Understanding the Sign Up Context and Using it for Profiling Customers
Business Central sign up context: a URI-encoded parameter in the sign up redirect URL that carries the sign up origin and custom JSON key-value pairs from a website profiler. It covers app ID, country code and EULA requirements for app provisioning, and how apps read the stored context.
- Introduction to Sign Up Context and Profiling
- Sign Up URL Structure and Components
- Redirect URL and Sign Up Context Parameter
- Sign Up Context Scenarios and JSON Format
- Using Sign Up Context with Profiler Data
- App ID and Country Code Requirements
- Provisioning with Sign Up Context and App Loading
Overview
The video explains how to build a sign up URL for Business Central that includes a redirect URL with a sign up context parameter. The parameter tells Business Central where a sign up came from. It currently supports two scenarios: the Microsoft website (marked as viral) and Shopify. It can also hold JSON key-value pairs that you define from answers collected in a profiler form on your own website, such as interest or previous system.
The context is stored in a system table in Business Central. Apps can read it on installation, move data to base application tables, and react to it, for example by loading a checklist matched to the profiler answer. If an app ID is included, the app can be provisioned with the Business Central Standard trial, which requires a matching country code and an EULA acceptance flag set to true. The video is a clip from a 2023 release wave 1 launch video that the presenter describes as still relevant.
Key points
- The sign up context is a parameter in the redirect URL. It is URI encoded, so it ends up double encoded inside the redirect URL.
- Microsoft uses it today for only two scenarios: sign ups from the Microsoft website (viral) and from Shopify.
- You define the JSON key-value pairs yourself, based on what your website profiler form collects. An app-based onboarding needs certain required keys.
- The context is stored in a system table. Your app must read it at install and transfer the data to a base application table.
- To provision an app, include its app ID (public, from the store listing) in the context.
- When an app ID is used, the country code must match the customer’s tenant country and one of the app’s supported countries.
- The context must include the EULA acceptance flag set to true. Otherwise the platform APIs will not load the app.
Features
| Feature | Status | At |
|---|---|---|
| Sign Up Context Parameter | status not stated, demoed | 2:17 |
| Profiler Form on Website | status not stated | 0:20 |
| Sign Up Context JSON Key-Value Pairs | status not stated, demoed | 3:33 |
| Sign Up Context Storage in System Table | status not stated | 4:45 |
| App ID in Sign Up Context | status not stated, demoed | 5:05 |
| Country Code Validation in Sign Up Context | status not stated | 5:25 |
| End User License Agreement Acceptance Flag | status not stated | 5:45 |
| Checklist Customization Based on Sign Up Context | status not stated, demoed | 6:25 |
AL objects mentioned
As heard in the captions. A name that matches one object page by exact type and name links to it; the others stay as named.
- table “system table” at 4:45
Not found in BC28-30: table “system table”.
Quotes
- 0:00 “it’s a clip from a launch M video for 2023 release Wave 1 but it’s equally relevant today”
- 0:20 “this is just a regular form you would build you have full control over your website you can do questions of of different sorts”
- 2:17 “that’s a new parameter that we’re actually using today uh to determine whether or not a sign up happened from the Microsoft website in”
- 3:33 “it’s a text string in form of a Json key value pair what’s key here is that you can determine those key value pairs”
- 4:24 “this signup context information is stored in a system table inside business Central it’s your job in an app when it’s installed to look”
- 5:25 “the country code must match with the country code of the customer’s a and it also much must match with uh a supported country”
- 5:45 “you also need to specify the end user license agreement acceptance uh as being true”
- 6:25 “by reacting on the on the signup context the key value pairs here uh I’m able to say load this checklist item because that”
Disclaimers in the video
- 0:00 other: this is a clip from a launch M video for 2023 release Wave 1 but it’s equally relevant today
Presenters (as heard): Kjartan, Jakob.