Efficient file management is essential for businesses leveraging Azure cloud storage. Automating file transfers between Azure File Share and Azure Blob Storage enhances scalability, reduces manual intervention, and ensures data availability. This blog provides a step-by-step guide to setting up an Azure Timer Trigger Function App to automate the transfer process. Why Automate File Transfers? Steps to Implement the Solution 1. Prerequisites To follow this guide, ensure you have: 2. Create a Timer Trigger Function App 3. Install Required Packages For C#: For Python: 4. Implement the File Transfer Logic C# Implementation 5. Deploy and Monitor the Function To conclude, automating file transfers from Azure File Share to Blob Storage using a Timer Trigger Function streamlines operations and enhances reliability. Implementing this solution optimizes file management, improves cost efficiency, and ensures compliance with best practices. Begin automating your file transfers today! Need expert assistance? Reach out for tailored Azure solutions to enhance your workflow. We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.

We are delighted to announce that a leading US-based TLC car rental brand, Buggy LLC is partnering with CloudFronts for Dynamics 365 support & maintenance with Managed Services Agreement (MSA).  Buggy LLC is a leading data-centric TLC (Taxi and Limousine Commission) car rental company, dedicated to providing reliable and efficient transportation solutions for drivers who are looking to drive for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft. Buggy offers a comprehensive fleet of well-maintained, TLC-approved vehicles, ensuring drivers have access to top-quality cars that meet strict regulatory standards. With an unwavering commitment to safety, exceptional customer service, and cutting-edge technology, Buggy empowers drivers to maximize their earnings while providing passengers with safe and comfortable rides. Learn more about them at https://www.joinbuggy.com/   The partnership with CloudFronts began with the implementation of an integrated fleet management experience on Dynamics 365 for Fast Track Mobility. Subsequently, Fast Track Mobility was acquired by Buggy LLC and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Voyager Global Mobility, a rapidly growing mobility operating company.  Following the implementation, they entered into a Managed Services Agreement (MSA) with CloudFronts and renewed it multiple times over the years.  Under this latest renewal of the MSA, CloudFronts will ensure that the proper elements and commitments are in place to provide ongoing technical, functional support & maintenance services to the client.  Visit us at https://www.cloudfronts.com/ to learn more about our Dynamics 365 offerings.  About CloudFronts  CloudFronts is a Dynamics 365 focused Microsoft Solutions Partner helping Teams & Organizations worldwide solve their Complex Business Challenges with Microsoft Cloud. Our head office and robust delivery centre are based out of Mumbai, India, along with branch offices in Singapore & the U.S.   Since its inception in 2012, CloudFronts has successfully served over 500+ small and medium-sized clients all over the world, such as North America, Europe, Australia, MENA, Maldives & India, with diverse experiences in sectors ranging from Professional Services, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Retail, Logistics/SCM, and Non-profits.  Please feel free to connect with us at transform@cloudfronts.com 

Managing item purchase prices effectively is crucial for accurate cost control in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (D365FO). One of the key features that impacts how item prices update is the Latest Purchase Price Parameter. When enabled, this parameter ensures that an item’s price is updated based on the most recent purchase cost recorded in a Purchase Order (PO). This means that every time a new PO is created, the item’s purchase price can change depending on the most recent cost price recorded in the system. In this blog, we will explore:The impact of enabling the Latest Purchase Price parameter.Step-by-step instructions to activate this parameter.How to track price changes using Last Price History. Impact of Enabling the Latest Purchase Price Parameter Key Effects of Enabling This Parameter:The purchase price of an item in the Item Master updates automatically based on the latest purchase price in a PO.This applies to both fixed and variable pricing models.If multiple POs are created for the same item at different prices, the purchase price will fluctuate accordingly.The updated purchase price will also reflect in the Manage Cost > Item Price section. Example Scenario: Steps to Enable the Latest Purchase Price Parameter in Released Products Step 1: Navigate to Released Products Step 2: Select the Product Step 3: Enable the Latest Purchase Price Parameter Step 4: Set Initial Price in Product Master Step 5: Create a Purchase Order (PO) Step 6: Update the Purchase Price Step 7: Confirm the Purchase Order Step 8: Post the Product Receipt (GRN) Step 9: Invoice the Purchase Order Outcome:Once invoicing is complete, navigate to the Product Master and open the product. If the Latest Purchase Price parameter is enabled, you will see that the purchase price has been updated from 50 USD to 100 USD, reflecting the latest purchase cost. Additionally, under Manage Cost > Item Price, the updated purchase price of 100 USD will be visible. How to Enable Last Price History in Dynamics 365 To track purchase price fluctuations over time, you need to enable the Last Price History feature. Steps to Enable Last Price History: Outcome:Once enabled, you can view historical purchase price changes in the Item Price section, helping businesses analyze pricing trends and make informed purchasing decisions. To conclude, enabling the Latest Purchase Price Parameter in D365FO ensures that item prices remain current based on the most recent purchase cost. This feature is beneficial for businesses managing fluctuating costs and needing accurate pricing in their procurement process. Additionally, by enabling Last Price History, organizations can track price variations over time, ensuring better cost analysis and decision-making. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you can optimize your item pricing strategy and enhance financial accuracy in Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations. We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com. Need further assistance? Feel free to leave a comment or reach out for expert guidance on pricing configurations in D365FO! Thank you for reading!

Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (D365 F&O) allows customization through extensions, enabling developers to add new fields to existing tables and forms without modifying the original Microsoft code. This approach ensures upgrade safety and maintainability. In this blog, we’ll cover: Step 1: Creating a Table Extension A table extension lets you add custom fields to an existing table (e.g., CustTable for customers). 1. Create a Table Extension In Visual Studio, right-click your project → Add → New Item. Select Dynamics 365 Items → Data Model → Table Extension. Name it (e.g., MyCustTableExtension). 2. Define the New Fields After choosing the appropriate data type and entering the required information, you can proceed to create the field. 3. Synchronize the Database After adding fields: Right-click the project → Build. Right-click the project → Dynamics 365 → Synchronize Database. Step 2: Extending a Page to Display the New Fields Now, let’s add these fields to the Customer Details page (CustTable form). 1. Create a Page Extension Right-click your project → Add → New Item. Select Application Explorer → User Interface → Forms  → Create Extension. Name it (e.g., MyCustTablePageExtension). 2. Add Fields to the Page You can drag and place where you want. 3. Build and Test Build the project (F6). Run the CustTable form (Ctrl+F5). Open a customer record → Your new fields should appear under “General Tab”. Best Practices for Extensions To conclude, with table and form extensions, you can safely customize D365 F&O without altering base Microsoft code. This ensures smoother upgrades and better maintainability. Try it out and enhance your F&O implementation today! We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.

Maintaining optimal performance in Dynamics 365 (D365) requires proactive storage management. Running out of space can slow down your system, so it’s crucial to monitor storage usage and act before reaching capacity. Ideally, you should receive an alert when storage hits 80%, giving you time to take corrective action. How to Reduce Storage Consumption in D365 If your D365 environment is nearing its storage limit, here are some effective ways to reclaim space: When Documents Are the Culprit If storage remains tight after these steps, documents and attachments are likely the issue. Studies show that 70% of D365 storage is often consumed by files—especially if your organization stores emails within the CRM. Unfortunately, traditional cleanup methods may not be enough to free up space efficiently. A Better Approach: Integrate External Storage Solutions Since D365 is designed for customer relationship management—not document storage—relying on it for file storage can be costly. Instead, consider migrating documents to dedicated storage systems that offer: Popular options include: By offloading documents to these platforms, you can reduce D365 storage costs while improving efficiency. To encapsulate, proactive storage management ensures smoother D365 performance and avoids unnecessary expenses. Clean up unused data, then explore external storage solutions for long-term efficiency. Would you like recommendations on the best storage migration strategy for your business? Let us know in the comments! We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.

In the pharmaceutical industry, quality doesn’t stop at the first inspection. Even after raw materials (RM) and finished goods (FG) pass initial testing, they may need to be retested over time to ensure they still meet quality standards. Retesting is done for various reasons—checking product stability, verifying shelf-life, or re-evaluating materials due to storage issues. If not managed properly, it can lead to delays, compliance risks, or even wasted inventory. With our GMP-compliant Quality module in Business Central, the retesting process becomes more structured and efficient. In this blog, we’ll look at how the system helps identify items due for retesting, track test results, and make informed inventory decisions. Items due for retesting Once the QA user completes the quality process and posts the inspection receipt, the system stores the retesting date on the item ledger entry. This ensures that retesting requirements are properly recorded and can be tracked throughout the product lifecycle. Retesting Worksheet The next step is to track and manage items due for retesting. Business Central simplifies this with the Retesting Worksheet, which allows QA teams to efficiently identify materials and products that need to be retested. With this approach, retesting becomes a structured and automated process, helping pharma companies stay compliant and maintain quality without operational bottlenecks. I Hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.

In our previous posts, we covered the key stages of production—planning, creating orders, managing materials, and reviewing the final product. Now, let’s focus on an important next step: quality control of Finished product. Quality control is not something we just do at the end of the process; it’s crucial to making sure our products meet the high standards our customers expect. In this post, we’ll explain the essential steps involved in quality control, from inspections to ensuring everything follows the right rules, all to make sure only the best products are delivered. Let’s dive into how we keep our products up to standard and protect the reputation of our brand! Released production order System will automatically create Inspection datasheet with all the item details and list of specification. Inspection Datasheet Inspection Receipt Posted inspection receipt To conclude, our comprehensive quality control, driven by inspection datasheets and receipts, delivers excellent products, traceable records, and customer confidence through verifiable results and Certificates of Analysis. I Hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.

