💡 Article Overview
Tacto Connect automatically transfers transactional and master data from Business Central to Tacto – no coding required.
Prerequisite: Business Central version 24 or newer (cloud or on-premises) and the Tacto connect (Admin) permission set.
Quick start: Install Tacto Connect → Open the setup page → Run your first export → Choose an export method for automation → Set up automatic export.
❗ Note
Tacto Connect is read-only: your Business Central data is only ever read, never changed.
The app ships with a sensible pre-selection of tables and fields. A meaningful export can be produced within a minute of installation – adjusting tables, fields and filters is optional.
⬇️ Quick start
Install Tacto Connect Open Extension Management and switch to the AppSource tab – this applies to both cloud and on-premises environments. Search for Tacto Connect and select Install.
1) Set Up and Test Your First Export
1a) Open Tacto connect Setup Use Tell Me (the search icon) and open Tacto connect Setup. This page is your central starting point for the export method, filters and the export itself.
1b) Choose an export method for your first attempt Set Export Method to ZIP Download. Nothing else needs to be configured for a first test – leave Date Filter empty and Only Export Referenced Items off, so you see the complete, unfiltered result.
1c) Run the export Select TACTO Export. The app reads every enabled table, writes one CSV file per table, bundles them into a ZIP archive, and your browser downloads it (TACTO_Export_<date>.zip). Each CSV has the column headings in row 1, and every following row is one record, with values separated by semicolons.
Use Exported Files to open Tacto Exported Files – an overview of past exports from which you can re-download or delete individual files.
2) Setting up regular exports
2a) Choose an export method for automation ZIP Download is only suitable for a manual test: the file lands in your browser, and nothing is there to receive it when the export runs unattended in the background. Set Export Method to Azure Blob Storage (recommended) or – on-premises only – to Local Storage with a transfer step of your own, before automating the export. Details on both methods are covered further below.
2b) Set up automatic export Click Create Job Queue Entry. The app creates a job queue entry that runs the export on weekday mornings – created disabled so it cannot start unexpectedly. Review the entry in Job Queue Entries and set its status to Ready yourself once you are satisfied.
💡 Note: During onboarding, feel free to manually submit the data to us initially, before the regular upload to the Azure servers is active.
This completes a full export cycle.
⬇️ Detail-Konfiguration des Exporters
The following sections cover each of these points in more detail.
1) The three delivery methods in detail
The Export Method setting determines what happens to the generated files. On Business Central online, the first two methods are available; the third appears only on on-premises installations.
ZIP Download The app collects all CSV files into a single ZIP archive for manual download. Well suited to situations where a person hands the files to Tacto manually, and the simplest option to try. Not suitable for automated, scheduled exports via the job queue, since no interactive session is available to receive the download.
Azure Blob Storage (recommended) The method most customers use in day-to-day operation, as it requires no manual intervention. The app uploads each file directly into the Tacto Azure Blob Storage container – the same container Tacto reads from. Credentials for your storage account are provided by your Tacto Solution Engineer.
Enter the account, container, an optional folder, and the credentials (app ID, client secret, tenant ID). The client secret is stored encrypted and displayed only as *** once saved.
Three test buttons are available:
Azure Connection Test – uploads and then deletes a small file to confirm the container is reachable.
Azure Upload Test – uploads a sample file so you can see a real object appear in storage.
Azure Storage Content – lists the current contents of the container so you can confirm your exports have arrived.
Local Storage – on-premises only The app writes each CSV file directly to a network folder you specify (Export Path). Suited to organisations whose own middleware collects the files from a shared folder. Make sure the Business Central service has write access to this path. Discuss the transfer method beyond this point (e.g. SFTP) with your Solution Engineer.
2) Export filters in detail
Business Central tables typically contain more records than are relevant for analysis in Tacto. The app already applies sensible default filters; the tools below give you additional control.
2a) What the app exports by default
| Tables |
Master data |
|
Purchase documents |
|
Prices |
|
Any table that does not exist in your Business Central version is skipped automatically.
2b) Enabling or disabling whole tables
On the Export Table Setup page, the Enabled switch on each row determines whether a table is exported. If a table is disabled, no file is produced for it.
2c) Selecting fields (Field Selection)
Select a table and open Edit Fields to decide which fields are exported, and in what order.
Export – determines whether the field appears as a column in the file. If disabled, the field is used only for filtering and is not included in the output.
Static Field Filter – a fixed, always-active filter expression (e.g.
>0orPurchase), validated by the app against the field's type.Setup Date Filter – determines which date field the Date Filter described below is applied to. Only one field per table can carry this filter.
Item Reference – marks the field that holds the item number (see below).
2d) Date Filter – limiting the export to a time window
On the setup page, enter the Date Filter as a short date formula, for example:
Input | Meaning |
| last 12 months |
| last 2 years |
| last 180 days |
empty | no date limit (full export – recommended for the first export) |
2e) Only Export Referenced Items – items you actually purchase
Enable this switch so that only items that actually appear on your purchasing documents are exported, rather than the entire item catalogue. The app automatically builds the list of item numbers referenced in your purchasing documents.
All filters combine: a record is exported only if its table is enabled, it passes every static filter, it falls within the date window, and – if enabled – its item is one you actually purchase.
3) Saving and resetting your configuration
Once you have adjusted tables and fields to match your Tacto setup, two action groups are available on the Export Table Setup page:
Configuration – exports your entire configuration to a file and lets you import it again later. Useful as a backup, or for copying a proven setup from a test environment into production. Importing replaces the current configuration entirely.
System Defaults – Reset System Defaults rebuilds the app's default values while keeping your own customisations. Full Reset removes all settings, including your customisations, and cannot be undone.
4) Data protection & permissions
Your live data is never changed – the app only reads Business Central to produce export files.
Azure credentials are stored encrypted and are no longer shown in plain text once saved.
Transfer to Tacto uses encrypted (HTTPS) connections only.
Two permission levels are available: Tacto connect (Admin) for configuration, connection tests and running exports; Tacto connect (User) for users who only run exports and retrieve files, without being able to change the configuration.