First Look: Business Central Integration with Microsoft Teams
Updated: Aug 17, 2021
What is the Integration between Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft Teams?
According to Microsoft, you can make decisions faster as a team by bringing business data into Microsoft Teams, the hub for collaboration in Microsoft 365. In other words, increase your productivity by not having to switch between apps as often because Teams now has a Business Central app that you can install to experience certain integrations.
The install was fairly easy and the integrations are pretty nice. Here's is how to get started by installing the app.
How-to Install the Business Central app in Microsoft Teams
Step 1: Search for and select the Business Central App in Teams.
Step 2: Select Add.
Step 3: Read the Getting Started pop-up, sign in to Business Central with your browsers and open the card you'd like to share. Copy the link and paste it into a Microsoft Teams conversation.
Step 4: Sign In. I wouldn't recommend selecting the Consent on behalf of your organization box unless this fits within your job role at your organization.
To get this desired outcome in the picture above I did have to paste the link 4 times before it worked as it should.
Business Central and Teams Integration Functions and Features
According to Microsoft, you can share, view, and act on your business data with the Business Central and Teams integration.
Simply send a message to anyone in your organization with the address url from a Business Central Card Page and Teams will automatically display that information. For this example I've chosen to use an item card page link.
Whoever is in that conversation will have the ability to see Details and use the Pop out feature. The Pop out feature when selected will open this page in your Business Central environment. The Details feature, which could have also been called the Pop out feature, pops out your integrated Business Central item card that allows you to view and edit details about that item.
Anything that you would think should be editable is. Everything from being able to add comments to attachments to editing the item journal.
Thoughts and Opinions on the Business Central and Microsoft Teams Integration
Integrating Business Central with Microsoft Teams is a great idea but it's in it's early stages. Just as with everything else Microsoft I fully expect this feature to evolve and ultimately end up working somewhere along the same lines as the integration between Business Central and Outlook does.
Pros
Integration. Something is better than nothing.
Ability to share Business Central card pages.
Details pop up feature is nice because you're not leaving Teams.
Ability to make changes to Business Central card pages from Teams
Integration works within the Teams mobile apps
Cons
Integration. Would like to see more.
Cannot have an interactive experience unless it's with a Business Central Card Page.
Switching Business Central accounts in Teams. I'm able to sign out but when I choose to sign back in it keeps logging me right in with no option to choose a different account. This may very well be user error so I'll keep trying and see what happens.
