---
title: "Installing Decisions Using Azure Service Principal"
slug: "installing-decisions-using-azure-service-principal"
description: "Connect Decisions to Azure SQL using an Azure Service Principal for secure authentication and database configuration."
updated: 2026-06-29T18:37:01Z
published: 2026-06-29T18:37:01Z
canonical: "documentation.decisions.com/installing-decisions-using-azure-service-principal"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.decisions.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installing Decisions Using Azure Service Principal

## Overview

This document demonstrates how to connect Decisions to Azure SQL using Azure Service Principal. To learn more about Azure Service Principal, refer to [Microsoft’s Documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/service-accounts-principal).

---

## Prerequisites

- An active Azure Account.
- Azure SQL server
- Database in SQL server. Refer to Decisions [Installation Requirements](https://documentation.decisions.com/version-10/docs/installation-requirements#database-server-and-configuration) for the minimum DB levels to be used.

Note:

- Ensure that you **do not** select the "Use SQL authentication" method while creating the SQL Server.
- Ensure that the admin is set while creating the SQL server.

Refer to the following image.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1700825322763.png)

---

## App Registrations in Azure

1. Open the Microsoft Entra ID (Formerly known as Azure Active Directory).
2. Navigate to Left Panel > Manage > App registrations.
3. Create a new registration and configure the registration as per the requirement. Refer to [Application registration](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/app-objects-and-service-principals#application-registration).
4. Generate a Client secret for the app registration. To generate the client secret, refer to [Service principal authentication](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/service-accounts-principal#service-principal-authentication).
5. Copy the following App registration details for the next step,  
  

![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1670843997228.png)
  - App registration Name
  - Application (client) ID
  - Directory (tenant) ID
  - App. Client Secrets Value.
6. Copy the DB server and DB name for the next step.  
  

![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1670843928890.png)
  - Database Name
  - Server Name

---

## Configurations in SQL Database

1. Go to **SQL server** > **SQL database**.
2. Navigate to the left panel > **Query Editor (preview)**. A login window appears.
3. Login through the Microsoft Entra authentication (formerly known as Active Directory authentication).  
  
Note:If you get an error to connect Query Editor, click on the "allowlist IP…" link generated under the error.
4. Edit `your_app_registration_name` and run the following Query in the SQL database.

```actionscript
CREATE USER "your_app_registration_name" FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER GO
EXEC sp_addrolemember 'db_owner', "your_app_registration_name" GO
GRANT ALTER ANY USER TO "your_app_registration_name" GO
```

---

## Installing Decisions Using Azure Service Principal

1. Open the Decisions installer, Enable "Change Settings on Update," and click on Update.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1782758137168.png)
2. Configure the settings till you land on the **Database Setup** screen.
3. Select **Azure SQL** and under Connection Settings, select **Using Azure Service Principal** option.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1782745746287.png)
4. Enter all the credentials that were copied earlier. Hit **Test** to check the connection.
5. Once the test is successful, continue with the [Installation process](https://documentation.decisions.com/version-10/docs/installation-guide).

---

## External Database Integration using Azure Service Principal

To learn about External Database Integration in Decisions. Refer to the article [External Database Integration](https://documentation.decisions.com/version-10/docs/insert-update-delete-steps-integration-database).

1. In Decisions Studio, navigate to **System** > **Integrations** > **Databases** and click **CREATE CONNECTION**.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1782758212504.png)
2. Give a **Connection Name**.
3. Select Database Type as **AZURE**. Authentication Type as **Using Azure Service Principal** and enter all the credentials that were copied earlier.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1779473510743.png)
4. Hit **TEST** to check the connection. After a successful connection, **CLOSE** the Window.
5. The integration will be added with the given Connection Name to the **Folder Data** in Decisions.