Setting up Azure Blob Storage

Continia Document Capture provides strong document file archiving capabilities with easy integration with Azure Blob Storage. To begin using Azure Blob Storage, follow the processes described here in the given order.

Prerequisites

Before configuring Azure Blob Storage as your document storage type, you need to set up an Azure Blob Storage account and container. For more information, see Create an Azure storage account and Authorize access to data in Azure Storage (Microsoft articles).

To set up Azure Blob Storage for Document Capture

1. Search () for and select Document Capture Setup.

2. On the General FastTab, click the dropdown by the Document Storage Type field and select Azure Blob Storage.

3. If your current document storage type is database and you already have documents stored, you're asked if you want to migrate to Azure Blob Storage or switch to it without migrating.

4. In the Set up Azure Blob Storage Account dialog box, configure the setting based on the values from when you set up the storage account and container.

   • Authentication Type - select one of the options below and enter the corresponding credentials. Note that some of these options are only available from Document Capture version 28.0.

     • Storage Key (or Account Access Key) - enter your storage account key.
     • Shared Access Signature - enter your shared access signature.
     • Service Principal (Microsoft Entra ID) - enter your tenant ID, client ID, and secret.

     Bemærk

     Microsoft recommends the service principal (Microsoft Entra ID) authentication type. For more information, see Authorize access to data in Azure Storage (Microsoft article).

     • Storage Account Name - e.g.: mystorageaccount.
     • Blob Container Name - this must match the name of the container in the Azure portal.
     • Use Private Endpoint - an advanced option, normally required only by large companies.

5. Click Update.

To configure Azure Blob Storage for Document Capture

1. Search () for and select Document Capture Setup.
2. On the General FastTab, click the value of the Status field under the Azure Blob Storage section.
3. Follow steps 3-5 in the procedure described above.

What data is moved to Azure Blob Storage?

When Azure Blob Storage is used as the Document Capture storage type, Document Capture moves document files from the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central database into the configured Azure Blob Storage account. Moving these files to Azure Blob Storage reduces the amount of data stored in the Business Central database, but it doesn't remove the corresponding Document Capture records or other data from these tables.

For documents received as files, such as PDF or XML files, the following data is moved to Azure Blob Storage:

• The original received document file (e.g.: PDF or XML).
• The preview image files generated by Document Capture during document processing (PNG or TIFF).

This file data is normally stored in blob fields in the CDC Document table (6085590).

When a document is received by email, Document Capture also moves the original received email and its attachments to Azure Blob Storage. This data is stored in a blob field in the CDC Email table (6085606).

All other data and fields from the CDC Document and CDC Email tables remain in the Business Central database.

Related information

Setting up document storage
Setting up data maintenance
Microsoft's article on Azure Blob Storage
The Microsoft Azure portal
Azure Blob Storage requirements for Business Central online
Azure Blob Storage requirements for Business Central on premises