Multi Entity Management

How to setup replication of Contacts and Contact Business Relations

Version: February 2026 / Multi Entity Management 8.0.1 / Business Central 26.0

1. Preamble

This How-to document describes the setup and replication of Contacts and Contact Business Relations from a publisher company to one or more subscriber companies using Multi Entity Management (MEM).

Contact replication enables centralized management of your contact master data across multiple companies, with special emphasis on maintaining the critical relationships between Contacts and Customers/Vendors through Contact Business Relations. This guide covers internal replication (within the same environment) only.

1.1 What You Will Learn

• How to configure Contact replication in publisher companies
• How to set up Contact Business Relation as an associated table to Contact
• How to subscribe to Contacts in subscriber companies
• How Contact Business Relations maintain Customer-Contact and Vendor-Contact links
• Manual and automated replication processes
• How Contact replication works alongside Customer/Vendor replication
• Troubleshooting Contact-specific issues
• Security and permission requirements
• Audit and compliance tracking

1.2 Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Multi Entity Management installed and licensed (version 8.0.1 or later)
• Appropriate permission sets assigned (see Section 3.1)
• Master Data Manager role or equivalent
• Basic understanding of MEM concepts (Publisher/Subscriber companies)
• Understanding of Business Central Contact Management and CRM functionality
• All companies are in the same Business Central environment (internal replication only)

2. Understanding Contact Replication

2.1 What is Contact Replication?

Contact replication in Multi Entity Management allows you to maintain a centralized contact database in a publisher company and automatically distribute it to one or more subscriber companies. This ensures:

• Consistency: All companies use the same contact master data
• CRM Integrity: Customer-Contact and Vendor-Contact relationships are maintained
• Efficiency: Changes made once in the publisher propagate automatically
• Control: Centralized governance of contact information
• Flexibility: Option to allow company-specific contacts where needed

2.2 Key Tables Involved

The following tables are involved in Contact replication:

Table ID	Table Name	Type	Description
5050	Contact	Primary	Main contact master data table
5054	Contact Business Relation	Associated	Links contacts to customers/vendors
352	Default Dimension	Associated	Default dimensions for contacts

Note: Associated tables are automatically replicated when their parent Contact is replicated.

2.3 Understanding Contact Business Relations

Contact Business Relation (Table 5054) is the most critical component of Contact replication. This table creates the link between:

• Contacts (Table 5050) and Customers (Table 18)
• Contacts (Table 5050) and Vendors (Table 23)
• Contacts (Table 5050) and Bank Accounts (Table 270)

Why Contact Business Relations Are Critical:

When you create a Customer from a Contact in Business Central, the system automatically creates a Contact Business Relation record. This record:

• Links the Contact to the Customer
• Enables synchronization between Contact and Customer information
• Allows you to view Customer information from the Contact Card
• Maintains CRM functionality across your organization

What Happens Without Contact Business Relations:

• ❌ Contacts appear in subscriber companies but have no link to Customers
• ❌ CRM functionality breaks - you can’t see which Customer a Contact belongs to
• ❌ Customer Cards don’t show linked Contact information
• ❌ Manual cleanup and re-linking required

What Happens With Contact Business Relations:

• ✅ Contacts replicate with their Customer/Vendor relationships intact
• ✅ CRM functionality works seamlessly across all companies
• ✅ Customer-Contact links are automatically maintained
• ✅ Data integrity is preserved

2.4 Replication Approach

Important: Contact Business Relation (Table 5054) is configured as an associated table to Contact (Table 5050).

How It Works:

1. Contact Business Relation records are replicated WITH Contacts
2. These records contain Customer/Vendor numbers as field values
3. When Customers are replicated separately, they use the same numbers
4. The Contact Business Relation records link Contacts to Customers through these number references
5. CRM functionality works because the relationship exists

Recommended Approach:

1. Set up Contact replication with Contact Business Relation as associated table
2. Replicate Contacts to subscriber companies (Contact Business Relations are included)
3. Set up Customer replication separately (if needed)
4. Replicate Customers to subscriber companies
5. The Contact Business Relations already exist and link Contacts to Customers correctly

Alternative Approach (if Customers are not replicated):

1. Set up Contact replication with Contact Business Relation as associated table
2. Replicate Contacts to subscriber companies
3. Create Customers locally in each subscriber company
4. When creating a Customer from a Contact, Business Central creates the Contact Business Relation locally

3. Prerequisites and Preparation

3.1 Permission Requirements

To configure and use Contact replication, users need the following permission sets:

Permission Set	Purpose	Required For
SUPER	Full administrative access	Initial setup, troubleshooting
XTEMEM BASE	Base MEM functionality	All MEM operations
XTEMEM BASIC	Standard MEM operations	Master data managers
XTEMEM MDSETUP	Master data setup and configuration	Setup and configuration tasks
Contact permissions	Access to Contacts and CRM	Viewing and managing contact data

