Most Business Central on-premises apps from Insight Works list both deployments on their app pages: every paid app lists Business Central online and on-premises, every free app lists Business Central online, with an on-premises path only under a paid subscription, and version support is confirmed app by app. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises remains a supported deployment model under Microsoft’s Modern Lifecycle Policy, which shapes what “which versions do you support” means for any ISV. This article covers what on-premises deployment involves, how an extension reaches it, and where each Insight Works app stands.
What does Business Central on-premises mean today?
Business Central on-premises means you install and operate the server, database, and web server components yourself, on your own hardware or with a hosting partner, instead of using Microsoft’s online service. Microsoft Learn frames the choice neutrally: “There can be many reasons to prefer to deploy Business Central on-premises rather than using online deployments,” and notes that with the online service “data is stored in the Microsoft cloud, removing the need to install SQL Server locally” (deployment of Dynamics 365 Business Central).
In practice: you own the update cadence and the work of updating; your administrator installs extensions, each matching your version; and cloud-bridging services such as cloud printing work differently or are unnecessary.
Insight Works keeps a short FAQ on the differences between an on-premises deployment and Business Central online.
Which Business Central on-premises versions are supported?
Supported versions are the ones Microsoft services under the Modern Lifecycle Policy; an ISV app’s version support sits inside that window. Microsoft Learn states that current on-premises releases “are covered by the Modern Lifecycle Policy,” that “The customer is in control of installing updates in its on-premises environments,” and that Microsoft supports the software “only if the customer keeps the deployed software current according to this policy” (software lifecycle policy for Business Central on-premises).
“Current” is published as dates. The Microsoft Lifecycle page for Business Central on-premises lists a start and end of support for each major version, so each version is supported for a fixed window and then retires; the page carries the current dates, and a new major version arrives twice a year.
The consequence for Insight Works apps: a customer on a version Microsoft no longer services is also outside the versions Insight Works builds and tests against. Version support for a specific app on a specific Business Central version is confirmed per app through Insight Works support, not assumed. Warehouse Insight, for instance, has a history that reaches back to Dynamics NAV, with new capability going to Business Central first; the app page and knowledge base carry its current version support.
How does an Insight Works app reach a Business Central on-premises environment?
On Business Central online you install from Microsoft Marketplace. On-premises, your administrator publishes and installs an extension built for your Business Central version, supplied by Insight Works for the app and version you run; the Insight Works FAQ on free apps describes these as “custom builds for your specific Business Central version.” That answers the recurring question “do you also have an .app file”: yes, for apps and versions supported on-premises, obtained through Insight Works or your partner rather than a public download.
The same FAQ lists why on-premises is planned differently: the custom build per version, administrative setup, partner or user education, and remote access for troubleshooting on infrastructure Insight Works does not control. Dynamics NAV predates extensions altogether, so if you are still on NAV, ask support how the app you need is delivered there before scoping the project.
Three apps carry their own architecture notes:
- Shop Floor Insight requires a Windows service on your local network in every deployment, including Business Central online. The knowledge base states it plainly: “Whether connecting to Business Central Cloud, Business Central on-premises, or Dynamics NAV, you will require a Windows service running on your on-premises network.” See the Shop Floor Insight Communication App requirements.
- MxAPS is a Business Central extension whose scheduling engine runs as a remote service; its app page lists both Business Central online and on-premises, and the remote engine is part of the architecture in both cases.
- License Plating is used alongside Warehouse Insight and lists both deployments. If you have a legacy on-premises License Plating installation, ask support about the upgrade path before scheduling it.
Which Insight Works apps list Business Central online only?
Every free app lists Business Central online, and only Business Central online, under Business Central Compatibility on its app page. That is the free-app policy in the next section at work rather than a technical limit in most cases. Three of them are worth singling out because the online focus is built into what they do.
WMS Express is the free mobile WMS for Business Central built on the Warehouse Insight platform, and it is offered for Business Central online. This is a completely free app from Insight Works for Business Central. A company that needs barcode receiving, picking, shipping and counting on an on-premises server uses Warehouse Insight for Business Central on-premises, the same software with the full platform behind it.
PrintNode Connector PowerTool is the cloud printing bridge for Business Central that routes reports and labels from Business Central online to a physical printer without a PDF step. This is a completely free app from Insight Works for Business Central. Its app page describes its users as anyone “using Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS (Cloud) and needs to print from the platform,” because the gap it closes, a cloud server that cannot see your label printer, does not exist in the same form when the server is in your building.
Dynamic Ship Analysis, the Power BI companion to Dynamic Ship, lists Business Central online even though Dynamic Ship itself lists both deployments.
One free app states the position outright rather than by omission: DocXtender’s app page says it “is designed for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central online (SaaS) only” and does not support on-premises installations.
Are free Insight Works apps available on Business Central on-premises?
