MB-820 Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer Questions and Answers

In the context provided by the case study, when calling an API action from a mobile application, the correct format for a POST request to an action in Business Central typically involves specifying the entity (/issues), the ID of the entity (88122e0e-5796-ec11-bb87-000d3a392eb5), and the action to be called (/Copy). The action name should match the exact name as defined in the AL code, which is case-sensitive.

Option A is incorrect because it uses a non-standard format for the action call.

Option B uses the PATCH method, which is generally used for update operations, not for calling actions.

Option C is correct as it uses the POST method, which is appropriate for calling actions, and correctly specifies the entity, ID, and action name.

Option D is incorrect because the action name /copy is in lowercase, while AL is case-sensitive, and it should match the case exactly as defined in the code.

Option E incorrectly adds 'MicrosoftNAV' before the action name, which is not standard for calling actions in Business Central APIs.

Hence, the correct action to use when calling the Issue API action from the mobile application is given in Option C.

 Upgrade codeunit trigger: OnValidateUpgradePerDatabase

Since the question specifies that you are handling data upgrades, and you need to use validation before upgrading at the database level, the correct choice is OnValidateUpgradePerDatabase. This method ensures that the upgrade process is validated before applying to the entire database, making it more efficient when data affects multiple companies or structures.

 DataTransfer method to use: CopyRows

CopyRows is the appropriate method when you are handling large data transfers between tables, especially in an upgrade scenario where you are migrating or transferring data from one table to another. It copies entire rows of data and is optimal for bulk data operations during upgrades.

When developing an app for Microsoft AppSource, it is essential to use an object range that is specifically designated by Microsoft to avoid conflicts with other apps and the base application. The correct object range to use is:

An object range within the range of 70000000 to 74999999 that is requested from Microsoft (D): This range is reserved for AppSource apps. Developers need to request this range from Microsoft to ensure that the objects used in their extension do not conflict with those used by other extensions or by the base application. Using this reserved range helps maintain the integrity and compatibility of extensions published on AppSource.

It's important to note that the other ranges mentioned (A, B, C, and E) are not suitable for apps intended for AppSource. Ranges 50000 to 59999 and 50000 to 99999 are typically reserved for per-tenant customizations or partner solutions, not for distribution on AppSource. The standard range 1 to 49999 is reserved for the base application objects, and using an object range divided by countries (C) is not a standard practice for AppSource apps.

Code Segment Analysis:

The AL code is trying to read JSON data from a response and process it to extract subcontracting order numbers. It uses JsonToken, JsonObject, and JsonArray to work with the JSON data.

JToken.ReadFrom(Data): This line reads the incoming JSON data and converts it into a token. It processes the full JSON body so you can start working with it.

JToken.SelectToken("results"): This line selects the part of the JSON containing the results array. The key "results" is where the JSON response data is expected to be found.

JsonArray: Once the results are extracted, they are stored as an array, and each element in the array (which is expected to contain subcontracting order numbers) is processed.

SubcontractingOrderNo: The extracted order_no from the JSON is stored in this variable.

Breakdown of Steps:

JToken.ReadFrom(Data): This step reads the entire JSON response.

JToken.SelectToken("results"): This step selects the results array from the JSON response.

JArray.AsArray(): This step converts the selected results token into a JSON array that can be iterated over.

GetValueAsText(JToken, 'order_no'): This step retrieves the order_no from each element in the array.

Correct Code Completion:

JToken.ReadFrom(Data): This is the correct method to read the incoming JSON response, as it will convert the string into a JsonToken that can be further processed.

JToken.SelectToken("results"): This is the correct method to extract the results array from the token. This method looks for the key "results" in the JSON and retrieves the relevant array.

Final Code Segment:

al

Copy code

procedure ReadJsonData(Data: text)

var

JToken: JsonToken;

JObject: JsonObject;

JArray: JsonArray;

SubcontractingOrderNo: Code[20];

begin

if Data = '' then

exit;

JToken := JToken.ReadFrom(Data); // Step 1: Read the JSON response data.

JToken := JToken.SelectToken('results'); // Step 2: Select the "results" array.

JArray := JToken.AsArray(); // Convert the token into a JSON array.

foreach JToken in JArray do begin

SubcontractingOrderNo := GetValueAsText(JToken, 'order_no'); // Retrieve the order number.

end;

end;

JToken.ReadFrom(Data): This reads the raw JSON data string and converts it into a JSON token that can be processed.

JToken.SelectToken("results"): This extracts the results array from the JSON data.

JArray.AsArray(): Converts the token into an array so we can iterate over it.

GetValueAsText(JToken, 'order_no'): Extracts the order_no value from each item in the array.