In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, securing sensitive data like passwords is crucial for protecting both businesses and customers. By the end of this post, you will understand how passwords are encrypted before being stored and decrypted only when necessary. This ensures that passwords remain secure, minimizing exposure and building trust. 1. Storing Encrypted Passwords Passwords are encrypted before being stored in the database to ensure they are protected. This prevents anyone from accessing passwords in plain text, even if they gain unauthorized access to the database. Here’s an example of how a custom table, CFSCustomPage, stores encrypted passwords using the EncodePassword procedure. In the above code, the password is encrypted before being stored in the database to ensure the data remains secure. The EncodePassword procedure is used for encrypting the password. 2. Decrypting Passwords When Needed When passwords need to be retrieved, they are decrypted using the DecodePassword procedure. This ensures that passwords are only accessible when required, minimizing exposure. Here’s the decryption function: In the above code, passwords are decrypted only when needed, allowing the system to securely handle sensitive data. 3. Returning Decrypted Passwords via API For external systems or applications requiring access to customer data, Business Central ensures that passwords are only decrypted and transmitted securely via API. This way, customer information remains protected throughout the process. Here’s how the API Page CFSCustPageAPI handles this: The API exposes the encrypted password and only decrypts it when accessed securely through the API. 4. Returning Decrypted Passwords in a List Page Passwords can also be decrypted and displayed in a list page when necessary, ensuring they are only shown to authorized users. This is done using the DecodePassword function in the page CFSCustomPage, as shown below: This page allows authorized users to view encrypted passwords, MD5, SHA1, SHA512, and AES encrypted passwords, and also decrypt them when necessary. 5. Best Practices for Password Security 6. Encryption Types Used in the System Here are the different types of encryptions and hashing methods used in Business Central: Code: table 71983576 CFSCustomPage {     Caption = ‘CustomPage’;     DataClassification = ToBeClassified;     fields     {         field(71983575; “No.”; Code[20])         {             Caption = ‘No.’;             DataClassification = CustomerContent;         }         field(71983576; Name; Text[50])         {             Caption = ‘Name’;             DataClassification = CustomerContent;         }         field(71983577; Password; Text[365])         {             Caption = ‘Password’;             DataClassification = CustomerContent;         }     }     keys     {         key(PK; “No.”)         {             Clustered = true;         }     }     // Procedure to encode (encrypt) a password     [ServiceEnabled]     procedure EncodePassword(var Password: Text[365])     var         EncryptedPassword: Text[365];     begin         // Encrypt the password using the Encrypt function         EncryptedPassword := Encrypt(Password);         // Assign the encrypted password back to the Password field         Password := EncryptedPassword;     end;     // Procedure to decode (decrypt) the password     [ServiceEnabled]     procedure DecodePassword(EncryptedPassword: Text[365]): Text     var         DecryptedPassword: Text;     begin         // Decrypt the password using the Decrypt function         DecryptedPassword := Decrypt(EncryptedPassword);         // Return the decrypted password         exit(DecryptedPassword);     end;     // Procedure to generate MD5 hash of a password     procedure MD5Hash(Pwd: Text): Text     var         CryptographyManagement: Codeunit “Cryptography Management”;         HashAlgorithmType: Option MD5,SHA1,SHA256,SHA384,SHA512;     begin         // Generate and return the MD5 hash of the password         exit(CryptographyManagement.GenerateHash(Pwd, HashAlgorithmType::MD5));     end;     // Procedure to generate SHA1 hash of a password     procedure SHA1(Pwd: Text): Text     var         CryptographyManagement: Codeunit “Cryptography Management”;         HashAlgorithmType: Option MD5,SHA1,SHA256,SHA384,SHA512;     begin         // Generate and return the SHA1 hash of the password         exit(CryptographyManagement.GenerateHash(Pwd, HashAlgorithmType::SHA1));     end;     // Procedure to generate SHA512 hash of a password     procedure SHA512(Pwd: Text): Text     var         CryptographyManagement: Codeunit “Cryptography Management”;         HashAlgorithmType: Option MD5,SHA1,SHA256,SHA384,SHA512;     begin         // Generate and return the SHA512 hash of the password         exit(CryptographyManagement.GenerateHash(Pwd, HashAlgorithmType::SHA512));     end;     // AES Encryption and Decryption example     procedure AESEncryptionExample(Passowrd: Text): TEXT     var         RijndaelCryptography: Codeunit “Rijndael Cryptography”;         Base64Convert: Codeunit “Base64 Convert”;         EncryptedText: Text;         DecryptedText: Text;         SecretTexts: SecretText;     begin         // Convert the encryption key ‘1106198321061984’ to Base64 format and store it in SecretTexts         SecretTexts := Base64Convert.ToBase64(‘1106198321061984’);         // Set the encryption key and initialization vector (IV) using Base64-encoded values         RijndaelCryptography.SetEncryptionData(SecretTexts, Base64Convert.ToBase64(‘ITGateWayXyZ1234’));         // Set the AES block size to 128 bits (standard AES block size)         RijndaelCryptography.SetBlockSize(128);         // Set the cipher mode for AES to CBC (Cipher Block Chaining)         RijndaelCryptography.SetCipherMode(‘CBC’);         // Set the padding mode for AES encryption to PKCS7 (standard padding scheme for block ciphers)         RijndaelCryptography.SetPaddingMode(‘PKCS7’);         // Encrypt the password using AES encryption         EncryptedText := RijndaelCryptography.Encrypt(Passowrd);         // Decrypt the encrypted password using … Continue reading Implementing Encryption and Decryption Functions via API in Business Central →

