NAV Connection Types in the Jet Excel add-in
Overview
The Jet Excel add-in can be used with Microsoft Dynamics NAV versions 4.0SP1 and higher.
Depending upon your version of NAV and of the Jet Excel add-in, the method used to connect to your NAV database can vary.
Versions of Dynamics NAV older than 5.0 are not supported by newer Windows operating systems. If you are using and older version of the Jet Excel add-in on Windows Vista SP2, you can connect to NAV 4.0SP1 or newer. If you are using a newer version of Windows, you must have NAV 5.0 or newer.
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NAV SQL Connector
Requires: NAV 2013 (or higher) and Jet 2013 v14.1 (or higher)
When used with NAV 2013, Jet version 14.1 and higher can connect directly to the NAV database residing on a SQL Server.
While a user utilizing this connection type must be a defined NAV user, this connection type does *not* utilize a licensed NAV connection during the reporting process.
In order to use this connection type, you must...
- Be using Jet Reports 2013 v14.1 or higher
- Be running NAV 2013 or higher and have access to your NAV SQL database
- either this database must be on-premises or the hosting provider is willing to allow direct connections to the SQL database
- Be able to use "Windows Authentication" or "NAV User/Password Authentication" to access your NAV system
- many NAV users are set up to use Windows authentication, but NAV allows for four different authentication methods
Find out how to configure this data source in the SQL Server Data Source for NAV 2013 article.
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Jet Remote Data Service
Requires: NAV 2013 (or higher) and either Jet Reports 2015 Update 1 or higher
Jet 2015 Update 1 and higher support Data Sources based on the Jet Remote Data Service. The Jet Remote Data Service allows Jet to access NAV data that is stored on a different network domain that where the Jet add-in and Excel reside.
In order to use this connection type, you must...
- Be using Jet Reports 2015 Update 1 or higher
- Be running NAV 2013 or higher
- Be able to use "Windows Authentication" or "NAV User/Password Authentication" to access your NAV system
- many NAV users are set up to use Windows authentication, but NAV allows for four different authentication methods
Administrators can find out how to configure this data source in the Admin Guide for the Jet Remote Data Service article.
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NAV Web Services
Requires: NAV 2013 and Jet 2012R2 v12.5 or higher
When used with NAV 2013, Jet version 12.5 or higher can connect to your NAV data through NAV's Web Services (also known as SOAP).
This type of connection temporarily uses one of your organization's licensed Web Services connections during the reporting process. You must be licensed for NAV's Web Services, have the Web Services configured, functional, and accessible from outside the NAV system itself, and you must have the Jet Reports Business Objects installed within your Dynamics NAV system.
Please see the article on Create a Dynamics NAV data source with Jet Reports for details about using this connection type.
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NAV Classic Client
Requires: NAV 4.0SP1 through NAV 2009R2
When used with NAV 2009R2 and earlier (as early as v4.0SP1), the Jet Excel add-in connects to your NAV Classic Client (not RTC) through NAV's C/Front system.
C/Front is part of the NAV Software Development Kit (SDK) and can be installed from the NAV Client CD from either the Devkit folder, SDK folder, or as an option within the Client install itself (depending on the version of NAV). One version of C/Front must be installed when using Jet Essentials with Dynamics NAV. The version of C/Front must match the version of the NAV Client installed (the version of the executables).
Connecting to your NAV data using this connection type requires that your NAV license include the C/Front granule, and temporarily uses a licensed connection to your NAV Client.
For more information about configuring this type of connection, please see our article on Setting up a NAV Data Source.