A user observes error messages such as:

"Unhandled UI: Message"

"Unhandled UI: Confirm"

These messages indicate that the test code is not handling system prompts like Message and Confirm dialogs, which can appear during test execution.

Options Explanation:

Message Handler and Confirm Handler methods are used to intercept and handle these UI prompts during automated testing.

These methods should be added to the test runner codeunit, which is responsible for running the tests and handling these system-level interactions.

StrMenuHandler is used to simulate the selection of an option from a string-based menu, such as the "Ship," "Invoice," or "Ship & Invoice" options when posting a sales order. This handler allows you to programmatically select an option during automated testing.

Other handlers, such as SessionSettingsHandler or SendNotificationHandler, do not simulate the selection of menu choices, which is specifically required in this scenario.

For more details on StrMenuHandler and how it simulates user interaction with menu choices, refer to the Test Handlers in Business Central.

Specify the value of the post options as Invoice:

Test

Perform calculations and values checking:

Handler

In the context of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central testing, the 'Test' attribute is used to mark a method as a test method. This is where you would specify the action or the behavior you're testing – in this case, setting the post options as Invoice. It's within these test methods that you would simulate setting the posting option to "Invoice" programmatically.

For performing calculations and checking values, you would use 'Handler' methods to handle specific business events or conditions that occur within the system, such as before or after posting a document. These handlers can ensure that calculations are done correctly and that all validation checks pass before the document is posted.

The 'Normal' method would be a standard method that could be involved in the posting process, ensuring that all business logic is correctly applied and that the calculations and value checks are as expected.

In a test codeunit, you would typically have test methods that call these handler and normal methods to verify the business logic in various scenarios, such as posting with different options or checking the results of calculations under different conditions.

 XMLport Overview

In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, XMLports are used for importing and exporting data in XML, CSV, or other text formats. By default, XMLports are designed to work with XML data, but they can also handle delimited text formats like CSV (Comma-Separated Values).

 Requirement Clarification

The requirement is to change the export format from XML to CSV. CSV is a text-based format, not an XML format. To accommodate this, you need to change how the XMLport handles data during export.

 Properties of XMLport

The Format property in XMLports controls whether the output format is XML or a text-based format such as CSV.

The VariableText option of the Format property specifies that the data should be exported in a variable text format, like CSV.

The XMLports default to an XML format, but by setting the Format property to VariableText, you can change the export to CSV format or another text-delimited format.

 Explanation of Correct Answer (E)

To switch from XML to CSV export:

You need to change the Format property of the XMLport to VariableText.

The VariableText option allows for the export of data in a non-XML format, which is precisely what CSV represents (a comma-delimited text file).

 Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A (Change the Direction property to Both):The Direction property controls whether the XMLport is used for Import, Export, or Both (import and export), but it does not affect the file format (XML vs. CSV). Hence, this is irrelevant to the file format change.

Option B (Change the FormatEvaluate property to Legacy):The FormatEvaluate property is not related to changing the export format. It deals with the evaluation of the data format during the processing but doesn't change the format type (XML or CSV).

Option C (Change the XmlVeisionNo property to 1.1):The XmlVersionNo property defines the XML version used for the export (such as 1.0 or 1.1). This only applies to XML exports and does not change the format to CSV.

Option D (Fill the FileName property with Items.csv):While this option would specify the name of the file being exported (i.e., "Items.csv"), it doesn't control the format of the export itself. The actual format change is controlled by the Format property.

 Developer Reference from Microsoft Documentation

According to the official Microsoft documentation for XMLports in Business Central, the Format property is critical for determining how data is structured for export. To change the file format from XML to CSV, developers need to set the Format property to VariableText. This allows for export in a text-delimited format, which is ideal for CSV.

XMLport Properties - Format Property

How to: Export Data in Text Format Using XMLports

The telemetry trace sends custom signals to an Application Insights resource specified in the extension's app.json file and on the tenant. = YES

Dictionary keys for the extension name and version must be specified to identify the extension during analysis. = YES

The telemetry trace sends events to Application Insights resources set up on the tenant. = YES

Telemetry in Business Central allows developers to collect custom telemetry for extensions using Application Insights. The telemetry trace is used to send custom signals to an Application Insights resource. This resource is typically specified in the app.json file of the extension and must be configured on the tenant where the extension is installed.

The use of dictionary keys for the extension name and version is a best practice to identify the extension during analysis in Application Insights. These keys can be added to the telemetry trace to ensure that when the data is collected, it's clear which extension the data is associated with.

Finally, it is correct that the telemetry trace sends events to Application Insights resources that are set up on the tenant, enabling the collection and analysis of telemetry at the tenant level.

