Business Central requirements for users, IT and projects

Business Central requirements for the online service

Business Central online runs in current versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. You install nothing on a server of your own. Check Microsoft's current system requirements page for the supported browser versions. A desktop app is available from the Microsoft Store for Windows. Mobile apps for iOS and Android are in their app stores. A stable internet connection is the main practical need.

Any reasonably modern business computer is enough, since processing happens in Microsoft's cloud. Larger screens help people who work in wide lists all day. Warehouse staff usually use handheld devices with a scanning app. Also, printing works through the browser, email printing or a cloud print extension.

Accounts, licenses and Microsoft 365

Every user needs an account in Microsoft Entra ID. It is the sign-in service behind Microsoft 365. They also need a Business Central license assigned in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Full users hold Essentials or Premium. Light users can hold Team Members, and shared terminals use a Device license. Microsoft publishes current prices on its site.

A full Microsoft 365 subscription is optional. Even so, several features use Microsoft 365 services. Examples are the Excel add-in, the Outlook add-in, Teams integration and email from a shared mailbox. Multifactor authentication and conditional access policies are set in Entra ID. They apply to Business Central sign-ins automatically.

On-premises Business Central requirements

An on-premises installation has more parts. Business Central Server runs on Windows Server. A supported edition of SQL Server or Azure SQL holds the database. Internet Information Services runs the web server components. Supported versions change with each release. So check Microsoft's system requirements page for yours.

Also plan for backups, high availability, certificates for secure connections and authentication. Sizing depends on user numbers, volume and the number of companies. We assess existing servers before an upgrade. Where moving online is less effort than replacing hardware, we say so plainly.

Requirements for development and integrations

First, developers write extensions in Visual Studio Code with the AL Language extension. Then they publish to a sandbox. Source control, usually Git, is also advised. You create sandboxes from the admin center. A Docker-based container can serve local development and automated tests when that suits the team.

Integrations connect through the standard REST APIs, custom API pages or OData web services. They are authenticated with Microsoft Entra applications. Power Automate and Power Apps use the Business Central connector. Before building, list each system and the data that flows. Note its direction and frequency. Also note who owns the other end.

Gathering business requirements for a Business Central project

Technical readiness is the quick part. The harder needs are about how the business works. Write each one as an outcome. For example, a sales order cannot ship until credit is approved. Avoid describing screens from the old system. Group needs by process. Then mark each as essential, important or nice to have.

Next, test each need against standard Business Central. Do not assume custom work. Setup, workflows or a change in habit meet many of them. What remains becomes the gap list that drives add-on and extension decisions. Our consultants run these workshops. They write a document you can use with any partner. That document turns your Business Central requirements into a plan.

Business Central requirements: quick answers

Does Business Central work on a Mac?

Yes. The online service runs in Safari, Chrome, Edge and Firefox on macOS. The experience is the same as on Windows. Also, the Excel add-in works with Excel for Mac and Excel on the web. Only the Microsoft Store desktop app is specific to Windows. So a Mac team meets no extra Business Central requirements for daily use.

Do we need Microsoft 365 to use Business Central online?

You need a Microsoft Entra tenant, which Microsoft creates when you subscribe. A full Microsoft 365 subscription is optional, though recommended. Outlook, Excel and Teams integration and simple email sending depend on it. Most customers already have it. If you do not, ask us which features you would miss.

What internet speed does Business Central need?

Microsoft does not set a single figure. A normal business broadband line works well. Pages send small amounts of data. Reliability matters more than raw speed. Sites with weak links should add a backup line first. That small step prevents most outages that users blame on the software.

Can we use Business Central on a tablet in the warehouse?

Yes. The tablet and phone apps give a simple layout for lookups, approvals and basic tasks. For barcode work, most warehouses add a scanning app on rugged handhelds. It works with the standard warehouse documents. So plan the device and the app together. Test both on the floor.

How detailed should our requirements document be?

Detailed enough that someone outside the company could test each line. So write for a stranger. A page or two per process is usually right. Include the steps and the exceptions. Add the volumes and the reports needed. Then add the rules that must never be broken. However, longer documents tend to describe the old system. They miss the outcome you need.

Next steps after your Business Central requirements

With technical and business needs in hand, these pages help next. They explain installation options, how the system works and licensing. They also show how we turn a list of needs into a working system. Start with the licensing page, since it decides the cost of each user. Then bring your Business Central requirements list to a first call. We can test it against the standard product. For the product detail, see Business Central documentation on Microsoft Learn.