--- title: "External references and revision numbers" slug: "external-references-and-revision-numbers" description: "Link external IDs and revision numbers to record IDs in D365 F&SCM with our guide on setup, mapping, and application for seamless data integration." tags: ["Concept topic"] updated: 2026-07-15T09:45:33Z published: 2026-07-15T09:45:33Z canonical: "docs.staedean.com/external-references-and-revision-numbers" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.staedean.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # External references and revision numbers You can link an external ID to a record ID in D365 F&SCM. Together with the external ID, you can also link an external revision number to a record ID. This topic explains the: - Required setup on external document records and message field mapping. - Location where external references and revisions are stored in Connectivity Studio: the applicable Application. ## External document record setup For external documents, on the record setup, on the line details, you define the: - **External reference**: You can indicate which field of the record contains the unique ID of the record in the external database. In this way, you link the external ID to the D365 F&SCM record ID. > [!NOTE] > Note > > Usually, you only use this for an **ODBC** connection with CRM or if you use web services. - **Revision field**: You can indicate which of the record fields contains the revision of the record in the external database. In this way, you find and link the latest revision to the record ID. > [!NOTE] > Note > > You can only use this field in combination with the **External reference** field. ## Message - Record mapping You can use the external reference, as defined for the source document record, to create a relation between the external record and the record in D365 F&SCM. The relation is set after the D365 F&SCM record is inserted or updated. - For a message, in the record mapping, in the **External reference** field, select an option: - **Yes**: A relation is created between the external record and the record in D365 F&SCM. - **No**: No relation is created between the external record and the record in D365 F&SCM. - **Update by owner**: A relation is created between the external record and the record in D365 F&SCM. But the record can only be updated by the company that owns the record. This company is identified in the **Created by** field (**Applications** page, **Eternal ID** section). You can review the relations between external records and records in in the application setup. ## Message field option In the message field mapping, you can link an external ID to a record ID in D365 F&SCM. Together with the external ID, you can also link an external revision number to a record ID. Usually, you use the **External reference** option on a field mapping where the source field (export) or target field (import) is the **RecID**. To link an external reference and revision, on the **Message** page, in the **Mapping** section, on the **Mapping** tab, on the **Field options** tab: 1. Select the **External reference** check box. 2. In the **Type** field, define if the current field mapping sets the external ID or revision number. 3. In the **Reference table** field, enter or select the table for the reference record ID. For export, it is the table of the source field. For import it is the table of the target field. > [!NOTE] > **Note:** > > You can only link: > > - An external ID or revision number to a record ID if, on the applicable document, the **External reference** field and the **Revision** field are filled in for the source field or target field of the current field mapping. > - A revision number to a record ID in D365 F&SCM if you also link the external ID. On the message field mapping, the external ID field mapping must precede the revision field mapping. ## Application Applications are used to store the external IDs and external revision numbers that are used in the external application. You can link an external ID to a record ID in D365 F&SCM. Together with the external ID, you can also link an external revision number to a record ID. The application, as defined for the applicable connector, is used to store the link between the reference table and record ID in D365 F&SCM and the external ID and revision number. > [!NOTE] > **Note:** > > The **External references** table is not a shared table. By default, external references are stored in the company in which these are created. So, the external references are only available and applied if a message is run in that company. If an external reference is related to a shared table, you can choose to store these in the shared company 'DAT'. So, the external references become available for all companies in your D365 F&SCM environment. You can indicate to store external references of shared tables in the 'DAT' company per application. If you want to apply shared external references in message mapping, make sure the applicable application is used in the connector setup. If you: > > - Export data, the applicable external ID or revision is searched for in the target connector application. If a record exists for the reference table and the source field (**RecId**) combination, the external ID or revision of this record is as the output value of this option. > - Import data, the applicable target record ID is searched for in the source connector application. If a record exists for the combination of reference table and external ID and revision, the reference record ID of this record is the output value of this option. If no record exists for the combination, a record is created. The reference record ID of this record is the output value of this option. ## Related - [Add document records - Fixed text](/add-document-records-fixed-text.md) - [Add document records - JSON](/add-document-records-json.md) - [Add document records - Text](/add-document-records-text.md) - [Add document records - XML](/add-document-records-xml.md) - [Add document records - Microsoft Excel](/add-document-records-microsoft-excel.md) - [Set up applications](/set-up-applications.md) - [Add document records - Microsoft Word](/add-document-records-microsoft-word.md) - [Add document records - ODBC](/add-document-records-odbc.md) - [Add document records - EDI](/add-document-records-edi.md) - [Set up record mapping](/set-up-record-mapping.md) - [Apply external reference (Field option)](/apply-external-reference-field-option.md)