System Requirements
Before installing Erik's ToolBox, verify that your environment meets the requirements listed on this page. The ToolBox runs on both SaaS and On-Premises deployments of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, but certain features have additional prerequisites depending on your configuration.
Platform Requirements
Erik's ToolBox requires Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central as its host platform.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Platform | Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central |
| Runtime version | 12.0 or later |
| Deployment type | SaaS (Business Central Online) or On-Premises |
| App version | 3.0.0.0 or later |
| Publisher | hougaard.com |
The ToolBox is distributed as three Business Central extension apps that you install in your environment. All three apps must be installed and active for the ToolBox to function.
App Dependencies
Erik's ToolBox consists of three apps with a dependency chain. You must install the AL Compiler and Interpreter app first, then AL AI Services, and the ToolBox app last, as it depends on both.
| App | App ID | Version | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL Compiler and Interpreter | de0ad312-13dc-48bc-9aa4-eec46e388ee0 |
3.0.0.0+ | Core engine: parses, compiles, and executes AL code at runtime |
| AL AI Services | 9095ed8c-5bff-4b5f-84db-c487250959b3 |
5.0.0.0+ | Agent infrastructure: AI provider setup, chat panel, conversation store, provider connections |
| Erik's ToolBox | fe7b0b6a-e183-4606-882d-6adff0ce9401 |
3.0.0.0+ | User-facing features: editor, SQL workbench, object inspector, and all other tools |
Installation Order
- Install the AL Compiler and Interpreter app.
- Install the AL AI Services app.
- Install the Erik's ToolBox app.
If you attempt to install the ToolBox app without both dependencies already present, the installation will fail due to the unresolved dependency. AppSource installs all three in the right order.
Browser Requirements
The Interactive Code Editor and other ToolBox UI components run as control add-ins within the Business Central web client. You need a modern browser that supports the Business Central web client.
Supported browsers:
- Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) -- Recommended
- Google Chrome -- Supported
- Mozilla Firefox -- Supported
- Apple Safari -- Supported (macOS only)
Browser requirements:
- JavaScript must be enabled
- Cookies must be enabled for the Business Central domain
- Pop-up blockers should allow pop-ups from your Business Central URL (some features use pop-up windows)
- Minimum recommended screen resolution: 1280 x 720 pixels
- A larger screen resolution (1920 x 1080 or higher) is recommended for the best experience with the code editor
The ToolBox editor uses a rich text editing control that requires modern browser rendering capabilities. Internet Explorer is not supported.
Permission Requirements
Access to Erik's ToolBox features is controlled through a combination of Business Central permission sets and ToolBox-specific user setup.
Business Central Permissions
| Role | Required For |
|---|---|
| SUPER | Full ToolBox administration, including user setup, configuration, and all features |
| Standard user permissions | Running assigned programs and accessing features within your ToolBox access level |
ToolBox Access Levels
Each ToolBox user is assigned an access level that determines what operations they can perform:
| Access Level | Capabilities |
|---|---|
| ReadOnly | Execute scripts that read data. Cannot insert, modify, or delete records. |
| WriteNormalTables | Read and write to standard (non-system) tables. Cannot modify system tables or perform administrative operations. |
| GodMode | Full unrestricted access to all tables and all operations, including system tables. |
Setup Process
- A user with the SUPER role opens the ToolBox Setup page.
- The administrator adds users on the ToolBox Users page.
- Each user is assigned an appropriate access level.
- Users can then access ToolBox features according to their assigned level.
You should assign the minimum access level necessary for each user's role. Reserve GodMode for administrators and experienced consultants who need unrestricted access.
AI Agent Requirements
The ToolBox Agent (Interactive Code) and the SQL Agent (SQL Workbench) need API access to one supported AI provider. The provider's model must support tool calling; all twelve providers do with their current models.
| Provider | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Azure Open AI | An Azure OpenAI resource with a deployment of a tool-capable model. You need the deployment's chat completions URL and the API key. |
| ChatGPT Open AI, Anthropic (Claude), Google Gemini, xAI Grok, Mistral, DeepSeek, Moonshot Kimi, Alibaba Qwen, Zhipu GLM, MiniMax | An account with the provider and an API key with credit. The ToolBox knows each provider's default model; you can enter another. |
| LM Studio | LM Studio with a tool-capable model loaded and its local server running on a host the Business Central service tier can reach. No key required. Not usable from a SaaS environment, which cannot reach your local network. |
Additional requirements:
- Allow HttpClient Requests must be enabled for the AL AI Services extension, which makes the provider calls.
- The Business Central service tier must be able to reach the provider's endpoint (see Network Requirements below).
AI Agent Configuration
- Open the ToolBox Setup page and choose the AI Providers action.
- Add a row for your provider with its endpoint, access key, and optionally a model.
- Turn on the ToolBox Agent toggle on that row.
