1. To-Increase Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations
  2. Connectivity studio
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Set up Azure file storage connector
Application task

Set up a connector of type Azure file storage. Use this type to exchange data files between your D365 FO environment (on-cloud or on-premises) and another environment, for example an on-premises environment.

With the Azure file storage type connector, you can exchange these external file-based documents: EDI, Fixed text, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Text, XML, JSON.

You can exchange data files using one of these file systems:

 

File system

Description

Azure File Storage

You can use an Azure Storage Account to exchange data files between your D365 FO environment (on-cloud or on-premises) and another environment, for example an on-premises environment.

Local folders

If you use Connectivity studio on a D365 FO (on-premises) environment, you can choose to use local Windows folders to exchange data files.


Standard procedure

1. Click Connectivity studio Integration Design.
2. Click the Connectors tab.
3. Click New.
4. In the Connector field, type a value.
 

Note: You are advised to not include, in the connector name, the name of the application to which you connect. Use the Application field to define the applicable application for the connector.
5. In the Project field, enter or select a value.
6. Define the applicable application for the connector. For a staging journal connector, for example, select a 'Windows folder' application.
  In the Application field, enter or select a value.
 

Note:
- You can only select an application that is defined for the applicable project. You can define project applications on the Projects page.
- You can type any existing application name, whether it is defined as project application or not. If the typed application is not defined as project application, it is automatically added to the project applications.
7. In the Connector type field, select 'Azure file storage'.
8. Sub-task: Set properties.
  8.1 You can export connectivity setup and import it in another D365 FO environment. For example, you first set up and test the connectivity setup in a development environment. When finished, you deploy the setup in your production environment.
To prevent messing up your production data, use different file locations for your development or testing environment and for your production environment.
To strictly distinguish between different environments, you can define unique connector properties, read settings, and write settings for each of your environment types.
Which properties, read setting, and write settings are applicable to the current environment is defined in the Environment type field on the Connectivity studio parameters. Example: If set to Development, the connector properties, read settings, and write settings, as defined for environment type Development are applicable.
  In the Environment types field, select an option.
 

Note: The environment types only apply to connectors of type Database, Azure file storage, Blob storage, SharePoint, or Service Bus queue.
  8.2 Expand the Properties section.
  8.3 Enter the UNC path to the applicable Azure file share or Windows folder.
  In the Share field, type a value.
 

Note: You can only use a Windows folder if it has access control with a user and password defined.
  8.4 Enter the username to be used to access the Azure file share or Windows folder.
To access an Azure file share, the username is the name of the applicable Azure Storage Account.
  In the User name field, type a value.
 

Note: You can only use one username and password combination to connect to an Azure Storage account. So, on all connectors that connect to the same Azure Storage account, the same username must be used.
  8.5 Define the password or the password reference to access the Azure file share or Windows folder. Whether the password or password reference applies is defined by the Display secret field in the Connectivity studio parameters.
If the Display secret parameter is set to:
- Secret, fill in the Password field with the desired password or access key. The password or access key is specific for the current connector.
- Secret reference, fill in the Password reference field with the desired secret reference. The password reference refers to a centrally stored password or access key which makes updating secrets easier.
- Both, fill in either the Password field or the Password reference field.
  In the Password field, or in the Password reference field, type a value.
 

Note:
- To access an Azure file share, the password is the key or the password reference refers to the key of the applicable Azure Storage Account.
- You can only use one user name and password combination to connect to one Azure Storage account. So, on all connectors that connect to the same Azure Storage account, the same password or password reference must be used.
  8.6 Enter the path to the Working folder of the connector.
If a message:
- Imports files, this is the source folder.
- Exports files, this is the target folder.
  In the Working path field, enter or select a value.
 

Note: Manually create the Working folder in the defined share.
  8.7 Enter the path to the Archive folder of the connector.
Files are:
- Moved to the Archive folder when imported without errors.
- Copied to the Archive folder on export. If you export, the file is first created in the Working folder. When created, it is copied to the Archive folder.
  In the Archive path field, enter or select a value.
 

Note: Manually create the Archive folder in the defined share.
  8.8 A message is always run for a specific company. Usually, this is the current company. You can store the message files in a separate folder for each company. As a result, if you run a message to:
- Import files, it only searches for files in the folder for the company for which the message is run. Example: The message is run for company USMF. Files are only searched for in the [working path]\USMF folder.
- Export files, the files are stored in the folder for the company for which the message is run. Example: The message is run for company USMF. Files are stored in the [working path]\USMF folder.
  Select Yes in the Use company folders field.
 

