FAQ about migrating to Business Central online from on-premises solutions

This section contains answers to frequently asked questions about migrating from on-premises solutions to Business Central online.

Which products and versions are supported?

You can use the built-in migration tools to migrate data to Business Central online from specific product versions. The on-premises solution must use SQL Server 2016 or a later version, and the database must have compatibility level 130 or higher. Currently, you can migrate to Business Central online from the following products:

• Business Central on-premises

  Currently, you can migrate to Business Central online from the earlier versions 14 through 22. You can also switch to online from the current version (23).

• Dynamics NAV

  If you are currently on a version of Dynamics NAV, you must upgrade to Business Central on-premises, and then switch to Business Central online.

• Dynamics GP 2015 and later versions - Dynamics GP 2015 and later versions

For more information, see Upgrading from Dynamics NAV to Business Central online.

System requirements

To migrate to Business Central online, the on-premises solution must use SQL Server 2016 or a later version, and the database must have compatibility level 130 or higher. The on-premises solution must also be one of the supported versions.

For comparison, see the System Requirements for Dynamics 365 Business Central (on-premises) 2021 Release Wave 1 and subsequent versions.

How is my on-premises data migrated to my Business Central online tenant?

Data is migrated using an Azure service called Azure Data Factory (ADF). ADF is a service that is always running within the Business Central online service manager. When you start the cloud migration, a data pipeline is created in the ADF service so that data can flow from your on-premises solution to your Business Central online tenant. If your data source is a local SQL Server instance, you're also asked to configure a self-hosted integration runtime (SHIR). The runtime is installed locally and manages the communication between the cloud services and your on-premises data without opening any ports or firewalls.

Are there any limits on the amount or type of data that can be migrated?

There are no restrictions on the type of data that can be migrated. By default, Business Central customers can use up to 80 GB plus an allowance per licensed Essentials or Premium user of database storage capacity. This storage capacity is shared, meaning that the sum of capacity usage across all environments in a tenant must not exceed the limit. If a tenant exceeds this limit, Microsoft restricts administrative actions that create additional environments. Exceeding the storage limit will not interrupt transaction processing within the existing environments.Some businesses have unique scenarios that may require additional storage. For those organizations that need more space, there's an option to purchase extra database capacity.

We recommend that you reduce the number of companies that you're migrating data for in each migration run. You can specify which companies to include in the migration in the assisted setup wizard.

If you want to add more companies after the first selection of companies, you can add more companies in the Cloud Migration Management page in Business Central online. For more information, see Run the tool multiple times.

Is my SQL connection string required to set up the connection?

Yes. The SQL connection string is passed to Azure Data Factory, where it's encrypted and delivered to your Self-Hosted Integration Runtime. The connection string is used to communicate with your SQL Server instance during the data replication process. For more information, see How do I find my SQL connection string?.

How do I find my SQL connection string?

You can find the connection string in SQL Management Studio for an on-premise SQL Server database or in Azure portal for an Azure SQL database. The user name and password defined in the connection requires a SQL Authenticated user name/password

A connection string to an on-premise SQL Server database looks like this:

Server={SQLServerName}{SQLServerInstance};Database={DatabaseName};User ID={UserName};Password={Password};

A connection string to an Azure SQL database looks like this:

Server=tcp:{ServerName},1433;Initial Catalog={DatabaseName};Persist Security Info=False; User ID={UserName};Password={Password};MultipleActiveResultSets=False;Encrypt=True;TrustServerCertificate=True;Connection Timeout=30;

To learn more, go to Define SQL database connection and integration runtime.

How do I find the Integration Runtime name or key?

Find the Integration Runtime name in the Microsoft Integration Runtime Manager, which you can find in your Windows system tray or by searching for the program. You must type the name. You can't copy and paste the name. You can get the key from the Cloud Migration Management by selecting the Get runtime service key action.

I'm a hosting partner - do I need to configure the Self-Hosted Runtime Service for each tenant?

No, there's no limit on the number of tenants that can be added to your Self-Hosted Integration Runtime. Each added tenant has a dedicated pipeline created. However, if there are multiple tenants migrating using the same Integration Runtime, it's important to plan their migrations in a way that avoids overlapping in time. This will help prevent your Integration Runtime service from experiencing an excessive load.

Will data from tables with code customizations migrate?

No, only tables that are available in both your on-premises solution and your Business Central online tenant will migrate. Any customization must be made into an extension and installed on both your on-premises solution and your Business Central online tenant to replicate.

Yes, but it requires that someone defines tables mappings to move the customized fields. For more information, go to Define Migration Table Mappings.

Why are my permissions restricted in the Business Central online tenant?

When you connect your on-premises solution to Business Central online as part of the migration, all existing users are automatically added to the Intelligent Cloud user group, unless they have the SUPER permission set. In this configuration, your on-premises solution is the primary source where all business transactions take place. The Business Central online environment is read-only, and the data is used to generate intelligent business insights based on your on-premises data for you. We restrict permissions to prevent users from accidentally entering transactions or updating primary records only to have that information overwritten and lost when data replication takes place. Once the migration is complete, you can assign the relevant permissions to all users and stop using your on-premises solution.

Will my on-premises users and permissions replicate?

No. Since you aren't required to configure your on-premises solution with Microsoft Entra ID, we can't guarantee a mapping between on-premises users and users in your Business Central online tenant. Business Central online requires Microsoft Entra accounts, and users must be manually added. All permissions must be granted in the Business Central tenant, independent from your on-premises permissions.

For more information, see Managing Users and Permissions.

Is the data replication only one way?

Yes, data is only replicated from the on-premises solution to your Business Central online tenant for the purposes of migration. Once you start using Business Central online, you must stop using your on-premises solution.

Should I uninstall all my Business Central extensions?

No. But if your cloud migration includes data upgrade of a large amount of data, we recommend that you uninstall the extensions that that include any data to move. It speeds up the upgrade and overall cloud migration process. You can reinstall the extensions after the migration.

See also

Troubleshooting Cloud Migration
Migrating On-Premises Data to Business Central Online