FAQ about Updating your Business Central App

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10/27/2023

This section contains answers to frequently asked questions about updating your app for Business Central.

Is it the same process for an app update as the first version?

Yes. You upload the updated app file into Partner Center and submit as normal. It goes through a more scaled-back validation process than your original version, but it does get validated. If it fails validation, it comes back to you for fixing. If it passes validation, it gets checked into Business Central.

What are some "need to know" considerations with an updated app?

When you submit an updated version of your app, you must increase the version number in the app's json/manifest files. Business Central doesn’t allow overwrites. So we need the version number increased for us to check the updated app into our service upon it passing validation.

Never change the app's App ID in the json/manifest files. This is must stay the same across versions for various reasons, not least for upgrade reasons.

For information about what constitutes the identity of an app, see App Identity.

When is my updated app available for tenants to install?

As soon as your updated app passes validation and is checked into our service, it then becomes the active version (for whatever the current Business Central version is at that time). Even though your offer might still show as in progress in Partner Center, the updated app is active and ready to install. Also, even though your version number in AppSource might show as older, tenants will still get this latest updated version. For example, your updated version might be version 1.0.0.5. And in AppSource it might still show 1.0.0.1. Tenants will get the version 1.0.0.5.

What version of Business Central is my updated app compatible with?

When you submit your app for validation, we validate it against the latest version at that point in time. Once the app passes validation, it is then checked into our service and configured for that version of Business Central, unless a newer version has been released in the meanwhile. For example, if you submit your app and the latest version of Business Central at that time is 16.1, your app will then be compatible and configured for 16.1. When versions 16.2, 16.3, and so on roll out, your app is automatically configured for the latest version. Tenants that are on earlier versions of Business Central will not get that updated version. They still however can install the previous versions of your app. They will get the version of your app that is configured for the version of Business Central that their tenant is on.

When tenants have their Business Central version upgraded, do apps ever get automatically updated?

Internal and delegated environment administrators can set the app update cadence for their environment in the Business Central administration center so apps will automatically update with every major update or with every major and minor update. The only exception in which the app update cadence may be overruled is if an app will be broken in a minor release due to changes in the base product. In this case, we configure that app in our service as required. When tenants then get upgraded to that minor release, if they have that app, it then gets updated automatically. This is to avoid the app being broken for the customer.

How do tenants that already have an existing version of my app get my latest updated version?

Internal and delegated environment administrators can view all installed apps and any updates available to them on the Manage Apps page in the Business Central administration center. From that page they can install updates to apps immediately or schedule an app update to take place during the next update window for the environment on which the app is installed. Alternatively, an app can be uninstalled and reinstalled to get the latest version.

Do I have to submit an updated version of my app for the major releases?

No. The only reason you would need to submit an updated version of your app for a major release is if your app is going to be broken in that release. If your app will not be broken, then your latest available version of the app will be rolled over to that major release.

How frequent should I submit updated versions of my app?

We recommend that you bundle more bug fixes and features so that your app doesn't have to be updated frequently. This has been voiced by our Business Central customers. They do not want to be constantly updating their apps in their tenants. We recommend a minimum 1-month app update cadence.

What if I have a critical hotfix?

We treat critical hotfixes with the utmost importance. We do have a process around this. Additional information on this hotfix process can be found here.

If I make changes to the library app, must I also submit an update for the AppSource app?

You would upload the updated library app to Partner Center, leave the main app as is, and submit for validation. We then see that the main app has not changed and only validate the library app.

But wouldn’t I need to change the dependency in my main app’s json to reference the updated library app file?

No. The version number in the dependency listing in the json file to an app is a minimum version. The main app is essentially saying, "I need version 1.0.0.1 or greater" of the library app. For example, the AppSource app lists version 1.0.0.1 for the library app, and that means that it can also use version 1.0.0.2.

Why don't I see the updated version of my app in my sandbox tenant?

Your tenant is on an older version of Business Central and has not yet been upgraded to the latest version of Business Central. The latest updated version of your app is only compatible with the latest Business Central version and later. If you upgrade your tenant to the latest version, you can then update your app.

Is there a good way get the status of the validation as it happens?

Collect telemetry data in Microsoft Azure Application Insights. When you submit an app to AppSource, it starts an automated validation process. This process ensures the extensions in the app meet the technical requirements for going live. It goes through many of the same checks described in technical validation. Starting with version 18.4, if an app's set up for it, telemetry traces for the app submission can be emitted to and recorded in Application Insights. The data provides immediate details about the success or failure of different phases of the validation. For more information, see Sending Extension Telemetry to Azure Application Insights and Analyzing AppSource Submission Validation Trace Telemetry..

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