Businesses regularly invoice customers and require an efficient method to generate these invoices simultaneously. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a feature called “Create Recurring Sales Invoices,” which enables the batch creation of sales invoices for multiple customers using predefined recurring sales lines. Pre-requisites Business Central onCloud Configuration: To set up recurring sales lines. Search globally “Recurring sales lines” and choose the related link. Now select the “New” action and fill in the fields as necessary. There are some fields that are missing like Amount you can add it by Personalization and fill in the necessary data. Now assign recurring sales line template codes to customers that you want to create invoices for them. Now search for “Create recurring sales invoices”. On the Create recurring sales invoices page fill necessary data. In the Code filter field, enter the code for standard sales lines that are assigned to a customer that you want to create sales invoices for. You can see sales invoices are created for the customers with the specified sales invoice template code. To conclude, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central’s recurring sales lines feature streamlines the creation of sales documents for transactions that occur regularly. By setting up standard sales lines and assigning them to customers, businesses can automate the insertion of these lines into sales documents, enhancing efficiency and reducing manual entry errors. This functionality is particularly beneficial for managing recurring orders, ensuring consistency, and saving time in the sales process. We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, alignment between sales teams and overall business objectives is crucial for success. However, many organizations struggle with fragmented communication, misaligned goals, and inefficient decision-making. This is where sales reporting plays a transformative role. By leveraging accurate and real-time data, businesses can ensure that every department—from sales to marketing to finance—is working towards a unified vision. The Importance of Sales Reporting in Business Alignment Sales reporting is more than just tracking revenue—it’s a strategic tool that helps businesses: How Sales Reporting Aligns Teams 1. Data-Driven Goal Setting Sales reporting provides clear benchmarks for teams to measure performance. By using historical data, businesses can set realistic sales targets that align with revenue goals, ensuring that every department contributes to overall growth. 2. Transparency and Accountability When all departments have access to sales performance metrics, it promotes accountability. For example, if a sales team struggles with conversions, marketing can adjust its lead generation strategies accordingly. This ensures that teams are not working in silos but rather as a cohesive unit. 3. Optimizing Sales Strategies Regular sales reports highlight which products or services are performing well and which need improvement. Sales managers can use these insights to refine sales pitches, adjust pricing strategies, or reallocate resources to high-performing areas. 4. Customer Insights for Better Engagement Sales reports provide valuable data on customer behavior, preferences, and buying patterns. This enables teams to personalize their approach, leading to higher customer satisfaction and increased retention rates. For example: A mid-sized SaaS company struggling with declining sales implemented real-time sales dashboards to track performance across multiple teams. By analyzing the data, they: Example 1: CRM Dashboard for Sales Performance Analysis A CRM Dashboard, like the one shown below, helps businesses track critical sales metrics: By leveraging such dashboards, companies can make data-driven decisions, enhance collaboration, and ultimately align sales efforts with overarching business goals. Example 2: Sales and Brand Performance Dashboard Another example of effective sales reporting is a Sales and Brand Performance Dashboard, which provides: This level of visibility ensures that sales, marketing, and finance teams are working towards common business objectives, optimizing resources, and increasing profitability. To Conclude, sales reporting is not just about numbers—it’s about aligning teams with business goals to drive success. If your business is looking to improve sales performance, start by implementing data-driven reporting tools to enhance collaboration, optimize strategies, and achieve long-term growth. Want to learn more about how sales reporting can transform your business? Get in touch with us today for consultation! We hope you found this blog useful, and if you would like to discuss anything, you can reach out to us at transform@cloudfonts.com.