VLC DMS manages, secures, and stores your files natively in Business Central—automatically, transparently, and audit-ready.
Every Business Central user knows the problem. Sales orders with PDFs attached. Purchase invoices with scanned documents. Customer records with signed contracts. Item cards with technical data sheets.
Over time, those attachments pile up inside the Business Central database, slowing performance, ballooning storage costs, and creating a compliance nightmare when auditors come calling.
And when someone needs to find a specific file? They're digging through email threads, shared drives, and desktop folders — because nobody remembers where the "real" version actually lives.
Does this sound familiar?
Attachments in the BC database
are bloating performance and driving up costs
No controlled access.
Anyone with BC access can see any document
Compliance-sensitive files
have no password protection
When a sales order is posted to an invoice,
document links break; the file stays behind
Deleted files vanish permanently.
No recovery, no recycle bin
No way to browse or verify
what's actually stored without leaving Business Central
VLC DMS intercepts Business Central's standard attachment process and handles everything automatically: cloud storage, file organisation, access control, and compliance — all without changing how your team works.
A purchasing manager opens a Purchase Order in Business Central and attaches a vendor contract PDF — exactly as they always have, using the standard Attachments panel. Nothing changes for the user.
Behind the scenes, VLC DMS intercepts the upload, assigns a unique DMS ID to the file, and automatically routes it to your configured Azure Blob Storage container — instead of storing it in the BC database.
The file is stored in a structured folder hierarchy in Azure, organised by table type and document number. No manual filing. No folder maintenance. Just automatic, logical organisation every time.
Every uploaded file gets a unique DMS prefix — zero filename conflicts, even if two files share the same name.
The document is tagged to a category (e.g., PURCHASING > CONTRACTS). Categories are organised in a multi-level tree — Finance → AR, AP, Banks; HR; Sales; Manufacturing — so every document has a logical home.
Access is controlled by role. Only users with PURCHASE FA can view, edit, or delete documents in the PURCHASING category. Finance documents go to Finance. HR documents stay with HR. Nobody sees what they shouldn't.
Some documents — legal agreements, employee records, audit files — are marked as Compliance in their category. When a user tries to open one, they're prompted for the compliance password before access is granted.
The system administrator controls that password and can reset it via a designated email address. Sensitive documents stay sensitive, even inside Business Central.
The Purchase Order is approved and posted to a Purchase Invoice. VLC DMS automatically detects the posting event, generates a new unique DMS ID, and copies the vendor contract to a new path under the Purchase Invoice record — independently.
Both the original order and the posted invoice now have their own copy. Deleting one doesn't touch the other.
Six months later, an auditor requests all documents related to Purchase Invoice PI-00247. The finance manager opens the record in Business Central, clicks the attachment, and the PDF opens instantly in BC's built-in PDF viewer — streamed directly from Azure Blob Storage. No download needed.
The full audit trail is available: who uploaded the file, when, what category it's in, and every action taken since — all timestamped and logged automatically.
A user accidentally deletes an attachment from a customer record. In most systems, that file is gone. In VLC DMS, it goes to the Recycle Bin first — with the filename, deletion date, deleted-by user, and original location all recorded.
The administrator restores it in one click.
Files move to Azure Blob Storage, Azure File Share, or SharePoint automatically. BC database stays lean, fast, and cost-efficient.
Every file is stored in a structured folder hierarchy by table and record — no manual filing, no lost documents, no duplicate confusion.
Granular permissions by document category and user role. Finance sees Finance. HR sees HR. Compliance files need a password.
Mark sensitive categories as Compliance — users must enter a password before accessing those documents. Full compliance password management included.
When a Sales Order is posted to a Sales Invoice, the document is automatically copied to the new record independently. No broken links.
Deleted documents go to the Recycle Bin first — not the void. Restore any file with full context: who deleted it, when, and from where.
Every upload, view, download, edit, and deletion is logged automatically — timestamped and traceable. Always ready for audit.
Browse, upload, create directories, and manage files directly in your cloud storage — without leaving Business Central.
Moving attachments out of the BC database reduces database size, lowers hosting costs, and improves system performance for all users.
Category-based organisation and permission controls create a structured foundation for AI-assisted document retrieval, compliance flagging, and intelligent routing.
Root → Table → Doc No. → DMS_ID_File
DOCUMENTS → FINANCE → AR, AP, BANKS; SALES; HR
DMS00001_Filename.pdfRoot\Table\DocNo\ID_FileVLC DMS supports three external storage types. Choose what fits your infrastructure.
Files stored in Microsoft Azure Blob containers — scalable, cost-efficient, high-performance
Files stored in Azure File Share — accessible as a network share
Files stored in the BC database (default Microsoft behaviour)
Attach vendor invoices, bank statements, and financial agreements to the exact BC records they belong to — stored in Azure, not the database.
