Access Business Central data from Teams with Microsoft 365 licenses

Modified on Thu, Apr 27, 2023 at 3:30 PM

Business Central Access with Microsoft 365 Licenses

Business Central users are assigned a Dynamics 365 Business Central license that allows them to view, modify and act on their business data from any user interface. For all other employees across the organization that only need to occasionally view data, Business Central offers access through Microsoft 365.

When an organization has both a Dynamics 365 Business Central and Microsoft 365 subscription, administrators can configure environments to enable access with Microsoft 365 licenses, and choose exactly which tables and other objects this category of user will have access to. When configured, employees that have a Microsoft 365 license but no Business Central license can view Business Central records that are shared with them in Microsoft Teams chat and channels.

Why enable access with Microsoft 365 licenses

Unlock master data that every employee across the organization should have access to.
Empower departments that don’t run on Business Central to self-serve, by accessing key data needed to successfully perform their tasks, eliminating the need for continually requesting data from others.
Increase collaboration efficacy so that tasks and projects that span across departments complete on time, by eliminating the friction that is typically associated with access denied errors due to licensing.
Increase team performance so that people can make data-driven decisions that are inclusive of everyone in the group, even if they don’t work in Business Central.
Meet licensing budget targets by assigning licenses that progressively match employee needs, with Microsoft 365 licenses for read-only access, Dynamics 365 Business Central Team Member licenses for limited write access, and Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials or Premium for full write access.
Improve data security by reducing the need for pasting screen snippets of business data outside of data governance boundaries.

Use rights

When a person accesses Business Central with a Microsoft 365 license, the license entitles the user to read (but not write) Business Central data through a simplified user interface in Microsoft Teams. This section explains these use rights and limitations that help you plan how to configure and make the most out of this capability. For more information on this license type compared to other Business Central licenses, consult the Dynamics 365 licensing guide.