- Reopen the Interactive Code page or the SQL Workbench; the agent FactBox appears.
See AI Agents Setup for endpoints and per-provider notes. The agents are optional. All other ToolBox features work without an AI provider.
Symbol Download Requirements
Symbol management downloads metadata from your Business Central environment to enable IntelliSense in the code editor. The requirements differ between SaaS and On-Premises deployments.
SaaS (Business Central Online)
- The ToolBox uses the standard Business Central API to download symbols.
- No additional configuration is typically required beyond having the ToolBox installed.
- The user downloading symbols must have sufficient permissions to access the symbol endpoint.
On-Premises
- The Business Central server must have API Services enabled.
- The server must be accessible from the client browser (or from the server itself, depending on the download method).
- OData and API endpoints must be configured and reachable.
Symbol download is recommended but not required. Without symbols, the code editor will still function, but you will not have IntelliSense auto-completion for table names, field names, and other environment-specific objects.
GitHub Integration Requirements
The Data in GitHub feature requires a GitHub account and repository for storing Business Central table data.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| GitHub account | A personal or organizational GitHub account |
| Personal access token | A GitHub personal access token with repo scope permissions |
| Repository | A GitHub repository (public or private) designated for Business Central data storage |
| Network access | The Business Central server must be able to reach api.github.com over HTTPS (port 443) |
GitHub Configuration
- Create a personal access token in your GitHub account settings with
reposcope. - Create or designate a GitHub repository for data storage.
- Open the ToolBox Setup page in Business Central.
- Enter the GitHub token, repository owner, and repository name.
- Test the connection to verify access.
Remote Packages Requirements
Remote Packages enable data transfer between Business Central environments. This feature requires OAuth2 authentication to establish secure connections.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Azure AD App Registration | An app registration in Azure Active Directory (Entra ID) for the target environment |
| Client ID and Secret | The application (client) ID and a client secret from the app registration |
| API permissions | The app registration must have appropriate API permissions for Business Central |
| Target environment URL | The base URL of the target Business Central environment |
| Network access | The source environment must be able to reach the target environment over HTTPS |
Remote Packages Configuration
- Register an application in Azure Active Directory (Entra ID).
- Grant the application appropriate Business Central API permissions.
- Generate a client secret for the application.
- Open the ToolBox Setup page in Business Central.
- Enter the client ID, client secret, and target environment details.
- Test the connection to verify that the source environment can authenticate with the target.
Network Requirements
Erik's ToolBox requires network connectivity for several features. Ensure the following endpoints are accessible from your Business Central environment.
| Endpoint | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|
check.hougaardlicense.com |
License validation and activation | Yes -- required for the app to function |
api.github.com |
GitHub integration for Data in GitHub feature | Only if using GitHub integration |
Your Azure OpenAI resource (*.openai.azure.com) |
AI agents with Azure Open AI | Only if using Azure Open AI |
api.openai.com |
AI agents with ChatGPT Open AI | Only if using OpenAI |
api.anthropic.com |
AI agents with Anthropic (Claude) | Only if using Anthropic |
generativelanguage.googleapis.com |
AI agents with Google Gemini | Only if using Gemini |
api.x.ai, api.mistral.ai, api.deepseek.com, api.moonshot.ai, dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com, api.z.ai, api.minimax.io |
AI agents with Grok, Mistral, DeepSeek, Kimi, Qwen, GLM, MiniMax | Only if using that provider |
LM Studio host and port (for example <host>:1234) |
AI agents with LM Studio | Only if using LM Studio (local network only) |
| Target BC environment URL | Remote Packages data transfer | Only if using Remote Packages |
License Validation
The ToolBox validates its license by communicating with check.hougaardlicense.com. This is the only network dependency that is required for basic operation. If your environment cannot reach this endpoint, the ToolBox will not activate.
- Protocol: HTTPS (port 443)
- Direction: Outbound from Business Central server
- Frequency: Periodic license checks during normal operation
Ensure that your firewall and proxy settings allow outbound HTTPS traffic to this domain.
Summary of Requirements by Feature
The following table provides a quick reference for which requirements apply to each feature:
| Feature | Platform | Browser | Permissions | Network | Additional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Code Editor | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check | -- |
| AL Language Support | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check | -- |
| Symbol Management | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check + BC API | API access (On-Prem) |
| AI Agents | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check + AI provider endpoint | HttpClient for AL AI Services, provider API key |
| Excel Integration | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check | -- |
| Batch Processing | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | Write access+ | License check | -- |
| SQL Workbench | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check | -- |
| Run Programs | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check | -- |
| Object Inspector | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check | -- |
| Remote Packages | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check + target env | OAuth2 app registration |
| Data in GitHub | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | ToolBox user | License check + GitHub API | GitHub token + repo |
| Setup & User Mgmt | BC 12.0+ | Modern browser | SUPER | License check | -- |