Free apps are available on-premises only to customers who hold an active paid Insight Works subscription. The Insight Works FAQ states the policy in three parts: “free apps from Insight Works are only available for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS”; on-premises requires “an active subscription to at least one of our paid apps”; and “we do not offer a one-time fee option for acquiring a free app on-premises.” The full text is on the knowledge base page about acquiring a free Insight Works app for on-premises deployment.
The rationale is cost: an on-premises build is a custom build per Business Central version, plus administrative setup, partner or user education, and remote access for troubleshooting. The FAQ is written for free apps as a group, so read it as applying to any free app you want on an on-premises server.
Which Insight Works apps run on Business Central on-premises?
The table is built from the Business Central Compatibility attribute on each app page. “Not listed” means the page names Business Central online only; for a free app, the on-premises route is the paid-subscription condition above, and for anything else, ask support.
| App | Business Central online | Business Central on-premises | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse Insight | Yes | Yes | Version support per app page and knowledge base. Licensed per device. |
| WMS Express | Yes | Not listed | Free app. Warehouse Insight is the on-premises path. |
| License Plating | Yes | Yes | Used with Warehouse Insight. |
| Advanced Inventory Count | Yes | Yes | Licensed per company. |
| Barcode Generator PowerTool | Yes | Not listed | Free app; on-premises condition applies. |
| PrintNode Connector PowerTool | Yes | Not listed | Free app; built for printing from Business Central online. |
| DocXtender | Yes | No | App page states online (SaaS) only. |
| Import Export PowerTool | Yes | Not listed | Free app; on-premises condition applies. |
| Dynamic Ship | Yes | Yes | Licensed per location. |
| Dynamic Ship Analysis | Yes | Not listed | Free app; requires Dynamic Ship. |
| Order Ship Express | Yes | Not listed | Free app; on-premises condition applies. |
| Order Fulfillment Worksheet | Yes | Yes | Licensed per company. |
| Counter Sales | Yes | Yes | Licensed per location. |
| Product Configurator | Yes | Yes | Licensed per company; localized into several languages. |
| Quality Inspector | Yes | Yes | |
| Enhanced Planning Pack | Yes | Yes | Bundle of six planning components. |
| Enhanced Planning Worksheet | Yes | Yes | Free single-user license is online only; on-premises requires a paid subscription. |
| Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet | Yes | Yes | Same condition as Enhanced Planning Worksheet. |
| Multi-Level BOM Viewer | Yes | Yes | |
| Production Order Analysis | Yes | Yes | Enhanced Planning Pack component. |
| Graphical Scheduler | Yes | Not listed | Free app; on-premises condition applies. |
| MxAPS | Yes | Yes | Scheduling engine runs as a remote service. |
| Shop Floor Insight | Yes | Yes | Also Dynamics NAV per the app page. Windows service required in every case. Licensed per employee. |
| Maintenance Manager | Yes | Yes | Premium User License listed. |
| Item Planning Review | Yes | Yes | |
| Routing Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
| Safety Logbook | Yes | Not listed | Free app; on-premises condition applies. |
How is licensing different for Business Central on-premises apps?
Two licenses from two vendors are involved. Microsoft licenses the Business Central users or devices; Insight Works licenses the app by subscription, on the same basis online or on-premises.
Microsoft Learn describes Essentials, Premium, Team Member, and Device licenses and how entitlements are enforced, noting that the Device license “allows multiple users to simultaneously use a device that is covered by the license” (licensing in Dynamics 365 Business Central). For handheld and shop floor apps, a shared device can be covered by a Business Central Device license, which the Insight Works FAQ describes as “assigned to a device and can be shared by multiple users”; named users need a Full User or Team Member license; Dynamics NAV deployments of Shop Floor Insight can use concurrent user licenses. The knowledge base summarizes which licenses you need to use apps from Insight Works.
Insight Works licenses Warehouse Insight per device, Dynamic Ship and Counter Sales per location, Shop Floor Insight per employee, and many other apps per company, regardless of deployment; each app page names its license type. What changes is the implementation line and, for free apps, the paid-subscription condition above. New orders are subscription only, and Insight Works publishes its policy on perpetual versus subscription licensing for customers who hold older perpetual licenses or are used to buying on-premises software outright.
Frequently asked questions about Business Central on-premises apps
Is every Insight Works app available for Business Central on-premises? No. Every paid app lists both deployments. The free apps list Business Central online, with an on-premises route only under a paid subscription, and DocXtender’s app page states online only outright.
Do you also have an .app file? For apps supported on-premises, yes: a build for your Business Central version, supplied through Insight Works or your partner rather than a public download.
Which Business Central versions are supported? Versions within Microsoft’s Modern Lifecycle window, confirmed per app. Ask support for the app and version you run before planning an upgrade.
Do free apps work on-premises? Only with an active subscription to at least one paid Insight Works app. There is no one-time fee option.
Does WMS Express work on-premises? Its app page lists Business Central online. Warehouse Insight is the on-premises path, and it is the same software with the full platform.