12. Configure Shop Floor Insight Communications App

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12. Configure Shop Floor Insight Communications App

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See this page for information on system requirements for the Shop Floor Insight communications app.

Before you proceed with this section you need:

  • To have the Shop Floor Insight app in Business Central already installed.
  • A service account setup in Business Central.
    • This must have an appropriate “Function Permission” entry.
    • This should have sufficient permission sets to access Business Central web services, as well as the “SFI-Service” permission set.
  • Your web service address endpoint for SOAP services for Business Central.
  • If you are using Shop Floor Insight 7.10 or newer and are on Business Central 14 or newer, you do not need to update the TCM_MES_License.txt file. If you are using Shop Floor Insight 7.9 or older or are on Business Central 13 or older, you must update the TCM_MES_License.txt file.

This component is intended to be run on-premise. This component will install a windows service that will provide an HTML-based barcoding interface optimized for Shop Floor Data collection.

Configure Credentials

Start Credential Manager on the server where Shop Floor Insight will be installed.

You need to be logged in as the service account user that will be used for the Shop Floor Insight windows service itself for this step. The credential configuration steps will not work if you are not logged in as the service user.

Credentials Manager

Choose “Windows Credentials”

Windows Credentials

Add a Generic Credential, and enter the appropriate Business Central username and password that will be used by Shop Floor Insight to connect to Business Central. For “Internet or network address” type “Shop Floor Insight”

Internet or Network Address

When complete it should seem similar to the below.

Completion

Install the On-Premise Service

As an administrative user, run the “setup.exe” provided to you by Insight Works.

Run Setup

Click “Next”.

Click on Next

If desired, choose a different install location for the initial service. The wizard will default to the recommended location. Choose “Next”.

Choose Next

Confirm the installation by choosing “Next”.

Confirm Installation

The on-premise component may take a few minutes to install.

Shop Floor Insight Installation

After the install is complete find the Shop Floor Insight in the services list, and change the account to match the same service account used while performing the Credential Management step.

Services List
Shop Floor Insight Services List

Enter the credentials for the Service Account itself. For On-Premise Business Central installations this is often a user in Business Central itself when configured with “Windows” authentication. For SaaS Business Central usages, this is a different distinct account than the Business Central user. Contact your IT Administrator to determine which account should be used for the windows service.

Account Credentials

Update the License File

Replace the TCM_MES_License.txt file with the license file given you by your Microsoft Partner or Insight Works representative.

If you do not have a license file you can obtain a demonstration license file by contacting your Microsoft Partner or Insight Works representative. The on-premise component will not work without an updated license file.

Replace TCM_MES_License

Configure Shop Floor Insight to Communicate with Business Central

Search for “Shop Floor Insight Service Controller” in Windows.

Shop Floor Insight Services List

When asked if the system can make changes, choose “Yes”.

Click on Yes

The available Shop Floor Insight services will be listed. The install wizard will install one by default. It is common to have multiple services for different time zones, different companies, and different environments.

Service Controller

Select the service, and choose the Choose the configure service button, which appears as a document with a gear in it.

Service Controller Bar

In the following Screen Configure the SOAP URI section to your business central web service configuration endpoint.

Shop Floor Insight Configuration Manager

Configure Shop Floor Insight to Communicate with Business Central

Your Business Central web service endpoint can be determined with the advice given here:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-ca/dynamics365/business-central/across-how-publish-web-service

For SaaS installs the pattern is typically:
https://api.businesscentral.dynamics.com/version/tenant/WS/CompanyName/

For On-Premise installs of Business Central the pattern is typically.
https://yourserverhere/1234/optionalTenant/WS/CompanyName/

Where 1234 is the port, “optionalTenant” is the optional tenant, and CompanyName is the URI encoded company name.

When uncertain, navigate to ‘Web Services’ in Business Central, and identify how it’s exposed by clicking on one of the SOAP links.

Shop Floor Insight

The “SOAP URL” will inform you what the server soap URL is, just remember to remove any specific object endpoint.

Web Services
Configuration Manager

Configure Authentication

The below steps give an overview of a typical Business Central SaaS authentication, which provides “UserName” and “Basic” security. If your Business Central is On-Premise it is more typical to use Classic with Windows Client Credentials, and instead run the service as the windows account that has Business Central access to provide a higher level of security.

These are standard Windows Communication Foundation authentication settings and may need to be altered from this quick start guide to match the existing implementation of your Business Central configuration and the security policy of your company.

Configuration Manager

Authentication mode for Business Central SaaS is usually “UserName”. For On-Premise Business Central installs this is typically “Classic”.

Authentication

Choose “Always Send Credentials” for Business Central SaaS installs. This is typically un-checked for on-premise installs configured to use windows authentication.

Mark

“Client Credential” mode for Business Central SaaS is usually “Basic”. For on-premise Business Central it is typically “Windows”.

Credentials

Choose the Credential Vault Target created by the previous credential manager step.

Credential Vault Target

Your configuration will look similar to the below:

Configuration

If your Soap URI is HTTPS, then you need to change “HTTP Security Mode” to “Transport”.

HTTP Security Mode

All Business Central SaaS are HTTPS.

If your endpoint is HTTP, then it should probably be “Transport Credential Only”.

These are very simplistic guidelines, which can be affected by your Business Central configuration and your local security policies. All typical Windows Communication Foundation settings are available for configuration.

Configuration Saving Confirmation

Start the Service by clicking the green arrow in “Shop Floor Insight Service Controller”

Shop Floor Insight Service Controller

Alternatively, just start Shop Floor Insight from the services window itself.

Services

If your Shop Floor Insight windows service started successfully, then you can move to the next step of testing it by printing barcodes and scanning them into the interface.

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