Written By Timothy Lally, President & CEO of KTL Solutions
Virtual tables, formerly known as virtual entities, are a powerful feature in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central that allows users to access and interact with external data sources as if they were native to the Business Central environment. Rather than requiring data to be imported or synchronized from external systems, virtual tables enable real-time access to that data without the complexity of integration or data storage.
This capability is especially valuable for businesses that manage data across multiple systems or need external data for decision-making without bringing all that information into the Dynamics 365 database.
How Virtual Tables Work
Virtual tables act as a seamless bridge between Business Central and external data sources. These tables appear within the Business Central interface just like regular tables, with similar fields and records, but without storing the data in Business Central itself. Instead, virtual tables dynamically fetch and display data from external sources in real time.
By using virtual tables, users can interact with external data as though it were stored locally. This allows for smooth workflows and operations across various data systems without needing to build complex synchronization or data import processes. Virtual tables can support both read and write operations, depending on the configuration and the capabilities of the external data source.
You can configure virtual tables through Microsoft Dataverse, APIs, or other connectors, allowing data to be pulled from a wide range of sources, such as SQL databases, cloud applications, or even other Dynamics 365 products.
Examples of How Virtual Tables Can Be Used
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- Integration with Inventory Management Systems
Imagine a company that uses a third-party inventory management system to track stock levels, shipments, and product movements. By leveraging virtual tables, Business Central users can access real-time inventory data from that external system without having to import it into Business Central. This allows for up-to-the-minute stock levels to be viewed, enabling more accurate purchase orders, demand forecasting, and stock management.
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- Connecting to a CRM for Customer Data
Picture a business using a separate CRM system to track customer activities. With virtual tables, you can display customer data from the CRM directly within Business Central. This allows finance and operations teams to access customer interactions, sales opportunities, and contact details when processing orders, issuing invoices, or running reports, streamlining workflows.
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- Accessing Data from External Financial Systems
In companies operating across multiple countries, different systems are often used for financial management. Virtual tables enable Business Central users to access data from these various systems in real-time. For instance, users in the US can view data from a European system, allowing for consolidated reports without the need for manual data imports.
Benefits of Virtual Tables
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- Real-time data access: Virtual tables provide instant interaction with the most up-to-date data from external systems.
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- No data duplication: Because the data remains in the external source, there’s no need to store or duplicate it within Business Central.
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- Easy integration: Virtual tables simplify the process of bringing in data from external sources without requiring heavy customization or development efforts.
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- Improved efficiency: They reduce the need for manual data imports, complex integration projects, and regular data synchronization.
Virtual tables in Dynamics 365 Business Central open up new possibilities for seamless data integration, making it easier for businesses to work smarter and more efficiently.
