How to Use Integration Templates

This guide explains how to save integrations as reusable templates and create new integrations from existing templates. Templates let you capture a proven integration configuration and replicate it across environments or share it with other companies.

What Are Integration Templates?

An integration template is a saved snapshot of an integration's full configuration — including field mappings, REST API endpoint settings, transformation rules, and scheduling. Templates can be:

  • Saved from any configured integration in Business Central
  • Used to create new integrations with all settings pre-populated
  • Parameterized so that environment-specific values (connection codes, file paths) are flagged for update at creation time
  • Shared between environments (export as a file, import in another environment)

Common use cases:

  • Standardize a vendor data sync integration and replicate it for new vendors
  • Create a "starter" template for common integration patterns (customer import, item sync)
  • Migrate an integration from development to production with a controlled parameter substitution step
  • Distribute pre-built integrations to customers or partners

Prerequisites

  • You have at least one integration configured and tested
  • You have the NAVX IF ALL permission set

Saving an Integration as a Template

  1. Open the Integrations page and select the integration you want to save

  2. Choose Templates > Save as Template from the action bar

  3. The Save as Template dialog opens:

    Field Description
    Template Name A unique name for the template
    Description A brief description of what this template is for
    Version An optional version label (e.g., 1.0, 2024-Q1)

  4. Choose OK — the template is saved to the Template Library with Source: User

The template captures the full configuration at the moment of saving, including:

  • All integration header settings (type, format, table mappings)
  • All field mappings and column definitions
  • Transformation rules and value maps
  • REST API endpoint configuration (without credentials)
  • Scheduling configuration

Note: Credentials and connection-specific secrets are never included in a template. Connection codes are saved as Template Parameters so you can substitute them at creation time.

Creating an Integration from a Template

  1. On the Integrations page, choose Templates > Create from Template
  2. The Template Library page opens — browse or search for the template you want to use
  3. Select the template and choose Create Integration
  4. If the template has Template Parameters, a parameter substitution dialog opens (see Template Parameters below)
  5. Fill in the parameter values for your environment and choose OK
  6. The new integration is created with all settings from the template, with your parameter values applied

Opening the Template Library

To browse, preview, or manage all available templates:

  1. On the Integrations page, choose Templates > Open Template Library
  2. Or search for NAVX IF Template Library in Tell Me

The Template Library page shows all templates grouped by source (User, Built-In, Imported). A Preview FactBox on the right shows the template details when a template is selected.

Template Parameters

Template Parameters identify fields in a template that are environment-specific and must be substituted when creating an integration from the template. Common parameter candidates:

  • Connection Code — different in dev vs. production
  • File Path or Folder Path — varies per environment or deployment
  • Job Queue Category — may differ between environments
  • Integration Code — if the template uses a fixed code that should be unique per instance

Adding Template Parameters

After saving a template:

  1. Open the template in the Template Library

  2. Choose Parameters from the action bar

  3. The Template Parameters page opens

  4. Add a parameter for each field that should be substituted:

    Field Description
    Parameter Name A descriptive label shown to the user during substitution (e.g., "REST API Connection")
    Field Caption The technical field name in the integration that this parameter maps to
    Required Whether the user must provide a value. If No, the template's default value is used if left empty
    Default Value The value pre-filled in the substitution dialog. The user can override this

How Parameters Work at Creation Time

When a user creates an integration from a template that has parameters, a dialog lists each parameter with its label, default value, and a text box for the user to enter the actual value. After the user confirms, the framework creates the integration and replaces each parameterized field with the provided value.

Updating a Template

Templates are point-in-time snapshots. To update a template after the source integration has changed:

  1. Select the integration on the Integrations page
  2. Choose Templates > Save as Template
  3. Enter the same Template Name — you are asked whether to overwrite the existing template or save a new version
  4. Choose Overwrite to replace the current template, or New Version to keep both

Exporting and Importing Templates

Templates can be exported to a file and imported in another Business Central environment:

Export a Template

  1. On the Template Library page, select one or more templates
  2. Choose Export — a .json file is downloaded containing the selected templates

Import a Template

  1. On the Template Library page, choose Import
  2. Select the exported .json file
  3. The template is added to the library with Source: Imported

Imported templates behave identically to user-created templates. If a template with the same name already exists, you are prompted to overwrite or keep both.

Template Sources

Source Description
User Templates saved from integrations in this environment
Built-In Templates shipped with the Integration Framework extension (read-only)
Imported Templates imported from a file exported from another environment

Built-In templates cannot be modified or deleted. To customize a Built-In template, create an integration from it, adjust it, and save it as a new User template.

See Also