container-based development and testing environments

The BCCL extension must be installed into your Business Central environment. It runs inside Business Central and provides the web service endpoint that the BCCL client communicates with.

Business Central Version Compatibility

BCCL 3.0 requires a minimum app build number to function correctly. If you see a "Version mismatch" error, you need to update either the BCCL client or the Business Central extension to ensure they are compatible. The client will report the expected minimum version in the error message.

BCCL Client Platforms

The BCCL client is a standalone executable available for three platforms:

Platform	Architecture	File
Windows	64-bit (x64)	`BCCL.exe`
macOS	64-bit (x64)	`BCCL`
Linux	64-bit (x64)	`BCCL`

Client Requirements

No runtime dependencies -- the BCCL client is self-contained. It bundles the .NET runtime and all required libraries into a single executable of approximately 80 MB. You do not need to install .NET, Java, or any other runtime.
No installation process -- copy the file to any directory and run it. There is no installer, no registry entries, and no system-level changes.
Disk space -- approximately 80 MB for the executable.
Memory -- BCCL's memory usage depends on the size of data being transferred. For typical operations, 256 MB of available RAM is sufficient. Very large exports (millions of records) may require more.

Network Requirements

BCCL communicates with Business Central over HTTPS using SOAP web services. Your network must allow:

For Cloud Business Central (SaaS)

Outbound HTTPS (port 443) from the machine running the BCCL client to api.businesscentral.dynamics.com
Outbound HTTPS (port 443) to login.microsoftonline.com (for OAuth and S2S authentication)
Outbound HTTPS (port 443) to check.hougaardlicense.com (for license registration and verification)

For On-Premises Business Central

HTTPS access from the machine running the BCCL client to your Business Central web server
The Business Central instance must have SOAP web services enabled (this is the default in most configurations)
The specific port depends on your Business Central configuration (commonly 443 for HTTPS or 7047 for the default SOAP port)

Firewall and Proxy Considerations

If your network uses a proxy server or strict firewall rules, ensure that the BCCL client can reach the Business Central SOAP endpoint. BCCL does not currently support explicit proxy configuration -- it relies on the system's default proxy settings.

SQL Server Requirements (for SQL Replication)

If you plan to use BCCL's SQL replication features (exporting data with -f sql format), you need:

Microsoft SQL Server -- SQL Server 2016 or later (any edition, including Express)
SQL Server access from the machine running the BCCL client, using a connection string that supports either Windows Authentication or SQL Server Authentication
Database permissions -- the SQL login used in the connection string must have permission to create tables, insert data, update data, delete data, and execute MERGE statements in the target database
Network connectivity -- the BCCL client must be able to reach the SQL Server instance over TCP (default port 1433)

SQL Server is only required if you use the SQL format. All other formats (JSON, XML, CSV, Excel) work with local files and do not require SQL Server.

Authentication Prerequisites

BCCL supports three authentication methods, each with its own prerequisites:

Basic Authentication

On-premises only -- Basic authentication is the simplest method but is available only for on-premises deployments
Web Service Access Key -- each Business Central user who will be used with BCCL must have a Web Service Access Key configured in their user card
Alternatively, you can use NavUserPassword authentication if your on-premises instance is configured for it
The user must have the BCCL permission set assigned (see Permissions)

OAuth Authentication

Cloud and on-premises -- OAuth uses the device code flow, which works with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD)
Browser access -- during the initial authentication, you need a web browser to complete the device code login flow
The resulting access token is valid for 1 hour. For operations that run longer, use S2S authentication instead
No Azure AD app registration is required on your side -- BCCL uses its own registered application

S2S (Service-to-Service) Authentication

Cloud environments -- S2S is the recommended method for automated and scheduled operations
Azure AD / Entra ID App Registration -- you must create an app registration in your Azure AD tenant with the following:
- A client ID (application ID)
- A client secret
- The Business Central API permission (https://api.businesscentral.dynamics.com/.default)
Tenant ID -- you need your Azure AD tenant ID
The app registration must be added and granted permission sets in Business Central on the Microsoft Entra Applications page (see Permissions)

For detailed setup instructions, refer to the Microsoft documentation on configuring service-to-service authentication for Business Central.

Windows Service Requirements

If you plan to run BCCL as a Windows service (for always-on Service Task execution), you need:

Windows Server or Windows desktop with Windows Service support
Administrator access to register the service using sc create or similar tools
A BCCL_Service.json configuration file placed in the same directory as the BCCL executable
A service account with appropriate permissions (the account must be able to run executables and access the network)
If using S2S authentication (recommended for services), the Azure AD app registration described above

FTP/SFTP/FTPS Requirements

If you plan to use remote file storage for input or output files:

Protocol	Port	Requirements
FTP	21 (default)	FTP server accessible from the BCCL client machine
FTPS	990 or 21	FTP server with TLS/SSL support
SFTP	22 (default)	SSH server with SFTP subsystem enabled

You provide connection details (URL, username, password, and optionally a certificate path) through the --filestorage and --filestoragesettings parameters.

Summary Checklist

Use this checklist to verify your environment before installation:

Business Central environment is accessible (cloud or on-premises)
BCCL client platform matches your operating system (Windows/macOS/Linux, 64-bit)
HTTPS network access from the client machine to Business Central
Business Central user account with BCCL permission set assigned
Authentication method chosen and prerequisites met (Basic, OAuth, or S2S)
(If SQL replication) SQL Server accessible from the client machine
(If Windows service) Windows Server environment with service registration access
(If remote files) FTP/SFTP/FTPS server accessible and credentials available