Set up Outlook integration
Business Central introduces the ability to manage business interactions with your customers and vendors directly in Microsoft Outlook. With the Business Central Outlook add-ins, you can see financial data related to customers and vendors, as well as create and send financial documents, such as quotes and invoices.
Business Central has deep integration with Microsoft 365, and you can use Business Central as your business inbox in Outlook. But if you don't have Outlook, you can work with Business Central in the browser or on your mobile device.
You can send documents such as invoices as email using your business email address. From your Role Center, you can access an assisted setup guide that helps you set up email. Business Central supports several email connectors, including the Microsoft 365 Connector, Current User Connector, and SMTP Connector.
It's easy to get started with the Business Central add-in for Outlook. There are two ways to install the add-in:
- As an admin, use Centralized Deployment from the Microsoft 365 admin center to deploy the add-in automatically for the entire organization, groups, or specific users.
- As a user, install the add-in for your own use through the Get the Outlook Add-in page in Business Central.
To install the add-in for your own use, follow these steps:
In Business Central, select Search (Alt+Q) in the upper-right corner, enter Get the Outlook Add-in, and then select the related link.
Read the page and select Next when ready.
The Configure Outlook page opens. If you see the Install to my Outlook button, select it and you're done. If you see the Download Add-in button, select it and then add the add-ins manually, as described later in this unit. Otherwise, select Next to continue.
If you want to receive a welcome email message from Business Central with an overview of using the add-in, turn on Send sample email message. Then, select Finish.
When you open Outlook, you should see an email message from Dynamics 365 Business Central Admin.
The add-ins are added to the Outlook ribbon. In Outlook on the web, open an email message and then select Apps > Business Central, or use the more actions button.
The first time you use the add-in, you might be prompted to sign in to Business Central from the add-in pane. Choose Sign in now and follow the instructions onscreen.
The add-ins are updated periodically, and you'll get notified that a new version is ready for you in Outlook.
Some companies using Microsoft 365 restrict user's permissions to deploy add-ins. You must make sure that you have a Microsoft 365 subscription that includes email and allows you to deploy add-ins. If you want to try out the add-in anyway, you can try Microsoft 365 for free.
In some cases, the add-ins don't get added automatically to Outlook. Even if you or a colleague run the assisted setup guide on behalf of the company, Business Central might not show up in Outlook.
Add Business Central add-ins manually
If you experience this issue, you can add the Business Central add-ins manually.
On the Configure Outlook page of the Get the Outlook Add-in assisted setup guide, select Download Add-in. A file named OutlookAddins.zip is downloaded to your device. Extract the Contact Insights.xml and Document View.xml manifest files from the .zip file.
In your browser, visit https://aka.ms/olksideload to open Outlook on the web and the Add-Ins for Outlook dialog.
Select My add-ins to check whether Business Central is listed. If not, select Add a custom add-in > Add from a file, select one of the .xml files that you extracted, and then select Open > Install. Repeat this step for the other .xml file.
Similarly, in the Outlook desktop client, you can verify that Business Central is listed on the Manage Add-ins page.