Features not implemented in OnPremise versions
Hello reader, in this article I want to make you aware of the features that are not implemented in the OnPremise versions of Microsoft Business Central.
I often read on forums, hear from colleagues or simply talk to curious customers about features that are advertised on social networks such as LinkedIn. Very often, though, all of these people come back to the sad reality when they open their own version of Business Central OnPremise.
They come to me and say: “Damiano, how is it possible that there is no such functionality? I read on LinkedIn from a certain MVP that in the new version there is this feature that I can’t find”. Unfortunately, I have to bring these people back to the reality of their OnPremise installation. I explain to them that there are features exclusive to the SaaS version.
This post is intended to be a handbook on the features not implemented on the OnPremise version. This list can also be consulted at this address.
- PowerBI built-in reports: Automatic deployment and configuration of Power BI reports isn’t supported in on-premises deployments of Business Central.
- Bulk billing from Microsoft Bookings: Integration with the Bookings app available in some Microsoft 365 subscriptions isn’t supported.
- Create workflows from Power Automate: Power Automate doesn’t integrate with on-premises workflow functionality. You can’t create new workflows based on existing Power Automate templates in on-premises deployments of Business Central.
- Sandbox environments: The sandbox environment that you can use to develop extensions for the new development experience can’t connect to an on-premises deployment.
- Search within the Learn portal: In Business Central online deployments, Help Me, the search within the product, also searches the content of the learn.microsoft.com site. For OnPremise deployments, this feature isn’t supported.
- Late Payment Forecasting: The Late Payment Forecasting feature is not supported in on-premises deployments of Business Central.
- Use the Company Hub app for multi-company installations: Integration with the Company Hub isn’t supported in on-premises deployments of Business Central.
- Integration with the accounting hub and the company hub.
- Business Central app for Microsoft Teams: This app connects Teams to your business data in Business Central. The app can’t connect to your on-premises Business Central.
- Share to Microsoft Teams: This feature allows Business Central online users to copy a link from a page directly into a Teams conversation.
- Connection to Shopify: Online tenants can connect to their Shopify store and connect it to Business Central. For OnPremise installations, this is not possible.
- Copilot: Copilot in Business Central is available exclusively for Business Central online. Copilot is the AI-powered assistant that helps people within the organization unleash their creativity and automate repetitive tasks.
There are also OnPremise features that can only be activated in special circumstances.
- Read/write data with the Microsoft Excel add-in: The Excel add-in that allows data to be updated requires the Microsoft Entra ID as an authentication mechanism.
- Financial reports in Excel: The Excel add-in used with the default Excel-based financial reports requires the Microsoft Entra ID as an authentication mechanism.
- Covers for prints in contact management: Integration with Word for creating covers requires the Microsoft Entra ID as an authentication mechanism.
- Power BI built-in reports and charts: Integration with Power BI requires Microsoft Entra ID as an authentication mechanism.
- Integrated Power Automate management: You can use built-in workflows in your on-premises installations of Business Central, if you connect to Power Automate using your Microsoft Entra ID as your authentication mechanism. This task can be performed using the Microsoft Entra ID assisted setup guide in Business Central. Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Power Automate require Microsoft Entra authentication; however, the OnPremise version of Business Central should not use the Microsoft Entra ID as a general authentication mechanism.
- Integrated web services: A number of pages and queries are exposed as web services. However, the default endpoint must be manually updated before web services can be used.
- Outlook add-in: With Exchange Online, the add-in requires the Microsoft Entra ID as an authentication mechanism. With Exchange Server on-premises, the add-in requires Microsoft Entra ID or NAVUserPassword as an authentication mechanism.
- Standard REST API: Business Central contains new standard REST APIs. However, OnPremise versions can’t be reached through Microsoft Graph or the common endpoint, instead you need to connect directly to your on-premises deployment, just like when connecting to web services.
https://api.businesscentral.dynamics.com/v1.0/api/beta - Sales and inventory forecasting: This feature requires an Azure Machine Learning subscription
- Image Analyzer: Requires Computer Vision Service
- Cortana intelligence for cash flow forecasting: This feature requires an Azure Machine Learning subscription
As you can see, some interesting features such as Copilot, integration with Teams, etc., are not the prerogative of the OnPremise versions. This does not mean that you have an old ERP system, rather this list should make you think about whether it still makes sense to have an OnPremise version of Microsoft Business Central in 2025. We must no longer have in our heads the myth of management software as an entity that once purchased, implemented, customized, must no longer be touched, as happened 30-35 years ago. We must think of the management system as a “living” tool that helps us make decisions about our business and that is constantly updated with the latest technological innovations, a bit like the apps on our smartphones.