Recommended Role: Master Data Manager

3.2 Configuration Prerequisites

Before configuring Contact replication, verify:

1. MEM Installation

   • Multi Entity Management is installed in all relevant companies
   • License key is valid and activated
   • Navigate to About Multi Entity Management page to verify

2. Initial Setup Completed

   • Template Setup Data has been created
   • Use function “Create Template Setup Data” on About Multi Entity Management page if not done

3. Company Structure Defined

   • Publisher company identified
   • Subscriber companies identified
   • Company hierarchy planned (if using Sub-Template companies)

4. Existing Replication Review

   • Check if Customer replication is already configured
   • Check if Vendor replication is already configured
   • Plan integration with existing replication setups

3.3 Initial Setup Verification

1. Open About Multi Entity Management page
2. Verify version is 8.0.1 or later
3. Confirm license status is active
4. Check that Template Setup Data exists

4. Publishing Contacts (Publisher Company)

This section describes how to configure the publisher company to make Contacts available for replication.

Note: If you prefer to use Replication Schema for easier setup across multiple subscribers, see Section 4.5.

4.1 Setup Publisher Company

1. Navigate to Replication List

   • Search for “Replication List”
   • Select your publisher company
   • Click Manage → Edit to open the Replication Card

2. Add Contact Table

   • In the Publish section, add a new line
   • In the Table ID field, enter 5050 (or use lookup to find “Contact”)
   • The Table Name field will automatically populate with “Contact”

3. Verify Table Added
   • Confirm Table 5050 appears in the Publish section
   • Note the table is now marked as a template table for this publisher

4.2 Configure Associated Tables

This is the most critical step in Contact replication. Associated tables contain data related to Contacts and must be replicated together with the parent contact record.

1. Open Associated Tables

   • In the Replication Card, select the Contact line (Table 5050)
   • Click Associated Tables

2. Add Contact Business Relation Table ⭐ CRITICAL

   • Add a new line
   • In Associated Table ID, enter 5054 (Contact Business Relation)
   • The table will automatically be added to the Publish section
   • This is the most important associated table - it maintains Customer/Vendor relationships

3. Add Default Dimension Table

   • Add another line
   • In Associated Table ID, enter 352 (Default Dimension)

4. Configure Individual Setup for Default Dimensions (Optional)
   • If you want to control which dimensions are replicated
   • Select Default Dimension (Table 352) in the Publish section
   • Click Individual Setup for Def. dimensions
   • Select the dimensions that should be replicated with Contacts

Note: Associated tables are automatically replicated when their parent Contact is transferred. You do not need to transfer them separately.

Why Contact Business Relation is Critical:

• Without Table 5054, Contacts will replicate but lose their Customer/Vendor relationships
• CRM functionality will break in subscriber companies
• Manual re-linking will be required
• Data integrity will be compromised

4.3 Field-Level Configuration

Control which fields are replicated and whether they can be modified in subscriber companies.

1. Open Template Table Fields

   • In the Replication Card, select the Contact line (Table 5050)
   • Click Fields

2. Review Field Settings

   • The Template Table Fields page shows all fields in the Contact table
   • Two key checkboxes control replication behavior:

Field	Description
Transfer at Insert	Field is transferred when Contact is initially replicated
Transfer at Modify	Field updates in publisher are replicated to subscribers

3. Recommended Field Configuration

Fields to Always Replicate (both checkboxes enabled):

• No. (Primary key - automatically enabled)
• Type (Company/Person)
• Name
• Name 2
• Company Name (for Type = Person)
• Company No. (for Type = Person)
• Address
• Address 2
• City
• Post Code
• County
• Country/Region Code
• Phone No.
• Mobile Phone No.
• E-Mail
• E-Mail 2
• Home Page
• Fax No.
• VAT Registration No.
• Currency Code
• Language Code
• Search Name

Fields That May Vary by Company (Transfer at Insert enabled, Transfer at Modify disabled):

• Salesperson Code
• Territory Code
• Country/Region Code (if different per company)
• Privacy Blocked
• Minor

Fields to Consider Not Replicating:

• Last Date Modified (system field)
• Last Time Modified (system field)
• Company-specific notes or comments

Note: Primary key fields (No.) are always replicated and cannot be modified in subscriber companies.

