Portal users
What a portal login is
A portal login (also called an A4D login) is a user account that allows an employee to sign in to the AppsForDynamics365 portal and mobile apps. It is distinct from a Business Central user account.
| Business Central user account | Portal login | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Access to Business Central | Access to the A4D portal and apps |
| Where created | Business Central user management | AppsForDynamics365 Logins page |
| Authentication | Microsoft 365 / Business Central credentials | Microsoft Login or username/password (configured per login) |
| Managed by | Business Central administrator | Business Central administrator via Portal Connect |
An employee typically needs both: a Business Central user account to work in Business Central, and a portal login to use the portal. The two are linked via the Business Central User field on the login card.
Logins are cross-company
Portal logins are shared across all companies in a Business Central environment. A single login record grants access to whichever companies and applications that login has been assigned to. This means:
- Creating a login in one company makes it available to all companies
- Deleting a login removes access everywhere
- The Assigned companies section on the login card shows all companies the login is active in
The assignment of a login to a specific company and application is managed by the consumer application (e.g. Expense Management), not directly in Portal Connect.
What determines portal access
A portal login on its own does not grant access to any application. Access is controlled by three layers:
| Layer | What it controls | Where configured |
|---|---|---|
| Login exists and is Active | Whether the user can sign in at all | Portal Connect (Login card) |
| Feature assignment | Which application the user can access in which company | Consumer application |
| Role assignment | What the user can do within that application | Consumer application |
Portal Connect manages the first layer. The consumer application manages the other two.
Logins sync across Business Central environments
When multiple Business Central environments are connected to the same A4D account (for example, one environment for Denmark and one for Canada), the A4D cloud automatically synchronises logins across all of them. A login created in one environment appears in all others - you do not need to create it again.
This means:
- An employee who works across multiple legal entities needs only one portal login
- Changes made to a login in any environment (name, email, password, status) propagate to the others automatically
- Deleting a login in one environment removes it everywhere
Relationship to employees
Some consumer applications (including Expense Management) require the portal login to be linked to a Business Central employee record. This link is made in the consumer application's own setup, not in Portal Connect directly. The Business Central User field on the login card is the common link point.