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How to Set Up Business Central Shopify Connector (2026 Complete Guide)

Quick Answer

The Business Central Shopify Connector is a free built-in tool that connects your Shopify store with Dynamics 365 Business Central. It automatically syncs products, inventory, orders, and customers between both systems – so you never have to enter the same data twice. This guide shows you exactly how to set it up, step by step.

If you sell products online through Shopify and manage your business in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, you already know the problem – updating stock in two places, copying orders manually, and checking two systems to see your real inventory.

The good news is that Business Central has a built-in Shopify Connector that solves all of this. Once set up, it automatically keeps both systems in sync. No extra software. No monthly fees for the connector. It is included free with every Business Central SaaS subscription.

In this guide, you will learn what the connector does, what you need before you start, and how to set it up step by step.

What is the Business Central Shopify Connector?

The Business Central Shopify Connector is a native, built-in integration tool developed by Microsoft as part of Shopify’s Global ERP Program. It creates a live two-way connection between your Shopify online store and your Business Central ERP system.

This means that when a customer places an order on your Shopify store, it automatically appears in Business Central. When you update your product details or stock levels in Business Central, Shopify reflects those changes automatically too.

Important: The Shopify Connector is available free of charge with every Business Central SaaS (online) subscription. You do not need to buy a third-party app or pay extra for it.

The connector works only with Business Central Online (SaaS). It does not support on-premises Business Central installations.

Key Benefits of Connecting Shopify with Business Central

Here is what the integration does for your business every day:

What Gets SyncedWhat It Means for Your Business
Products and VariantsManage all product details in Business Central and push them to Shopify automatically – including images, barcodes, descriptions, and prices
Inventory LevelsStock numbers stay accurate in both systems in real time – no more overselling
OrdersEvery Shopify order (including POS, online, and B2B) is automatically imported into Business Central as a sales order
CustomersCustomer records are created or matched automatically in Business Central using phone and email for smart-mapping
Prices and DiscountsUse price groups and discount rules from Business Central to control what prices appear in Shopify
Shipping and FulfillmentFulfillment updates and item tracking can be sent back from Business Central to Shopify automatically
Returns and RefundsReturn and refund information flows from Shopify into Business Central for accurate financial records
Multiple Shopify StoresConnect more than one Shopify store to the same Business Central company – each store has its own independent settings

What You Need Before You Start

Before setting up the connector, make sure you have the following ready:

  • ✅ Business Central Online (SaaS) : The connector does not work with on-premises BC
  • ✅ An active Shopify account : Any Shopify plan works (Basic, Grow, Advanced, or Plus)
  • ✅ Admin access in Business Central : You need the SHPFY-ADMIN (Shopify Admin) permission set assigned to your user
  • ✅ Admin access in Shopify : You need permission to install apps on your Shopify store
  • ✅ Your Shopify store URL : In the format https://{yourstore}.myshopify.com
  • ✅ Product SKUs mapped : Make sure your Shopify product SKUs match your Business Central item numbers (or plan how to map them)

⚠️ 2026 Update Notice: If you are using the Shopify Connector from the 2025 Release Wave 2 (October 2025), the API version it uses is supported only until June 30, 2026. Make sure you upgrade to Business Central 2026 Release Wave 1 before that date to avoid any sync issues.

Step 1 : Install the Shopify Connector in Business Central

The Shopify Connector comes pre-installed for all new Business Central sign-ups and trials. Follow these steps to check and install it if needed:

  1. Open Business Central and click the search icon (or press Alt + Q)
  2. Type “Extension Management” and select the related link
  3. Look for “Shopify Connector” in the list of installed extensions
  4. If it is already installed – you can skip to Step 2
  5. If it is not installed – go to AppSource, search for “Dynamics 365 Business Central” on the Shopify App Store, and click Add App
  6. Sign in to your Shopify account when prompted, then click Install App

💡 Tip: For most existing Business Central customers, the Shopify Connector is already installed. You can confirm by searching for “Shopify Shop” using Alt + Q in Business Central. If the page appears, the connector is installed and ready.

Step 2 : Connect Your Shopify Store to Business Central

This is the main step where you create the connection between Business Central and your Shopify store.