4.4 Integration with Customer Replication

If you are also replicating Customers, it’s important to understand how Contact replication integrates:

Setup:

1. Contact Replication: Configure Contact (Table 5050) with Contact Business Relation (Table 5054) as associated table
2. Customer Replication: Configure Customer (Table 18) separately
3. Result: When both are replicated, Contact Business Relations link Contacts to Customers correctly

How It Works:

• Contact Business Relation records are replicated with Contacts
• These records contain Customer numbers in the “No.” field
• When Customers are replicated, they use the same Customer numbers
• The Contact Business Relation records already exist and link the Contact to the Customer through the number reference
• CRM functionality works correctly because the relationship exists

Example:

Publisher Company:
- Contact C-00001 exists
- Customer 10000 exists
- Contact Business Relation: Contact No. = C-00001, Link to Table = Customer, No. = 10000

After Replication to Subscriber:
- Contact C-00001 is replicated (with Contact Business Relation)
- Customer 10000 is replicated (separately)
- Contact Business Relation exists: Contact No. = C-00001, No. = 10000
- The relationship works because Customer 10000 exists and matches the "No." field

4.5 Replication Schema (Optional)

Using a Replication Schema simplifies setup when you have multiple subscriber companies with the same requirements.

Benefits:

• Configure once, apply to multiple subscribers
• Consistent setup across all subscriber companies
• Easier maintenance and updates
• Centralized management of replication rules

To Use Replication Schema:

1. Navigate to Replication Schema page
2. Create a new schema or edit existing
3. Add Table 5050 (Contact) with desired settings
4. Add associated tables (5054, 352)
5. Configure field-level settings
6. Assign the schema to subscriber companies (see Section 5.4)

5. Subscribing to Contacts (Subscriber Company)

This section describes how to configure subscriber companies to receive Contacts from the publisher.

5.1 Setup Subscriber Company

1. Navigate to Replication List

   • Switch to the subscriber company
   • Search for “Replication List”
   • Select the subscriber company
   • Click Manage → Edit to open the Replication Card

2. Add Contact Subscription

   • In the Subscribe section (bottom part of the page), add a new line
   • In the Table ID field, enter 5050 (Contact)
   • In the Data Publisher field, select the publisher company
   • The Table Name field automatically fills with “Contact”

3. Configure Individual Data (Optional)
   • If you want to allow company-specific Contacts in addition to replicated ones:
   • Check the Individual Data checkbox on the Contact line
   • The system will verify that individual contacts don’t conflict with publisher contacts

5.2 Handling Existing Contacts

If the subscriber company already has Contacts, you need to decide how to handle them before enabling replication.

Check for Existing Contacts:

1. In the subscriber company, open Contact List
2. Check if any contacts exist
3. If contacts exist, choose one of the following options:

Option A: Delete Existing Contacts (if safe)

• Warning: Only if contacts have not been used in transactions or linked to Customers
• Verify no Contact Business Relations exist
• Delete contacts and retry subscription
• This is the cleanest approach if data is not critical

Option B: Use Individual Data

• Enable Individual Data checkbox in subscriber Replication Card
• Allows both replicated and local contacts
• System will verify no conflicts between sets
• Local contacts keep their original numbers
• Replicated contacts come from publisher

Option C: Manually Align Contact Numbers

• Renumber existing contacts to avoid conflicts
• Ensure no overlap with publisher contact numbers
• Then enable subscription
• Most time-consuming but preserves all data

Recommended Approach: If starting fresh or contacts are not critical, use Option A. If contacts are already linked to Customers, use Option B.

5.3 Using Replication Schema

If the publisher has created a Replication Schema for Contacts:

1. Assign Schema to Subscriber

   • In the subscriber’s Replication Card
   • Click Assign Replication Schema
   • Select the Contact replication schema
   • Click OK

2. Verify Schema Application

   • The Subscribe section is automatically populated
   • All associated tables are added
   • Field-level settings are applied
   • Data Publisher is set

Benefits: Faster setup, consistent configuration, easier to maintain.

6. Manual Replication Operations

Manual replication allows you to selectively transfer Contacts between companies on demand.

6.1 Transfer Contacts (Publisher → Subscriber)

Use this method to push specific Contacts from the publisher to one or more subscriber companies.

1. Open Contact List in Publisher

   • In the publisher company, search for “Contact List”
   • The list shows all contacts in the publisher

2. Select Contacts to Transfer

   • Select one or more Contacts (use Ctrl+Click for multiple selection)
   • You can select individual contacts or use filters to select groups
   • Consider filtering by Type, Territory, or Salesperson

3. Initiate Transfer

   • Click Master Data → Transfer Record
   • A dialog appears showing available subscriber companies

4. Select Target Companies

   • Select each subscriber company that should receive the contacts
   • You can select multiple companies
   • Click OK or Transfer (depending on version)

5. Verify Transfer
   • The selected contacts are transferred to the subscriber companies
   • Contact Business Relations are automatically included
   • Associated data (dimensions) is automatically included
   • Check Data Publishing Log for confirmation (if available)

What Gets Transferred:

• The Contact record with all configured fields
• Contact Business Relations (Customer/Vendor links) ⭐
• Default Dimensions

6.2 Get Contacts (Subscriber ← Publisher)

Use this method to pull specific Contacts from the publisher into a subscriber company.

