Azure OpenAI in Business Central AL: Managed vs Unmanaged
The post compares two ways for AL code to authenticate to Azure OpenAI in Business Central. SetAuthorization uses your own Azure OpenAI deployment, which gives you control but you pay for and maintain it. SetManagedResourceAuthorization uses the Microsoft-managed resource, which is included in the Business Central allotment, and it gets grounded Bing search when Copilot web search is enabled.
post Aardvark Labs
"The Managed Resource is part of your Business Central allotment and is not billed to your Azure Subscription."
Key points
- With SetAuthorization you use your own Azure OpenAI deployment and control the model, update timing, region and tuning, but costs go to your Azure subscription
- SetManagedResourceAuthorization still needs an account name and API key, but its usage counts against the Business Central allotment and Microsoft maintains the service
- If Copilot web search is enabled, the managed resource also gets grounded Bing search, so responses can include current web data
- Grounded search is a preview feature and adds another layer to the OpenAI traffic, so it does not suit cases where data containment matters
- The managed resource moves to newer models as old ones are deprecated, and prompts may then need retesting
Quotes
- “The Managed Resource is part of your Business Central allotment and is not billed to your Azure Subscription.” (Explains the key cost advantage of using managed resources over unmanaged Azure OpenAI)
- “What Grounded Bing Search does is provide the ability for the OpenAI Agent to utilize a search engine to supplement its response.” (Clarifies the primary benefit that makes managed resource attractive for real-time information needs)
- “What works for prompting in one model may not work correctly in a newer model.” (Highlights a critical consideration for managed resources when Microsoft upgrades the underlying model)
AL objects mentioned
As named in the post. A name that matches one object page by exact type and name links to it; the others stay as named.
- other “AOAI Model Type”
Context
- Features: Azure OpenAI authentication, Managed OpenAI resource, Grounded Bing Search, Copilot web search, Model deployment control, Real-time data supplementation
Source: Aardvark Labs, community blog. Summary, key points and quotes are derived (CONTENT-NOTICE.md); read the original for the full text.