Webhooks and OData APIs can be used as complementary tools to enable workflows in Business Central. Almost in real time. OData can be used to retrieve data from Business Central while webhooks can send a notification following a particular event. These methods judiciously used together can help you create fast, reactive and robust integrations.

OData API

OData exposes data using REST endpoints. Think of it as a door that an application can knock on using the right password like spies do in spy movies. Behind that door there is an agent always alert and waiting to hear the right password to open the door. Once the spy is in, it can access information stored in Business Central.

The good news here is that this access is also handled by Entra, as we learned in our last blog, so it only lets in the spies we know.
It’s almost real time because the agent never takes a break, the spy can come knocking every few seconds and, when it does, it can ask for only what’s new since his last visit.

If your spy is a PowerBI dashboard, then it will seem like it is always up to date with the latest information if the API is configured to support such behaviour. A good, common example of this in Business Central is the integration (the spy) that can be configured to retrieve the exchange rate from Oanda or the Bank of Canada (the agent).

The benefits of a REST API are that it is fairly simple to use, and you can control the querying frequency. It is therefore ideal to regularly refresh information.

Remember though that the data is not sent automatically and that the more often you knock on the door, the busier the agent gets. This could translate into a degradation of performance if multiple spies show up at the same time.

REST APIs are not the best tools for critical transfers such as being alerted when an equipment breaks down.

Webhooks

A Webhook is a specialized use of an API that sends a notification to an external system. In that regard it is the opposite of a REST API. Here, the agent opens the door, gets in touch with the spy, and tells him to come get his message.

This happens in real time since the webhook will run its code when an event or condition triggers it. The agent reacts immediately and doesn’t wait for the spy to come knocking. Moreover, you’ll never see a spy having to wait in line in front of the door.

A good example for such an application would be Business Central sending the newly modified price of a thingamajig to the e-commerce platform.

As you can see, the main benefits are reactivity and a light workload on the system. In most cases, however, the application receiving the alert or communication needs to call back through the API to get more information.

Real-Time Workflows

Combining these technologies can enable real-time worklflows. Imagine an equipment failure. This failure immediately triggers an alert from the equipment to Business Central. Business Central creates a work order to address the issue and immediately notifies the Manufacturing Execution System (MES). The MES calls an OData API to retrieve the work order information. The technician receives an alert in seconds. His dashboard and workplan are automatically updated.

Please don’t hesitate to write if you wish to learn more and perhaps discuss how you can set similar workflows up at your company.

Cordially,
Sylvain.

 

Last updated: September, 2026