1. Open Contact List in Subscriber

   • In the subscriber company, search for “Contact List”
   • The list shows contacts currently in the subscriber

2. Initiate Get Data

   • Click Master Data → Fetch from publisher
   • The Template Contacts page opens, showing contacts available from the publisher

3. Select Contacts to Retrieve

   • Browse or search for the contacts you need
   • Select one or more contacts
   • You can use filters to find specific contacts:
     • Filter by Type (Company/Person)
     • Filter by Territory
     • Filter by Salesperson
     • Filter by City or Country/Region

4. Complete Transfer

   • Click OK or Transfer (depending on version)
   • The selected contacts are transferred to the subscriber company
   • Contact Business Relations are automatically included
   • Associated data is automatically included

Use Cases for Fetch from publisher:

• Subscriber needs specific contacts not yet replicated
• New subscriber company being set up
• Selective replication of contacts
• On-demand retrieval without waiting for automatic replication

6.3 Verifying Contact Business Relations

After transferring contacts, verify that Contact Business Relations were included:

1. Open Contact Card

   • In the subscriber company, open a transferred Contact
   • Go to the General tab

2. Check Business Relation Field

   • Under the General tab, look for the Business Relation field
   • If the Contact is linked to a Customer, it will show “Business Relation: Customer”
   • Click on “Customer” to open the linked Customer Card

3. View All Business Relations

   • On the Contact Card, click Related → Contact → Company (or Person) → Business Relations
   • This opens a list of all Business Relations for this Contact
   • Verify the relationships match the publisher

4. Verify Customer Link (if Customer exists)
   • If the Contact is linked to a Customer, click the Customer link
   • The Customer Card should open (if the Customer exists in the subscriber)
   • On the Customer Card, verify the Contact No. field shows the correct contact

6.4 Data Origin Matrix

The Data Origin Matrix shows which fields come from the publisher and which can be edited locally.

1. Open Data Origin Matrix

   • In the subscriber company, open Contact List
   • Select a replicated contact
   • Click Master data → Data Origin Matrix

2. Review Field Sources

   • Fields marked as “Template” come from the publisher
   • Fields marked as “Individual” can be edited locally
   • Grayed-out fields cannot be edited in the subscriber

3. Verify Contact Business Relation Origin
   • Contact Business Relations should show as “Template” (from publisher)
   • This confirms they were replicated correctly
   • They cannot be edited or deleted in the subscriber

7. Automated Replication (Subscribe)

Automated replication eliminates the need for manual transfers by automatically synchronizing Contacts between publisher and subscriber companies.

7.1 Enable Subscribe

1. Open Subscriber Replication Card

   • In the subscriber company, open the Replication Card
   • Locate the Contact line (Table 5050) in the Subscribe section

2. Enable Subscribe

   • On the Contact line, check the Subscribe checkbox
   • A confirmation dialog may appear
   • Click Yes to confirm

3. Verify Activation

   • The Subscribe checkbox should now be checked
   • The system is now configured for automatic replication

7.2 How Subscribe Works

When Subscribe is enabled:

For New Contacts:

• When a new Contact is created in the publisher
• It is automatically transferred to all subscribed companies
• Contact Business Relations are automatically included
• All associated data is transferred
• No user intervention required

For Modified Contacts:

• When a Contact is modified in the publisher
• Changes are automatically synchronized to subscribed companies
• Only fields configured with “Transfer at Modify” are updated
• Contact Business Relations are automatically synchronized
• Local changes to non-replicated fields are preserved

For Deleted Contacts:

• Contact deletion is NOT automatically replicated
• Contacts must be manually deleted in subscriber companies
• This prevents accidental data loss

7.3 Transfer at Modify

The “Transfer at Modify” setting controls which field changes are automatically synchronized.

1. Review Transfer at Modify Settings

   • In the publisher’s Replication Card, select Contact (Table 5050)
   • Click Fields
   • Review which fields have “Transfer at Modify” enabled

2. How It Works:

   • Fields with “Transfer at Modify” enabled: Changes automatically sync
   • Fields with “Transfer at Modify” disabled: Initial value transferred, changes don’t sync
   • This allows company-specific customization while maintaining master data

Example:

• Name field: Transfer at Modify enabled → Name changes sync automatically
• Salesperson Code: Transfer at Modify disabled → Each company can have different salesperson

7.4 Initial Data Transfer with Subscribe

When you first enable Subscribe, existing Contacts are not automatically transferred. You need to manually transfer them first.

Recommended Approach:

1. Use “Get Data” to retrieve all Contacts you need (see Section 6.2)
2. Or use “Transfer Contact” from publisher to send all Contacts (see Section 6.1)
3. After initial transfer, Subscribe handles new and modified Contacts automatically

For Large Contact Databases:

• Transfer Contacts in batches during off-hours
• Use filters to select groups of Contacts
• Monitor the transfer process
• Verify Contact Business Relations after each batch

7.5 Monitoring Automatic Replication

1. Verify New Contacts

   • Create a test Contact in the publisher
   • Check if it appears automatically in subscriber companies
   • Verify Contact Business Relations are included

2. Verify Modified Contacts

   • Modify a Contact in the publisher (change a field with Transfer at Modify enabled)
   • Check if the change appears in subscriber companies
   • Verify only configured fields are updated

8. Maintaining Contact Business Relations

This section focuses on the critical aspect of Contact replication: maintaining the relationships between Contacts and Customers/Vendors.

