If you are working with Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Dynamics 365 Business Central, you have surely heard about the integration possibilities offered by APIs to connect your ERP with other tools.
But before analyzing them it is convenient to define what is an API.
What are the APIs in Dynamics NAV?
APIs (Application Programming Interface) allow a point-to-point connection between Dynamics NAV and an external application. Any programming language capable of making API REST calls can be used to create external software and integrate it with Navision.
The integration of Dynamics NAV with other applications will allow you to expand the functionality of your ERP and achieve a higher level of automation for the members of your team.
It is important to note that the APIs allow reading and modifying business data through applications connected to Dynamics NAV. If we focus on Dynamics NAV 2018, we can create connection APIs and, also, consume the integrated APIs that the tool has in a standard way.
What are the APIs useful for?
The APIs can be used for an infinity of communication scenarios between external applications and Dynamics NAV. For example, access information from clients and / or suppliers, update or create documents, etc.
One of the advantages of using APIs is that the logic and functionality resides in Dynamics NAV. Therefore, the control and error management reside in NAV and Navision will validate the data and return the corresponding response. For example, if we work with an API that creates invoices and the external application sends it to a client that does not exist, NAV will check if the client exists or not and return the answer that the client does not exist or if You have created the invoice correctly.
Last news about APIs?
See this article, where our IT team talks about the workshops they took with the APIs at the NAV Tech Days Conference 2019.
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