Finance categories are role-restricted so only the finance team can access AR, AP, and bank documents. Compliance-flagged categories protect audit files and agreements.
Attach vendor contracts, POs, quality certificates, and delivery notes. When a PO is posted to a Purchase Invoice, the document follows automatically.
The External Storage Browser lets procurement managers verify every file is where it should be.
Attach signed quotes, customer agreements, and order confirmations to Sales Orders — automatically copied to posted Sales Invoices.
Sales team members access only Sales-category documents. Sensitive customer contracts can be compliance-protected.
Employee contracts, performance reviews, and disciplinary records in an HR-only category marked as Compliance — requiring a password to open.
Accessible only to HR role users, and permanently audit-trailed.
Legal agreements, regulatory submissions, and compliance documentation — secure, traceable, and always retrievable.
Compliance categories with password protection, automatic audit logging, and the Recycle Bin ensure legal documents are protected and recoverable at all times.
IT teams need to control how documents are stored, who can access what, and where files actually live.
The External Storage Browser and Document Management Setup give IT administrators full visibility and control — storage type, delete policies, number series, and permission sets, all from one configuration page.
Other document solutions give you a SharePoint folder link attached to a BC record. VLC DMS is different — it's a native Business Central extension. Documents open inside BC. The storage browser is inside BC. Permissions are managed inside BC. Your team never has to leave the system.
When a Sales Order becomes a Sales Invoice, the document comes with it. When a file is deleted, it goes to the Recycle Bin first. When a compliance-sensitive file is accessed, it requires a password. These aren't manual steps — they happen automatically, driven by your Business Central workflow.
Most document tools offer either no access control or complex SharePoint permission structures that require IT to maintain. VLC DMS gives you role-based, category-level document permissions — set up once, enforced automatically. Finance sees Finance. HR sees HR. Legal stays locked.
| Feature | VLC DMS | SharePoint Link in BC | Standalone DMS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native Business Central integration | Built-in | ⚠️ Link only | ❌ Separate system |
| Auto document copy on posting | Automatic | ❌ Not available | ❌ Manual |
| Role-based category permissions | Granular, built-in | ⚠️ SharePoint permissions | ⚠️ Varies |
| Compliance password protection | Built-in | ❌ Not available | ⚠️ Varies |
| External Storage Browser in BC | Built-in | ❌ Must open SharePoint | ❌ Separate system |
| Recycle Bin with restore | Built-in | ⚠️ SharePoint recycle bin | ⚠️ Varies |
| Full audit trail inside BC | Auto-generated | ❌ Not in BC | ⚠️ Separate logs |
| File naming & conflict prevention | DMS number series | ❌ Manual | ⚠️ Varies |
| 28-day free trial | Auto on install | N/A | ❌ Usually not |
Find VLC Document Management System on Microsoft AppSource and install it into your Business Central environment. A 28-day free trial subscription is automatically created — no setup call, no credit card required.
Open Document Management Setup, set your Storage Type (Azure Blob Storage recommended), and connect your External File Account with your Azure connection string and container name. Setup Status updates to Completed when you're ready.
Create your document category tree in Documents by Category. Define Document Permission Sets by role. Assign users to permission sets. Mark compliance-sensitive categories with the Compliance flag.
Your team uploads files exactly as they always have — through the standard Business Central Attachments panel. VLC DMS handles everything else automatically.
See VLC DMS in action, start your free trial, or download the full fact sheet with technical specs and configuration details.
No — it enhances it. Your team continues to upload, view, and download files exactly as they do today, through the standard BC Attachments panel. VLC DMS works transparently in the background, routing files to cloud storage instead of the BC database.
Azure Blob Storage (recommended for optimal performance), Azure File Share, and SharePoint. Internal BC database storage is also supported for trial or small deployments.
Existing internally stored attachments are not automatically migrated when you switch Storage Type to External. Migration from internal to external storage is handled separately — contact VLC Solutions for migration guidance.
A trial subscription is automatically created when you install the app, provided your company email is configured in the Communication tab of Company Information. If not, a notification appears on the Role Center with a link to create a subscription manually.
VLC DMS FULL ACCESS gives users full access to the DMS app including all Setup pages. VLC DMS USER ACCESS gives users access to the DMS app functionality but excludes Setup data — suitable for standard end users.
Yes. The Delete Policy setting in Document Management Setup controls this: Allowed (files and folders can be deleted), Allowed Empty Folder (only empty folders can be deleted), or Prohibited (no deletion from the browser at all).
If the Recycle Bin is enabled, deleted documents are moved there instead of being permanently removed. Administrators with appropriate permissions can restore any file — with full context on who deleted it, when, and from which record.
Yes — the Compliance Password Reset Email field in Document Management Setup allows administrators to trigger a password reset via a designated email address.