8.1 Understanding the Relationship Flow

Key Points:

• Contact Business Relation (Table 5054) is replicated WITH Contact
• It contains Customer/Vendor numbers as field values (not as a relationship)
• When Customer is replicated separately, the numbers match
• The relationship works through number references

Example Flow:

1. Publisher has Contact C-00001 linked to Customer 10000
2. Contact Business Relation record exists: Contact No. = C-00001, No. = 10000
3. Contact is replicated to subscriber (with Contact Business Relation)
4. Customer 10000 is replicated to subscriber (separately)
5. The Contact Business Relation record links them through the number 10000

8.2 Scenario: Replicating Customers with Contacts

When you replicate both Customers and Contacts, Contact Business Relations maintain the link.

Setup Requirements:

1. Contact Replication Setup

   • Table 5050 (Contact) in Publish section
   • Table 5054 (Contact Business Relation) as associated table to Contact

2. Customer Replication Setup

   • Table 18 (Customer) in Publish section
   • Configure Customer replication separately

3. Result

   • When Contact is replicated, its Contact Business Relation goes with it
   • When Customer is replicated, it uses the same Customer number
   • The Contact Business Relation already exists and references the Customer number
   • CRM functionality works correctly

8.3 Scenario: Creating Customer from Contact in Subscriber

Question: What happens if a Contact is replicated to a subscriber, but the user wants to create a Customer from that Contact in the subscriber company?

Answer: This depends on your replication configuration.

If Customer Replication is Enabled:

• ❌ Do NOT create Customers from Contacts in subscriber companies
• Customers should be created in the publisher and replicated
• Creating a Customer in the subscriber will cause conflicts
• The Contact Business Relation will be local, not replicated

If Customer Replication is NOT Enabled (Individual Data allowed):

• ✅ You can create Customers from Contacts in the subscriber
• The Contact Business Relation will be created locally by Business Central
• This is a company-specific Customer
• The Contact remains replicated from the publisher

Best Practice: If you’re replicating Contacts, you should also replicate Customers. This ensures all CRM data is centrally managed and consistent across companies.

8.4 Verifying Contact Business Relations

Regular verification ensures Contact Business Relations are properly maintained.

Verification Checklist:

1. Check Contact Card

   • Open a Contact in the subscriber company
   • Go to the General tab
   • Verify the Business Relation field shows the correct Customer/Vendor
   • The relationship should match the publisher

2. View All Business Relations

   • On the Contact Card, click Related → Contact → Company (or Person) → Business Relations
   • This opens a list of all Business Relations for this Contact
   • Verify the relationships match the publisher

3. Check Customer Card (if Customer exists)

   • Open the linked Customer
   • Verify the Contact No. field shows the correct Contact
   • Click the Contact No. to open the Contact Card

4. Use Data Origin Matrix

   • Open Contact List in subscriber
   • Select a Contact
   • Click Actions → Multi Entity Management → Data Origin Matrix
   • Verify Contact Business Relations show as “Template” (from publisher)

8.5 Troubleshooting Broken Relations

If Contact Business Relations are missing or broken:

Symptom: Contact exists but Business Relation field is empty

Causes and Solutions:

1. Contact Business Relation not configured as associated table

   • Check: Publisher’s Replication Card → Contact → Associated Tables
   • Solution: Add Table 5054 to associated tables (see Section 4.2)
   • Action: Re-transfer the Contact

2. Contact replicated before Customer

   • Check: Does the Customer exist in the subscriber?
   • Solution: Replicate the Customer
   • Action: The Contact Business Relation will link them once Customer exists

3. Contact Business Relation manually deleted

   • Solution: Re-transfer the Contact from publisher
   • Prevention: Don’t manually delete Contact Business Relations

Recovery Steps:

1. Verify Table 5054 is in associated tables for Contact
2. In publisher, open the Contact
3. Use “Transfer Contact” to re-send to subscriber
4. Verify the Contact Business Relation is recreated
5. If Customer exists, check that the link is restored

9. Troubleshooting

This section covers common issues specific to Contact replication and their solutions.

9.1 Contact Business Relations Not Replicating

Symptom: Contacts are replicated but Contact Business Relations are missing in subscriber companies.

