Separating Application Data from Business Data

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2016 separates tables that describe the application from the tables that contain business data. Depending on your deployment scenario, you can choose to store all Microsoft Dynamics NAV tables in one database, or you can export the application tables to a dedicated database. In multitenant deployments, the application must be stored in a dedicated database.

Application Database versus Business Data Databases

The application database contains tables that describe your application. This includes a description of the objects that your application consists of, and other data that is common to all tenants. The data that users enter in your application is stored in the business data database because this data is specific to their company. Optionally, you can create multiple business data databases, such as if you want to support your customers as tenants.

When you have exported the application tables to a separate database, you can no longer access the business database from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Development Environment. This is because the metadata for the tables in the business database is stored in the application database and modified in that database.

For example, if you want to modify a report, you modify the report object in the application database. Then, when you deploy the updated application to your production environment, when a user accesses the report, they see the modified report.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV includes Windows PowerShell cmdlets that help you export application tables to a dedicated database, and other cmdlets to help you maintain a multitenant deployment. For more information, see Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows PowerShell Cmdlets.

Distribution of the System Tables in Each Database

The application tables are system tables that define the application. Other system tables remain in the business data database. The following table describes which system tables are moved to the application database when you run the Export-NAVApplication cmdlet and which tables remain in the business data database.

Application database	Business data database
Chart	Access Control
Client Add-in	Active Session
Client Add-in Resources	Company
Debugger Breakpoint	Device
Debugger Watch	Document Service
Object	Integration Page
Object Metadata	Object Metadata Snapshot
Object Tracking	Object Translation
Permission	Page Data Personalization
Permission Set	Printer Selection
Profile	Record Link
Profile Metadata	Report List Translation
Send-To Program	Session Event
Server Instance	User
Style Sheet	User Default Style Sheet
Web Service	User Metadata
	User Personalization
	User Property

See Also

Tasks

How to: Export the Application Tables to a Dedicated Database

Concepts

Migrating to Multitenancy
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows PowerShell Cmdlets