Assigning a SUPER permission set to all users would indeed resolve the permission errors and access issues reported by the users, as it grants full permissions across all objects and data in Business Central. However, this approach contradicts the principle of least privilege, which advocates for providing only the minimum levels of access necessary for users to perform their jobs. The SUPER permission set would excessively elevate user privileges, potentially leading to security risks and unintended modifications to critical data. Therefore, while assigning the SUPER permission set might technically resolve the immediate issues, it does not meet the goal of adhering to the principle of least privilege and is not a recommended solution.

Read Scale-Out:

Read scale-out is a feature in Business Central that allows you to improve performance by distributing read-only queries (such as the ones from the ticketAPI) across multiple read replicas in the cloud database. This reduces the load on the primary database and helps improve the response time for read-intensive operations, like analyzing POS data through the ticketAPI.

Data Access Intent - ReadOnly:

When enabling read scale-out, you can configure the DataAccessIntent property of APIs to be ReadOnly. This directs the system to use read replicas to handle read-only queries, which enhances performance by offloading such queries from the primary database.

Why Not Other Options?

Option A (ODataReadonlyGetEnabled): This parameter is unrelated to read scale-out and primarily affects OData services behavior, not API performance tuning.

Option B (AccessByPermission): Setting the permission to Read does not directly affect the performance. It only controls access based on user permissions.

Option D (DataAccessIntent ReadOnly): While setting this property to ReadOnly helps in read-only operations, enabling read scale-out (option C) ensures the underlying infrastructure is optimized to handle such read operations, which is the fundamental action required.

Reference Documentation:

Read Scale-Out in Business Central

Data Access Intent in AL

API Publishing for Extensions:

In Business Central, when creating custom APIs like RoomsAPI, it is important to ensure that they are automatically published during the installation or upgrade of the extension.

To achieve this, you can include a codeunit of type Install in the extension that explicitly publishes the custom API (RoomsAPI) as a web service. This ensures that it is available for use immediately after the extension is deployed without requiring manual intervention.

Codeunit Type:

A codeunit of type Install runs when the extension is installed or upgraded. This type of codeunit can be used to perform setup tasks such as publishing web services or APIs like RoomsAPI.

Why Not Other Options?

Option A (default API configuration): This would not automatically publish the RoomsAPI. Default APIs do not cover custom APIs.

Option B (enable APIs for the environment): Enabling APIs in Business Central allows the standard APIs to be used, but custom APIs still need to be manually published.

Option C (publish via Web Services page): This would work but requires manual intervention to publish RoomsAPI, which does not fulfill the requirement of automatic publishing during installation.

Reference Documentation:

Publishing APIs in Extensions

Codeunit Types in Business Central

 Design pattern for the setup table:

The correct selection here is Adapter. The Adapter design pattern is commonly used when you need to handle integration points or create a setup table that acts as an intermediary for data manipulation, which fits the requirement for the configuration of the non-conformity functionality.

 Data type of the primary key field:

The correct data type is Code. In Business Central, when creating a table with a primary key field, the Code data type is typically used for fields such as document numbers, codes, and identifiers. For a setup table, a Code field is appropriate for keys like "No." series or setup identifiers.

 Property required to prevent users from adding records:

The correct property is InitValue. This property is used to set initial values for fields and can be configured in such a way that users are prevented from adding records directly, typically enforcing control over record creation and editing in configuration scenarios.

For the requirements provided, the appropriate page types should be selected as follows:

Display relevant insights in the Housekeeping Role Center: HeadlinePart

Display the additional information for the Room table: FactBox

Configure the first installation: StandardDialog

Comprehensive Detailed Explanation

In the context of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, page types are crucial for determining how information is presented to the user.

HeadlinePart: This page type is designed to display key data and insights in a concise and visually appealing manner, often used in Role Centers to highlight important information. It is suitable for the Housekeeping Role Center to display relevant insights.

FactBox: This page type is used to display supplementary information related to a selected record in the main part of the page. It's often used to show additional details about a record in a list, card, or document page. In this scenario, it is suitable for showing additional information about a specific Room when viewing the Room table.

StandardDialog: This is a page type that provides a modal dialog for user interaction, commonly used for setup wizards, confirmations, and input forms that require user action before proceeding. This is appropriate for configuring the first installation, where a step-by-step guided interaction is necessary.

codeunit 52102 "POS API Management"

{

Access = Public;

Permissions = TableData "POS Information" = rwdx;

trigger OnRun()

begin

readAPI();

end;

procedure readAPI()

begin

// Your code here to read from the POS API

end;

}

Table Structure in Business Central: When creating entities such as "non-conformity" entities in Business Central, you use document tables to represent entities that have a header and line structure. In this case, the non-conformity entity has:

A header with common information (Non-conformity Number, Date, Vendor No., etc.).

