SharePoint Connector Documentation
Index

SharePoint as a Cloud Printer

The SharePoint Connector includes a feature that allows you to "print" Business Central reports directly to SharePoint. This page explains the concept and use cases.

What is Print to SharePoint?

Print to SharePoint treats SharePoint as a printer destination:

  • Select "SharePoint" as your printer
  • "Print" a report
  • Report is saved to SharePoint in the format the platform produces for the print job (normally PDF)
  • No physical printing occurs

How It Works

Business Central Report
        ↓
    "Print" Action
        ↓
  SharePoint Printer
        ↓
  Document Generation (normally PDF)
        ↓
Upload to SharePoint Folder
        ↓
   Document Stored

Use Cases

Document Archival

Automatically archive printed documents:

Scenario Benefit
Print sales documents Copy saved to SharePoint
Print reports Archive for reference
Print confirmations Record of what was sent

Paperless Processing

Instead of printing:

  • "Print" to SharePoint
  • Review in SharePoint
  • Share digitally
  • No paper waste

Compliance Records

Maintain records of printed documents:

  • Proof of generation
  • Timestamp
  • User who printed
  • Document content

Backup Copies

Keep digital copies of documents you would otherwise print:

  • The SharePoint printer consumes the print job -- the document goes to SharePoint instead of paper
  • To also have a paper copy, print the report a second time to a physical printer
  • Digital copy serves as backup for lost documents

Comparison to Other Features

vs Document Templates

Feature Templates Print to SharePoint
Trigger Manual from FactBox Print action from report
Naming Template-defined Automatic
Location Record's folder Configured folder
Use case On-demand documents Archiving printouts

vs Auto-Upload

Feature Auto-Upload Print to SharePoint
Trigger Posting documents Print action
Documents Posted documents only Any report
Control Automatic User-initiated

When to Use

Good Use Cases

Scenario Why Print to SharePoint
Archive reports Save copy when printing
Daily summaries Keep records without paper
Shared reports Team access to printed docs
Audit trails Document what was printed

When to Use Other Features

Need Better Feature
Auto-save posted invoices Auto-Upload
Generate from record Document Templates
Batch document generation Batch Upload

Benefits

Organizational

  • Centralized storage: All printouts in one place
  • Searchable: Find documents in SharePoint
  • Accessible: Team can access archived prints
  • Organized: Folder structure for organization

Operational

  • No lost printouts: Digital backup exists
  • Reduce paper: Print less, archive more
  • Remote access: Access "printouts" anywhere
  • Collaboration: Share printed reports easily

Metadata on Printed Files

Printed files do get SharePoint metadata columns populated. The printer resolves the printed report's filters to the underlying records and fills the mapped metadata columns on the uploaded file -- both for the report's own table (when the filters identify a single record) and for related records referenced by the filters (e.g., the customer a statement was filtered to).

Limitations

Current Limitations

Limitation Description
Folder destination Goes to configured folder, not record-specific
Naming Automatic naming, less control than templates
No auto-categorization File categories not auto-assigned (mapped metadata columns are populated, see above)

Workarounds

For more control over document routing:

  • Use Document Templates instead
  • Or combine both features

Setting Up

To use Print to SharePoint:

  1. Configure the printer settings in SharePoint Setup
  2. Set up the SharePoint printer in BC
  3. Select SharePoint when printing

See Printer Setup and Configuration for details.