Cause 1: Not configured as associated table

• Check: Publisher’s Replication Card → Contact (5050) → Associated Tables
• Solution: Add Table 5054 (Contact Business Relation) to associated tables
• Steps:
  1. Open publisher’s Replication Card
  2. Select Contact line (Table 5050)
  3. Click Associated Tables
  4. Add Table 5054
  5. Re-transfer affected Contacts

Cause 2: Customer not yet replicated

• Check: Does the linked Customer exist in the subscriber?
• Solution: The Contact Business Relation exists but has no Customer to link to
• Steps:
  1. Set up Customer replication
  2. Replicate the Customers
  3. Contact Business Relations will now link correctly

9.2 Customer-Contact Link Broken

Symptom: Customer exists and Contact exists, but they’re not linked.

Cause: Contact Business Relation not replicated with Contact

Solution:

1. Verify Table 5054 is in Contact’s associated tables

   • Open publisher’s Replication Card
   • Select Contact line (Table 5050)
   • Click Associated Tables
   • Verify Table 5054 (Contact Business Relation) is listed

2. Re-transfer the Contact

   • Transfer the Contact to subscriber
   • Contact Business Relation will be included
   • Verify the link is restored

9.3 Duplicate Contacts

Symptom: Contact already exists in subscriber when trying to replicate from publisher.

Cause: Subscriber company had existing Contacts before replication was set up.

Solutions:

Option A: Delete existing Contacts (if safe)

• Warning: Only if Contacts have not been linked to Customers or used in transactions
• Steps:
  1. Verify no Contact Business Relations exist for these Contacts
  2. Verify no transactions reference these Contacts
  3. Delete the Contacts in subscriber
  4. Re-enable replication or re-transfer from publisher

Option B: Use Individual Data

• Steps:
  1. In subscriber’s Replication Card, select Contact (Table 5050)
  2. Enable Individual Data checkbox
  3. Publisher Contacts and local Contacts coexist
  4. System verifies no number conflicts

Option C: Renumber existing Contacts

• Steps:
  1. In subscriber, renumber existing Contacts to a different number series
  2. Ensure no overlap with publisher Contact numbers
  3. Enable replication
  4. Both sets of Contacts exist with different numbers

Recommended: Option B (Individual Data) is safest if Contacts are already in use.

9.4 Contact Type Mismatch

Symptom: Contact Type (Company/Person) is different between publisher and subscriber.

Cause: Type field not configured for replication, or manually changed in subscriber.

Solution:

1. Verify Type field is replicated

   • Publisher’s Replication Card → Contact → Fields
   • Ensure “Type” field has “Transfer at Insert” enabled
   • Enable “Transfer at Modify” to sync changes

2. Re-transfer the Contact

   • Use “Transfer Contact” from publisher
   • Type will be updated to match publisher

Prevention: Always replicate the Type field and enable Transfer at Modify for it.

9.5 Validation Errors

Error: “Contact Business Relation already exists”

Cause: Attempting to create a duplicate Contact Business Relation.

Solution:

1. Check if the Contact Business Relation already exists
2. If it exists with wrong data, delete it in the publisher and re-create
3. Re-transfer the Contact
4. If it exists in subscriber but not publisher, delete it in subscriber

Error: “Contact No. does not exist”

Cause: Contact Business Relation references a Contact that doesn’t exist in the subscriber.

Solution:

1. Replicate the Contact first
2. Then replicate the Customer (if applicable)
3. Or transfer all Contacts at once

Error: “Customer No. does not exist”

Cause: Contact Business Relation references a Customer that doesn’t exist in the subscriber.

Solution:

1. This is normal if Customer hasn’t been replicated yet
2. Set up Customer replication
3. Replicate the Customer
4. The Contact Business Relation will then link correctly

10. Monitoring and Auditing

10.1 Data Origin Matrix

The Data Origin Matrix shows the source of each field value and whether it can be edited locally.

Access for Contacts:

1. In subscriber company, open Contact List
2. Select a replicated Contact
3. Click Master Data → Data Origin Matrix

Understanding the Matrix:

• Template: Field value comes from publisher, locked in subscriber
• Individual: Field value can be edited in subscriber
• Editable: Checkbox indicates if field can be modified

Use Cases:

• Verify which fields are controlled by publisher
• Identify which fields can be customized per company
• Troubleshoot unexpected field values
• Understand data governance

10.2 Audit Trail

For compliance and governance, maintain an audit trail of Contact replication:

What to Track:

1. Initial Setup

   • When Contact replication was configured
   • Which associated tables were included
   • Which fields were configured for replication

2. Replication Events

   • When Contacts were transferred
   • Which Contacts were transferred
   • Which companies received them
   • Whether Contact Business Relations were included

3. Configuration Changes

   • Changes to associated tables
   • Changes to field-level configuration
   • Changes to Subscribe settings

How to Track:

1. Documentation: Maintain documentation of configuration decisions
2. Regular Reviews: Periodically review replication setup
3. Change Log: Enable Change Log for Contact and Contact Business Relation tables (if needed)