  1. In Business Central, press Alt + Q and type “Shopify Shop” – select the related link
  2. Click New to create a new shop connection
  3. In the Code field, enter a short name for your shop — for example MYSTORE or UK-SHOP. This is only used inside Business Central.
  4. In the Shopify Admin URL field, enter your store URL in this exact format:
    https://{yourstore}.myshopify.com
    You can also paste the Shopify Admin URL like https://admin.shopify.com/store/{yourstore} and Business Central will convert it automatically
  5. Turn on the Enabled toggle
  6. Read and accept the terms and conditions
  7. A pop-up window will open asking you to sign in to Shopify and grant permission – do not close this pop-up
  8. Click Install App in the Shopify permission screen
  9. Business Central will confirm the connection is live
Business Central Shopify Setup test connection
Business Central Shopify Setup with test connection Checking

⚠️ Important: When you turn on the Enabled toggle, Business Central opens a waiting page. Do not close this page — if you do, the connection will fail and you will need to start again. Make sure your browser allows pop-up windows from Business Central before starting this step.

Step 3 : Set Up Product and Inventory Sync

Now you need to tell Business Central how to handle products and stock between the two systems. Open your Shopify Shop card and configure the following settings:

SettingRecommended ValueWhat It Does
Sync ItemTo ShopifySends product data from Business Central to Shopify (BC is the source of truth)
Sync Item ImagesTo ShopifyPushes product images from BC to your Shopify store
Sync Item AttributesTurn OnSends item attributes (like colour and size) as Shopify product options
Inventory TrackedTurn OnEnables real-time stock level sync from BC to Shopify
Default Inventory PolicyDenyPrevents customers from buying products that are out of stock
Auto Create Unknown ItemsYour choiceIf turned on, new Shopify products without a BC match will be created automatically in BC

After configuring these settings, go to Shopify Products (use Alt + Q to find it) and click Add Items to push your Business Central items to Shopify for the first time.

Set Up Inventory Locations

If you have multiple warehouse locations, you need to map them too:

  1. On the Shopify Shop card, click the Locations action
  2. Click Get Shopify Locations to import all locations from Shopify
  3. For each location, set the Stock Calculation field to Projected Available Balance at Today
  4. Use the Location Filter field to link each Shopify location to the correct Business Central location code

Step 4 : Set Up Customer Sync

The connector can automatically create or match customers in Business Central when orders come in from Shopify. Here is how to configure it:

SettingRecommended ValueWhat It Does
Auto Create Unknown CustomersTurn OnAutomatically creates a new BC customer when an unknown buyer places a Shopify order
Customer / Company TemplateSet a templateApplies default settings (like posting group and payment terms) to new customers created from Shopify orders
Customer Mapping TypeBy Email / PhoneSmart-matches Shopify buyers to existing BC customers using email or phone number – avoids creating duplicates

💡 Tip for B2C stores: If your Shopify store has many one-time buyers, you can set a single Default Customer in Business Central and use it for all guest orders instead of creating a new customer record for every order. This keeps your customer list clean.

Step 5 : Set Up Order Sync

This is where you configure how Shopify orders flow into Business Central as sales orders.

SettingRecommended ValueWhat It Does
Auto Create Sales DocumentsTurn OnAutomatically creates a sales order in BC when a Shopify order is imported
Auto Release Sales DocumentsOff (start with this)Keeps orders in Open status so your team can review before releasing to warehouse
Shipping Cost AccountSet a GL accountMaps Shopify shipping charges to the correct revenue account in BC
Tip AccountSet a GL accountMaps any customer tips from Shopify to the correct account in BC
Run Syncs in BackgroundTurn On (after testing)Orders sync automatically via the job queue without anyone needing to click a button

The connector can import orders from all Shopify sales channels – including the online store, Shopify POS, and B2B channels.

Step 6 : Run Your First Sync and Test

Before going live, always run a test sync to make sure everything is working correctly.

Test Product Sync

  1. Go to Shopify Products in Business Central (use Alt + Q)
  2. Click Add Items
  3. Set any filters you need (for example, a specific item category)
  4. Turn on Sync Product Images and Sync Inventory
  5. Click OK and wait for the sync to complete
  6. Open your Shopify Admin and confirm the products appear correctly

Test Order Sync

  1. Place a test order on your Shopify store (use a test payment method)
  2. In Business Central, go to Shopify Orders (use Alt + Q)
  3. Click Sync Orders From Shopify
  4. The test order should appear in the list
  5. Click on the order to open it and confirm the customer, items, and amounts are correct
  6. Click Sales Order to see the sales order created in Business Central

