Key Capabilities Overview
The SharePoint Connector provides a comprehensive set of features for integrating Business Central with SharePoint. This page summarizes the main capabilities.
Document Browsing and Access
SharePoint FactBox
The FactBox appears on Business Central pages and displays the contents of the associated SharePoint folder:
- View files and subfolders directly in Business Central
- Navigate through folder hierarchies
- Open files in browser or SharePoint UI
- Download files locally
- See file metadata and properties
File Operations
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| Browse | Navigate folders and view file listings |
| Open | Open files in browser or SharePoint |
| Download | Download files to local device |
| Upload | Add files from your device to SharePoint |
| Delete | Remove a file by deleting its row in the FactBox list; a confirmation prompt appears before the file is deleted in SharePoint |
| Copy File | Server-side copy of a file to another folder in the same document library; cross-library / cross-site copy is also available through the developer API |
| Rename | Rename the mapped folder of a record from the FactBox with Rename mapped folder; all folder mappings that point to it are updated. Renaming files is available through the developer API |
| Related Documents | On journals, a second FactBox lists the SharePoint documents stored for the ledger entries a journal line is applied to |
| Take Photo | Capture and upload a photo from a mobile camera |
| Convert Word to PDF | Convert a .docx file already in SharePoint to a PDF stored alongside it |
| Share | Generate a SharePoint sharing link for the selected file |
Drag and Drop Upload
Upload files by dragging them directly onto the FactBox:
- Drag files from Windows Explorer
- Drag emails from Outlook (Classic Outlook)
- Multiple files can be uploaded at once
- Files are automatically placed in the current folder
Automatic PDF Generation
When posting sales or purchase documents, automatically generate and store PDF copies:
Supported Documents
- Sales Invoices
- Sales Credit Memos
- Sales Shipments (separate toggle)
- Purchase Invoices
- Purchase Credit Memos
Auto-Upload Features
- Separate toggles for sales documents, sales shipments, and purchase documents
- Background (using StartSession) or foreground processing
- Uses Report Selections for document format
- Automatic routing to mapped folders
- Supports auto-upload subfolders via Auto-Create Subfolder configuration
Document Templates
Create documents from Business Central data. The connector supports two parallel template flavors -- one bound to BC's legacy Custom Report Layouts and one bound to BC's modern Report Layout List. The Report Layout Selection field on the SharePoint Setup page decides which template list the Generate Document action uses (default: Report Layout). See SharePoint Document Templates for details.
Template Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Multiple Formats | Output as PDF, Word, or Excel |
| Custom Naming | Use placeholders for dynamic file names |
| Subfolders | Route generated documents to specific subfolders |
| Request Pages | Optional parameter input before generation |
| Categories | Assign file categories automatically |
| Layout Source | Custom Report Layout (Code[20], linked to BC Custom Report Layouts) or Report Layout (Text[250], linked to the BC Report Layout List), selected via SharePoint Setup |
Naming Placeholders
%1- Name field value%2- Specification field value%3- Current date/time%4- Current user ID
Print to SharePoint
Use SharePoint as a cloud printer:
- Print any Business Central report to SharePoint
- Documents saved as PDF in designated folder
- Configurable paper size and orientation
- Automatic file naming with timestamps
Metadata Columns
Sync Business Central data to SharePoint columns:
Supported Data Types
| Type | SharePoint Column Type |
|---|---|
| Text | Single line of text |
| Note | Multi-line text |
| Integer | Number |
| Number | Number (decimal) |
| Boolean | Yes/No |
| DateTime | Date and time |
| Choice | Choice (dropdown) |
| URL | Hyperlink |
Metadata Features
- Map any Business Central field to a SharePoint column
- Columns are created automatically when first used
- Display metadata in the FactBox file list
- Enable SharePoint filtering and search by BC data
File Categories
Organize files with color-coded categories:
Category Features
- Define categories per table mapping
- Color coding for visual organization
- Filter files by category
- Auto-attach categories to email attachments
Available Colors
None, Standard, Blue, Bold, Blue + Bold, Red + Italic, Blue + Italic, Bold + Green, Bold + Italic + Red, Yellow, Grey
Auto Email Attachments
Automatically attach SharePoint files to outgoing emails:
How It Works
When sending a document by email from Business Central, the connector can automatically retrieve files from the record's SharePoint folder and attach them to the email.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto Email Categories Filter | Specifies which file categories to include as attachments |
| Auto Email Sub Folder | Optional subfolder to search for files |
This is configured per table mapping, allowing different tables to have different auto-attach behavior. For example, you can configure customer emails to automatically include files categorized as "Contract" from the customer's SharePoint folder. See Auto Email Attachments for the full configuration guide.
E-Signature Integration
Send documents for electronic signature:
Supported Services
- Adobe Sign: Full integration for Adobe's e-signature service
- DocuSign: Full integration for DocuSign e-signature
E-Signature Workflow
- Select document in SharePoint
- Configure signers and message
- Send for signature
- Monitor status in Business Central
- Download signed document automatically
Incoming Document Processing
Automatically process and route incoming documents:
Source Types
- SharePoint folders
- HTTPS file endpoints
- API endpoints
Matching Methods
- Email Match
- Pattern Match (Regex on document content)
- FileName Pattern Match (Regex on filename)
- FileName with primary key
- Create Document
OCR can be enabled as an option on any match criteria via the "Use OCR Service" flag.
Folder Structure Management
Mapping Methods
| Method | Use Case |
|---|---|
| Static | Folder named using Name (Number) pattern from Folder Name Field No. and Folder Name Specification Field |
| Dynamic | Folder named using a reference number field (e.g., document number) |
| Only Columns | Metadata only, no folder creation or FactBox display |
| Inherited Dynamic | Documents inherit the parent record's folder (e.g., Sales Invoice inherits Customer folder) |
Advanced Features
- Nested folder hierarchies with parent tables
- Conditional mapping based on field values
- Multi-site routing to different SharePoint sites
- Auto-create subfolders for organization
Check-In/Check-Out
Enable document versioning control:
- Check out files before editing
- Prevent concurrent edits
- Check in with comments
- View check-out status in FactBox
Bulk Operations
Migration Tools
- Transfer existing Business Central attachments to SharePoint
- Create empty folders for existing records
- Batch upload historical documents
Batch Reports
- Batch Upload Invoices (Sales)
- Batch Upload Credit Memos (Sales)
- Batch Upload Purchase Invoices (Purchase)
- Batch Upload Purchase Credit Memos (Purchase)
Authentication Options
Methods
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Proxy | Shared credentials for all users |
| Personal | Individual OAuth per user |
| Certificate | Certificate-based authentication |
OAuth Options
- App Registration (Azure AD)
- Device Code Flow
- Modern App Registration (Azure AD through the standard Business Central OAuth module)
- PKCE browser sign-in (no app registration needed, or your own public client app registration)