Compliance Benefits:

• Demonstrate data governance
• Track changes to contact master data
• Verify data lineage
• Support audit requirements
• Prove CRM data integrity

11. Best Practices

11.1 Setup Sequence

✅ Recommended Sequence:

1. Plan Your Approach

   • Decide if you’ll replicate Contacts, Customers, or both
   • Identify publisher and subscriber companies
   • Review existing Contact and Customer data

2. Set Up Contact Replication First

   • Configure Contact (Table 5050) in publisher
   • Add Contact Business Relation (Table 5054) as associated table
   • Add Default Dimension (Table 352) as associated table
   • Configure field-level settings

3. Set Up Customer Replication (if applicable)

   • Configure Customer (Table 18) in publisher
   • Configure field-level settings for Customer

4. Configure Subscribers

   • Add Contact subscription in each subscriber
   • Add Customer subscription (if applicable)

5. Initial Transfer

   • Use selective transfer or Get Data
   • Verify Contact Business Relations are included
   • Check a few Contacts to confirm relationships

6. Enable Subscribe (for ongoing synchronization)

   • Enable Subscribe in subscribers
   • Verify automatic replication works

11.2 Field Configuration

✅ Always Replicate:

• No. (Primary key)
• Type (Company/Person)
• Name, Name 2
• Company Name, Company No. (for Person type)
• Address, City, Post Code, Country/Region Code
• Phone No., Mobile Phone No., E-Mail
• VAT Registration No.
• Currency Code, Language Code

✅ Consider Company-Specific (Transfer at Insert only, not Transfer at Modify):

• Salesperson Code
• Territory Code
• Privacy Blocked
• Company-specific notes

❌ Don’t Replicate:

• Last Date Modified, Last Time Modified (system fields)
• Company-specific internal notes
• Local customizations

11.3 Contact Business Relation Management

✅ Critical Success Factors:

1. Always Configure Table 5054 for Contact

   • Add to Contact’s associated tables
   • This is essential for CRM functionality

2. Verify After Every Transfer

   • Check Business Relation field on Contact Card (General tab)
   • Verify Customer-Contact link (if Customer exists)
   • Use Related → Contact → Business Relations to view all relations

3. Don’t Manually Modify

   • Don’t create Contact Business Relations manually in subscribers
   • Don’t delete Contact Business Relations in subscribers
   • Let MEM manage the relationships

4. Understand the Relationship

   • Contact Business Relation is replicated WITH Contact
   • It references Customer/Vendor by number
   • When Customer is replicated, the relationship already exists through number reference

11.4 Data Integrity

✅ Ensure Data Integrity:

1. Replicate Related Data Together

   • If replicating Contacts, consider replicating Customers
   • If replicating Customers, consider replicating Contacts
   • This ensures CRM relationships work correctly

2. Use Consistent Number Series

   • Ensure Contact numbers don’t conflict between publisher and subscribers
   • Use Individual Data if subscribers need local Contacts
   • Plan number series before starting replication

3. Regular Verification

   • Periodically check Contact Business Relations
   • Verify Customer-Contact links
   • Test CRM functionality in subscribers

4. Handle Deletions Carefully

   • Contact deletion is not automatically replicated
   • Manually delete in subscribers if needed
   • Verify no transactions reference the Contact before deleting

11.5 Performance

✅ Optimize Performance:

1. Use Subscribe for Ongoing Synchronization

   • More efficient than manual transfers
   • Automatic and immediate
   • Reduces user workload

2. Transfer in Batches

   • For large Contact databases, transfer in batches
   • Use filters to select groups of Contacts
   • Monitor the transfer process

3. Consider Replication Schema

   • Faster setup for multiple subscribers
   • Consistent configuration
   • Easier to maintain

4. Monitor Replication

   • Verify new Contacts appear in subscribers
   • Check that modifications sync correctly
   • Test with sample Contacts before full rollout

11.6 Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Don’t Do This:

1. Forgetting Contact Business Relation

   • Most common mistake
   • Results in broken CRM functionality
   • Requires manual cleanup

2. Deleting Contact Business Relations Manually

   • Breaks the relationship
   • Causes data inconsistency
   • Requires re-transfer to fix

3. Creating Customers from Contacts in Subscribers

   • If Customer replication is enabled, don’t do this
   • Creates local Customers that conflict with replicated ones
   • Contact Business Relations become inconsistent

4. Not Verifying After Transfer

   • Assume relationships are intact
   • Discover problems later
   • More difficult to troubleshoot

5. Skipping Field Configuration

   • All fields replicate by default
   • May include fields that should be company-specific
   • Review and configure field-level settings

12. Integration Scenarios

12.1 Contact + Customer Replication

Scenario: You want to replicate both Contacts and Customers across companies, maintaining their relationships.

