Overview

Portal Connect is a shared library extension for Business Central that establishes and maintains the connection between Business Central and the AppsForDynamics365 (A4D) cloud. It manages portal user accounts, handles data synchronisation, and provides the authentication layer that all A4D applications depend on.

Portal Connect is installed automatically when you install Expense Management - you do not install it separately. What you do need to do manually is run the connection wizard to activate each Business Central environment and each company that should use the cloud service.

Portal Connect itself has no end-user features - it is a platform for administrators.

What Portal Connect does

Capability	Description
Cloud connection	Authenticates your Business Central environment with the A4D cloud and keeps the connection active
Portal user management	Stores the login accounts that employees use to access the A4D portal and mobile apps
Data synchronisation	Keeps user accounts, company registrations, and feature settings in sync between Business Central and the cloud
Notifications	Routes notification emails from A4D applications to employees

Admin pages in Business Central

All Portal Connect administration is done from four pages, accessible via the Business Central search bar:

Page	Purpose
AppsForDynamics365 Portal Configuration	Connection settings, authentication method, and status
AppsForDynamics365 Logins	Create and manage portal user accounts
AppsForDynamics365 Cloud Companies	View connected companies and remove stale registrations
AppsForDynamics365 Integration errors	Review sync errors for troubleshooting

Where to start

1. Check Prerequisites - you need a license key, customer ID, and Global Admin access.
2. Run the Setup wizard - once to connect the Business Central environment, then once per company that should use the cloud service.
3. Create portal logins for each employee who will use an A4D application.

Related

• Concepts: Architecture
• Concepts: Portal users