One or more lines representing the detailed information for each non-conforming item.

Document Table Usage:

Document Table: A document table is the correct table type for scenarios where you have a header (with general information like vendor details) and lines (with detailed, item-specific information).

Document tables are typically used for entities such as Sales Orders, Purchase Orders, or any other transactional data where you have both header and line information.

Supplemental Table (Option C):

Supplemental tables are usually used to add supplementary information to existing data in Business Central. In this case, we need to store detailed line information, which is a core part of the entity rather than supplementary data, so a supplemental table would not be appropriate here.

Document History Table (Option A):

Document history tables are used to track changes and historical data for entities but are not suitable for the main introduction of the entity and its lines. This option is also not appropriate.

Reference Documentation:

Introduction to Business Central Tables

Document Tables in Business Central

var

TempBlob: Codeunit "Temp Blob";

IncidentOutStream: OutStream;

IncidentInStream: InStream;

ImageFilter, FileName: Text;

begin

// Initialize the TempBlob and streams

TempBlob.CreateOutStream(IncidentOutStream);

Rec.Image.ExportStream(IncidentOutStream); // 'Rec' refers to the current Room Incident record

TempBlob.CreateInStream(IncidentInStream);

// Set the filters and filename for the image

ImageFilter := 'Image Files (*.bmp,*.jpg,*.jpeg,*.gif)|*.bmp;*.jpg;*.jpeg;*.gif';

FileName := 'Customer Picture';

// Prompt the user to download the image

if not DownloadFromStream(IncidentInStream, '', 'Download Incident Picture', '', ImageFilter, FileName) then

Error('Unable to download the image.');

end;

In Business Central, fields in tables are assigned specific data types that determine the kind of data they can store. For the Non-conformity table mentioned in the case study, the following data types should be used:

Date for the Non-Conformity Date field: This is because the Non-conformity Date field is required to store only the date when the non-conformity was recorded. The Date data type is appropriate for storing dates without times.

Code for the Non-Conformity Number field: The Non-conformity Number field is described to use alphanumeric values with a format that includes "NC" and the year, like "NC24-001". In Business Central, the Code data type is used for fields that store alphanumeric keys. It is a text field with a limited length, which makes it suitable for number series that contain letters and numbers.

Other options are not suitable:

A. Integer for the Non-conformity Number field: This would not be appropriate because the Non-conformity Number includes alphanumeric characters and not just integers.

B. DateTime for the Non-Conformity Date field: This is not correct because there is no requirement to store the time alongside the date.

C. Char for the Non-Conformity Number field: Char data type is not typically used in Business Central for number series or identifiers. The Code data type is preferred for this purpose.

https://api.businesscentral.dynamics.com/v2.6/myTenant/myEnvironment/api/alpine/integration/rooms

To correctly write the code to call the subcontractor's REST API, you would need to set the Authorization header with the base64 encoded username and password for basic authentication. The code segment indicates the use of the Base64Convert codeunit to convert the username and password to base64 format, which is then prefixed with "Basic " to form the proper Authorization header value.

The correct method to add the Authorization header to the RequestHeaders would be:

RequestHeaders.Add('Authorization', 'Basic ' + Base64Convert.ToBase64(Username + ':' + Password));

And the correct method to set the httpContent with the body of the request would be:

httpContent.WriteFrom(Body);

These are the necessary steps to form a well-structured HTTP request for basic authentication and to include the body of the request in the API call.

The correct sequence of actions to configure telemetry for the SaaS tenant and test whether the ingested signals are displayed would be:

Create an Azure Application Insights instance by using the Azure Portal in the Customer's subscription.

Select the environment in the Admin Center and place the connection string in the Application Insights Connection String field.

Select the Application Insights instance, select Logs and then inspect the Traces table.

To set up telemetry for a SaaS tenant using Azure Application Insights, you need to follow these steps:

Create an Azure Application Insights instance: This is the first step where you create an instance in Azure that will collect the telemetry data. This should be done in the customer's Azure subscription because it's their data that you're monitoring.

Configure the SaaS tenant to use the created Application Insights instance: This involves entering the correct connection string in the Business Central Admin Center so that telemetry data from the tenant is sent to the Application Insights instance.

Verify that telemetry is being collected: After configuring, you would check if the telemetry is arriving as expected by inspecting the Traces table in the Azure Application Insights instance. The 'Traces' table holds the telemetry data, which you can query to verify that the correct signals are being ingested.