Setup Steps:

1. Publisher Configuration:

   • Add Contact (Table 5050) to Publish section
   • Add Contact Business Relation (Table 5054) to Contact’s associated tables
   • Add Customer (Table 18) to Publish section
   • Configure field-level settings for both tables

2. Subscriber Configuration:

   • Add Contact (Table 5050) to Subscribe section
   • Add Customer (Table 18) to Subscribe section
   • Same Data Publisher for both

3. Replication:

   • Transfer or Subscribe for both Contacts and Customers
   • Contact Business Relations are maintained through number references
   • CRM functionality works seamlessly

Result: Complete CRM data replication with intact relationships.

12.2 Contact + Vendor Replication

Scenario: You want to replicate Contacts and Vendors, maintaining Vendor-Contact relationships.

Setup Steps:

1. Publisher Configuration:

   • Add Contact (Table 5050) to Publish section
   • Add Contact Business Relation (Table 5054) to Contact’s associated tables
   • Add Vendor (Table 23) to Publish section

2. Subscriber Configuration:

   • Add Contact (Table 5050) to Subscribe section
   • Add Vendor (Table 23) to Subscribe section

3. Replication:

   • Transfer or Subscribe for both Contacts and Vendors
   • Vendor-Contact relationships maintained through number references

Result: Vendor CRM data replicated with relationships intact.

12.3 Contact + Customer + Vendor Replication

Scenario: Complete CRM replication including Contacts, Customers, and Vendors.

Setup Steps:

1. Publisher Configuration:

   • Add Contact (Table 5050) to Publish section
   • Add Contact Business Relation (Table 5054) to Contact’s associated tables
   • Add Customer (Table 18) to Publish section
   • Add Vendor (Table 23) to Publish section

2. Subscriber Configuration:

   • Add all three tables (5050, 18, 23) to Subscribe section
   • Same Data Publisher for all

3. Replication:

   • Transfer or Subscribe for all three tables
   • All Contact Business Relations maintained through number references
   • Complete CRM functionality across all companies

Result: Full CRM master data replication with all relationships intact.

13. Related Information

13.1 MEM Documentation

• User Guide - Complete Multi Entity Management user guide

13.2 Business Central Documentation

• Contact Management - Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central documentation
• CRM Functionality - Customer Relationship Management in Business Central
• Customer-Contact Relationships - How Business Central links Customers and Contacts

13.4 Support and Assistance

If you need help with Contact replication:

• Contact your Multi Entity Management partner
• Review the MEM User Guide
• Consult the troubleshooting section of this guide

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Quick Reference

Critical Tables

Table ID	Table Name	Purpose
5050	Contact	Main contact master data
5054	Contact Business Relation	Links Contacts to Customers/Vendors
352	Default Dimension	Default dimensions

Must-Do Checklist

• ✅ Add Contact Business Relation (Table 5054) to Contact’s associated tables
• ✅ Verify Contact Business Relations after every transfer
• ✅ Test CRM functionality in subscriber companies
• ✅ Monitor replication regularly

Common Actions

Transfer Contacts:

1. Open Contact List in publisher
2. Select contacts
3. Actions → Multi Entity Management → Transfer Contact
4. Select target companies
5. Click OK

Get Contacts:

1. Open Contact List in subscriber
2. Actions → Multi Entity Management → Get Data
3. Select contacts from template
4. Click OK

Enable Subscribe:

1. Open subscriber’s Replication Card
2. Select Contact line (Table 5050)
3. Check Subscribe checkbox
4. Confirm

Verify Contact Business Relations:

1. Open Contact Card
2. Check Business Relation field on General tab
3. Click Related → Contact → Company (or Person) → Business Relations
4. Verify relationships

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Glossary

Associated Table: A table that contains data related to another table and is automatically replicated with its parent table.

Contact Business Relation: The link between a Contact and a Customer, Vendor, or Bank Account. Critical for CRM functionality. Stored in Table 5054.

Data Publisher: The company that provides master data to other companies (the publisher in a publisher-subscriber relationship).

Individual Data: A setting that allows a subscriber company to have both replicated data and company-specific data.

Publisher Company: The company that owns and maintains the master data, sharing it with subscriber companies.

Replication Schema: A template that defines which tables and fields should be replicated, allowing consistent setup across multiple subscribers.

Subscribe: A feature that enables automatic replication of new and modified records from publisher to subscriber.

Subscriber Company: A company that receives master data from a publisher company.

Template Table: A table configured for replication in Multi Entity Management.

Transfer at Insert: A field setting that controls whether the field is transferred when a record is initially replicated.

Transfer at Modify: A field setting that controls whether field changes in the publisher are automatically synchronized to subscribers.

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Document Information

Document Version: 1.0
Last Updated: February 2026
MEM Version: 8.0.1
Business Central Version: 26.0
Author: Multi Entity Management Documentation Team

Change History:

Version	Date	Changes
1.0	February 2026	Initial release with correct field names and technical approach