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Restrict Search Access to Only Records Available via Assigned Dashboards in Business Central

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The requirement is to restrict users in Dynamics 365 Business Central such that they can only access and search for records that are presented through their assigned standard or custom dashboards (Role Centers).

If a user has a specific Role Center assigned, they should only be able to interact with and search for records that are exposed via the pages and actions defined in that Role Center.

Any other pages, tables, or records that are not part of the user’s Role Center should be inaccessible through the search bar or navigation.

This behavior is available in older versions of Navision, where a user can only access what is made available through their assigned Role Center. Looking for guidance on how this same behavior can be implemented in Business Central (cloud or on-premises). Specifically:

Is there a way to configure this using permissions or profiles?
Can this be enforced through customization or extensions?
Is there a standard feature or supported method to restrict global search and access based on Role Center configuration?

Any insights or experience implementing this kind of restriction would be appreciated.

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Dynamics 365 Business Central

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Jeffrey Bulanadi 8,760 on at

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Hi

BC doesn’t natively restrict global search strictly by Role Center, you can achieve similar behavior using a combination of permission sets, security filters, and customization techniques.

Here’s how you can approach it:

1. Permission Sets and Security Filters

Assign users permission sets that only include access to the pages and tables exposed in their Role Center

Use security filters to limit record-level access (e.g., by department, branch, or user group)

This ensures users can’t open or interact with pages outside their scope—even if they find them via search

2. Restricting Search Visibility

Business Central’s search bar shows all pages the user has permission to access. So if a page isn’t included in their permission set, it won’t appear in search results

You can also use Permission Exclusion to explicitly block access to specific pages, even if they’re included in broader permission sets

3. Custom Role Centers and Profiles

Create custom Role Centers tailored to each user group

Assign profiles that disable personalization to prevent users from bookmarking or navigating to unauthorized pages

4. Extension-Based Enforcement (Optional)

If you need stricter control, you can build an extension that checks the user’s Role Center and dynamically hides or disables navigation elements

You can also override the search behavior using AL code, though this requires careful handling to avoid breaking core functionality

This approach gives you control over what users can see and do similar to the behavior in older NAV versions.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/security/security-filters

If you find this helpful, feel free to mark this as the suggested or verified answer.

Cheers
Jeffrey

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YUN ZHU 95,739 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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This can only be done by setting up different permission sets for each role; there is no out-of-the-box permission set.

Hope the following can give you some hints.

Dynamics 365 Business Central: How to create or modify permissions by recording your actions (Record Permissions)
https://yzhums.com/10068/

Dynamics 365 Business Central: Permission Exclusion (Exclude in Permission Set)

https://yzhums.com/30562/

Thanks.

ZHU

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Andrés Arias 4,190 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hello,

The standard permissions functionality would not cover it, you could solve it through a set of user-specific permissions and security filters.

I hope I can help.

Regards,

Andres

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RockwithNav 8,637 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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As per OUT OF BOX, Security filter is the only area where in you can tweak something as per your need. It's not going to fulfil al your need but up to an extent in a work around.

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Gerardo Rentería Ga... 25,360 Most Valuable Professional on at

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hi, good day
I hope this can help you, and give you some hints.

Hide Confidential Records with Security in Business Central - Sharing The Righter Way - Cynthiapriebe.com

Best

GR

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Sohail Ahmed 11,150 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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In Business Central (cloud or on-prem), it's not possible to restrict user access solely based on the Role Center or dashboard. Unlike older Navision versions, the Tell Me search bar in Business Central shows all objects that the user has permission to access, regardless of what's visible on their Role Center.

Here’s how you can control access effectively:

Permission Sets:
The only reliable way to restrict what a user can access or search for is through permission sets. By assigning permission sets that only include the necessary tables, pages, and reports, you limit what appears in the search results and what users can open.

Role-Based Permission Sets:
Create tailored permission sets for each user role (e.g., Salesperson, Purchaser) that align with the actions available on their assigned Role Center. This helps reinforce role-based access without relying on the Role Center alone.

Customization (if required):
While you can customize Role Centers to remove actions or menus, you cannot override the search behavior through AL code. A custom extension might help to streamline UI experience, but it cannot fully restrict navigation unless paired with permissions.

Profiles and Personalization:
Profiles allow you to control the layout and visible features for a role, but they do not enforce security. Always combine profiles with proper permission sets for effective access control.

In summary, Business Central does not support restricting access purely based on Role Centers. To achieve this behavior, you’ll need to manage it through detailed permission sets. If you need a tighter setup or automation, consider working with your Microsoft partner for custom solutions.

✅ Mark this answer as verified if it helps you.

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