Outbridge documentation

The Outbridge Documentation section serves as the central reference for understanding, configuring, and operating the Outbridge solution. It provides comprehensive information for administrators, developers, and support teams to ensure successful deployment and use.

This section typically includes:

• Concepts and architecture—An explanation of the solution’s design, components, and integration patterns.
• Configuration details—Instructions for setting up environments and How-to guides.
• Administration guidance—Information on monitoring, maintaining, and troubleshooting the solution.
• Reference materials—Related information and integration requirements.

The documentation is designed to provide users with both a high-level understanding and detailed guidance required to work effectively with the Outbridge solution throughout its lifecycle.

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When to use

Outbridge gives ability to speed up integration building and/or make proof of concept for integrations with external system through files or direct API calls when you want to have integration broker inside Dynamics 365 F&O, with robust logs and troubleshooting capabilities and/or you do not have possibility to build integration code within external system (usually it means that you are connecting to third party system with limited or no customizations on that side).  

Let’s look at standard scenarios of integrations:  

Scenario 1: Export data from Dynamics 365 F&O to external system 

You can use Outbridge to generate and export files to cloud storage or make direct calls to an external system through API. This can be done on a periodic basis (based on batch processing), all data or changes since the last run, or based on an event of data changes that will trigger data export through the Outbridge. In this case, log information and error handling will be available within Dynamics 365 F&O.  

Scenario 2: Import data into Dynamics 365 F&O from external systems 

Outbridge can import data from files stored on cloud storage or directly pull it from external systems using the API. For this, you can set up periodic data exchange, or if you want, minimize data and timing, and use it in conjunction with web hooks.  

Scenario 3: Web hooks-based integration with minimal message

The scenario is based on tracking events in an external system. In the event of a specific occurrence, the external system sends a brief message detailing the changes to the Outbridge Web relay. Port and port groups can be set up as an integration scenario for complex reactions to connect to an external system and pull all changes with minimal delays.  

Scenario 4: Outbridge Web relay integration with full document message

Through Web Relay, you can also send full details of changes. In this case, Outbridge will process updates and save information in Dynamics 365 F&O. This process is asynchronous, so all data issues will be handled within D365 F&O.

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When NOT to use

Scenario 5: Making synchronous integration and building an integration broker in the external system

In this case, you need to use out-of-the-box OData in Dynamics 365 F&O and handle errors and logging in the external system. 

Note: Still, you can use Outbridge for other integration operations, e.g., master data, dictionaries, and synchronizations that use the above four scenarios.