Introduction

BizTalk Server 2020 remains a cornerstone for enterprise integration, offering robust capabilities for connecting disparate systems, automating workflows, and managing business processes. If you’re a developer working with BizTalk, chances are you’re using Visual Studio 2019. But out of the box, Visual Studio doesn’t support BizTalk projects—so how do you enable it?

This guide walks you through the full process of enabling BizTalk Server 2020 project support in Visual Studio 2019, from installation to troubleshooting.

🧰 Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure your environment meets the following requirements:

• Windows Server 2016 or later
• Visual Studio 2019 (Professional or Enterprise)
• BizTalk Server 2020 (Developer Edition recommended for local development)
• SQL Server 2016+
• .NET Framework 4.7 or later

Also ensure that Visual Studio is installed before BizTalk Server to avoid missing integration components.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Setup

1. Install Visual Studio 2019 with Required Workloads

Use the Visual Studio Installer to install:

• .NET desktop development
• ASP.NET and web development
• Data storage and processing

These workloads ensure compatibility with BizTalk’s project system and deployment tools.

2. Install BizTalk Server 2020 with Developer Tools

During BizTalk installation, select the Developer Tools component. This includes:

• BizTalk Project System
• Orchestration Designer
• Pipeline Designer
• Schema Editor
• Mapper

These tools integrate directly into Visual Studio, enabling full BizTalk development capabilities.

3. Install the BizTalk Server Extension in Visual Studio

After installing BizTalk, open Visual Studio and follow these steps:

• Go to Extensions > Manage Extensions
• Search for BizTalk Server
• Install the extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace
• Close Visual Studio to allow the VSIX installer to complete
• Reopen Visual Studio

This step is crucial—without the extension, project templates won’t appear Stack Overflow Visual Studio Marketplace.

4. Verify Project Templates

Once installed, go to:

File > New > Project > BizTalk Projects

You should see templates like:

• BizTalk Server Application
• BizTalk Orchestration
• BizTalk Pipeline Component
• BizTalk Schema

If templates are missing, try running:

devenv /setup
devenv /InstallVSTemplates

These commands refresh Visual Studio’s template cache Stack Overflow.

🧪 Testing Your Setup

Create a new BizTalk Server Application project and add an orchestration or schema. Build and deploy to verify:

• Compilation succeeds
• BizTalk build tasks are available
• Deployment to local BizTalk environment works

Make sure the BizTalk host instance is running and that you have admin rights.

🧯 Troubleshooting Tips

• Missing Templates: Reinstall the BizTalk extension and run devenv /setup
• Build Errors: Ensure BizTalk SDK is installed and registered
• Deployment Issues: Check host instance status and permissions
• Orchestration Designer not loading: Confirm that Visual Studio is running with admin privileges

Refer to Microsoft Learn for detailed guidance on using Visual Studio with BizTalk Microsoft Learn.

✅ Summary

Enabling BizTalk Server 2020 project support in Visual Studio 2019 is essential for building and managing enterprise integration solutions. By installing the right workloads, adding the BizTalk Developer Tools, and integrating the Visual Studio extension, you unlock a full suite of design and deployment capabilities.

With this setup, you can confidently build orchestrations, schemas, pipelines, and maps—all within the familiar Visual Studio environment. Whether you’re modernizing legacy systems or building new integrations, this configuration sets you up for success.

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