✅ Setup Checklist Before Going Live

  • Shopify Connector is installed and enabled in Business Central
  • Shopify store connected and permission granted
  • Product sync direction configured
  • Inventory tracking turned on and locations mapped
  • Customer template set and auto-create enabled
  • Shipping cost and tip accounts mapped to GL accounts
  • Test product sync completed successfully
  • Test order imported and sales order created correctly
  • Background sync (job queue) turned on

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

ProblemHow to Fix It
Pop-up blocked during connectionAllow pop-ups from Business Central in your browser settings, then try enabling the shop again
OAuth error: invalid_requestMake sure your Shopify account has Admin access and that the Dynamics 365 BC app is installed in your Shopify store first
Products not appearing in ShopifyCheck that the items are marked as Active in Business Central and that the Sync Item field is set to “To Shopify”
Inventory not updating in ShopifyConfirm that Inventory Tracked is turned on and your Shopify locations are correctly mapped to BC locations. Run a manual inventory sync to force an update.
Orders not importingMake sure the Auto Create Sales Documents toggle is on. Check that payment methods in Shopify are mapped to Business Central accounts. Try a manual sync using “Sync Orders From Shopify”.
Duplicate customer records being createdSet Customer Mapping Type to “By Email / Phone” so Business Central matches existing customers instead of creating new ones
Connector works on sandbox but not liveSandbox environments are not supported. You must use a production Business Central environment to connect to a live Shopify store

FAQ : Business Central Shopify Connector

Is the Shopify Connector free in Business Central?

Yes. The Shopify Connector is included free with every Business Central SaaS (online) subscription. There is no extra charge from Microsoft to use it. You do need an active Shopify subscription separately.

Does the Shopify Connector work with Business Central on-premises?

No. The connector only works with Business Central Online (SaaS). If you are using an on-premises or private cloud version of Business Central, the connector is not available. You would need a third-party integration tool in that case.

Can I connect more than one Shopify store to Business Central?

Yes. You can connect multiple Shopify stores to the same Business Central company. Each store has its own independent setup – including its own sync settings, locations, pricing, and customer templates.

How often does the sync happen automatically?

The connector uses Business Central’s job queue to run sync operations in the background. Once configured, it runs automatically at regular intervals without anyone needing to click a button. You can adjust the frequency in the job queue settings.

What happens to existing Shopify products when I connect for the first time?

If you already have products in Shopify, the connector can match them to Business Central items using SKU numbers. Products that do not have a matching BC item will not be changed unless you configure the connector to auto-create items in BC.

Can the connector sync prices and discounts from Business Central to Shopify?

Yes. You can use Business Central price groups and discount structures to control the prices shown in your Shopify store. This is especially useful for B2B stores where different customers see different prices.

Do I need to upgrade Business Central to keep the Shopify Connector working?

Yes. The connector uses Shopify’s API, and Shopify releases new API versions every three months. Microsoft updates the connector in each major Business Central release. If you stay on an older version too long, the API your connector uses may expire and sync will stop working. The 2025 Wave 2 connector uses an API that expires on June 30, 2026 – upgrade to BC 2026 Wave 1 before then.

How long does it take to set up the Shopify Connector?

For a straightforward setup with a single Shopify store and a standard product catalogue, most businesses can complete the setup in 3 to 7 days – including testing. More complex setups with multiple stores, custom pricing, or many warehouse locations may take 2 to 4 weeks.

Can I sync Shopify POS orders to Business Central as well?

Yes. The connector imports orders from all Shopify sales channels including the online store, Shopify POS, and B2B channels. Each order type is mapped to a sales order in Business Central.

Final Thoughts

The Business Central Shopify Connector is one of the most useful tools available to any business running both an online store and an ERP system. Once it is set up correctly, it removes hours of manual data entry every week and keeps your stock, orders, and customer records accurate across both platforms automatically.

The setup process is straightforward when you follow the steps in this guide. Start by connecting one Shopify store, run a few test syncs, and then go live with confidence. You can always add more stores or configure advanced options like B2B pricing and multi-location inventory later.

If you have any questions about setting up the Shopify Connector in your Business Central environment, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to us directly.

Trademarks & Screenshots: Microsoft, Dynamics 365, Business Central, Dynamics NAV, and related names are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. LS Central and LS Retail are products of LS Retail. Screenshots are used for educational and illustrative purposes only. Navision Planet is an independent resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft or LS Retail. All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners.

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