Note: If you use company folders, manually create the company folders.
Make sure the:
- Company folder names are exactly the same as the company IDs in D365 FO.
- Company folders are defined for each path folder of the connector: Working, Archive, Error, Split (if applicable), Copy (if applicable), and Move (if applicable).
9. Sub-task: Set read options.
  9.1 Expand the Read section.
  9.2 If Search sub folder is No, on import, files are only searched for in the Working folder. You can indicate that, on import, files are also searched for in the sub folders of the Working folder. Example: Files come in from different systems (for example: PLM and webshop) and these files are placed in a separate sub folder for each system (for example: PLM files and webshop files). In this case, set Search sub folder to Yes.
  Select Yes in the Search sub folders field.
  9.3 Enter the path to the Error folder of the connector.
If, on import of a file, errors occur, the file is moved to the Error folder.
  In the Error path field, enter or select a value.
 

Note: Manually create the Error folder in the defined share.
  9.4 Enter the path to the Split folder of the connector.
On import, you can split large files with a lot of records. Whether a file must be split is defined in the Split quantity field on documents of type Text or Microsoft Excel. As a result, the original file is put in the Split folder instead of the Working folder. When the message is run, the original file is split in smaller files based on the split quantity. The smaller split files are put in the Working folder. The message processes the split files in parallel.
  In the Split/Temporary path field, enter or select a value.
 

Note:
- Manually create the Split folder in the defined share.
- Only use the split functionality for simple (one record level) data. It is not suitable for data with multiple levels (header and line records).
10. Sub-task: Set write options.
  10.1 On write (creation of files), you can sort and store files in sub folders based on a specific table field value.
Example: You want to sort files by customer group. Fill in Table name='CustTable' and Field name='CustGroup'. Customer US-001 belongs to customer group 30. If a file is created for customer US-001, it is added to the [Working path]\30 folder.
  Expand the Write section.
 

Note:
- Table field folder sorting is only applied if you run a message for one specific record.
- Make sure, the table field is also defined for the root record of the applicable document.
- If you use table field folders, manually create the table field folders. Make sure the table field folder names are exactly the same as the table field values in D365 FO. Also make sure these table field folders are defined for each path folder of the connector: Working, Archive, Error, Split (if applicable), Copy (if applicable), and Move (if applicable).
  10.2 Define the table for the table field folder sorting.
  In the Table name field, enter or select a value.
  10.3 Define the table field for the table field folder sorting.
  In the Field name field, enter or select a value.
11. Sub-task: Select custom handler.
  11.1 Expand the Custom section.
  11.2 For an Azure file storage type connector, the standard handler class is BisConnectorWindowsFolder. This handler class exports data to or imports data from a file.
You can use a customized handler class. To do so, extend the standard handler class.
  In the Handler field, you can enter or select a custom handler class.
12. Sub-task: Set advanced options.
  12.1 Expand the Advanced options section.
  12.2 A document can have a query for which cross-company is enabled. If a user, with access to a restricted set of companies, runs a message that uses the document, the cross-company option does not work. If you have this scenario, make sure the cross-company option is enabled for the used connector. Otherwise, you can disable the cross-company option.
  Select Yes in the Cross company disabled field.
13. Close the page.

Notes

  • You can test the connection. To do so, on the Connectors page, in the Action Pane, on the Development tab, click Test connection.
  • To connect to an Azure file share or a local Windows folder, the 'WnetaddConnection' DLL is used. However, it can only make one connection from your environment to a server. So, you can not link to the same server with different users and passwords.
    Example:
    You have two file storages:
    • d365example.file.core.windows.net/purchase
    • d365example.file.core.windows.net/sales
      You can not connect to the 'purchase' storage with a user='PurchaseUser' and password='password' and to the 'sales' storage with user='SalesUser' and password='password002'. The WnetAddconnection DLL can only connect with one user to the 'd365example.file.core.windows.net' server.
  • You can change the type of an existing connector. If you do so, also fill in the applicable fields. For more information, refer to the topic about the setup of the newly chosen connector type.
  • You can use the File explorer to quickly access and view the share as defined for the Azure file storage connector. The File explorer offers limited functionality. You can only view, copy, move, or delete files. To open the File explorer, on the Connectors page, in the Action Pane, on the Development tab, click File explorer.

 

Related to Notes

Set up Azure file storage connector

 		 

See also

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