Dynamics 365 Business Central Power BI Reports

Why Integrate Power BI with Business Central?

The integration between Dynamics 365 Business Central and Power BI brings ERP and advanced analytics together in a single solution. Both are Microsoft products, which means the connection is seamless and well-supported. Instead of relying on third-party connectors or manual data exports, companies can view reports within the ERP system itself.

Key Benefits of Business Central Power BI Integration

• Seamless data flow: Pull data directly from Business Central, SQL databases, or Excel spreadsheets into Power BI dashboards.
• Embedded reporting: Embed Power BI in Business Central so users can view dashboards within their role centers.
• Standard and custom options: Use Microsoft’s out-of-the-box Power BI reports or create custom dashboards tailored to your KPIs.
• Improved decision-making: Equip finance, sales, operations, and executive teams with accurate, real-time insights.
• Scalable reporting: Expand dashboards as your organization grows.

By leveraging Business Central Power BI integration, companies transform raw ERP data into meaningful visuals that guide strategy, support performance monitoring, and accelerate decision-making.

Out-of-the-Box Power BI Reports in Business Central

Microsoft provides a range of out-of-the-box Power BI reports directly inside Dynamics 365 Business Central. These prebuilt dashboards provide instant insights into core areas of business without requiring development or heavy customization. With a Power BI license, users can activate them quickly and begin analyzing live ERP data.

The built-in reports span finance, sales, purchasing, inventory, and manufacturing, giving organizations a strong starting point for data-driven decisions. Each module comes with visuals and KPIs designed around common business needs.

Finance Dashboards

The Business Central financial reporting Power BI dashboards offer CFOs and finance manager’s visibility into:

• Revenue, net profit, and profit margin
• Top customers and vendors by balance
• Return on assets and asset turnover
• Income statements and balance sheets

These dashboards simplify the evaluation of profitability trends and overall financial health. For example, a CFO can identify whether margins are shrinking in a particular quarter and drill into expenses or sales performance to identify root causes. Over time, this supports better forecasting and resource allocation.

Sales Dashboards     

Sales dashboards in Business Central Power BI integration provide sales leaders with metrics that help them evaluate performance and customer behavior. These include:

• Total sales amounts and sales by salesperson
• Gross profit by item
• Top five customers by sales
• Daily sales activity with drill-downs
• Period-over-period growth and moving averages

With these dashboards, a sales director can track how specific reps are performing, identify which products deliver the most profit, and monitor customer loyalty over time. This helps align sales incentives with profitability and customer retention goals.

Purchasing & Inventory Dashboards

The purchasing and inventory Power BI reports in Business Central provide supply chain managers with actionable insights into:

• Vendor balances and purchasing patterns
• Inventory valuation and turnover rates
• Stock availability across warehouses
• Cost analysis for procurement decisions

These reports help businesses reduce waste, avoid stockouts, and control purchasing costs. For example, a purchasing manager can quickly see which vendors deliver the best pricing or which items are tying up too much capital in excess stock. Better visibility leads to stronger vendor negotiations and optimized inventory policies.

Manufacturing Dashboards

For manufacturers, Power BI dashboards in Business Central enable operational managers to monitor efficiency and resource usage. Metrics include:

• Production volume and quality trends
• Machine and labor utilization
• Waste levels and resource efficiency
• Progress toward sustainability goals

Manufacturing leaders gain the ability to balance efficiency, cost, and sustainability all in one place. For example, a production manager can compare machine performance across shifts to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for process improvement.

Custom Power BI Dashboards with Business Central Data

While out-of-the-box Power BI reports provide a strong foundation, many organizations need dashboards customized to their industry, processes, and goals. With custom Business Central dashboards in Power BI, companies can build reports that align directly with their KPIs.

Data Sources for Custom Dashboards

Power BI makes it easy to extend reporting beyond Business Central. Data can be pulled from:

• Excel spreadsheets for departmental reporting
• SQL databases for advanced analytics and forecasting
• Dynamics 365 Sales or Teams for cross-platform insights
• Third-party applications that integrate with Power BI

Examples of Custom Dashboards

• Retail: Track sales by store, seasonal buying patterns, and customer loyalty.
• Manufacturing: Monitor shop floor efficiency, production costs, and equipment utilization.
• Service providers: Measure project profitability, billable hours, and client engagement.
• Finance: Build dashboards for compliance, forecasting accuracy, and risk analysis.

Benefits of Custom Dashboards

• Personalized KPIs: Focus on the most important metrics for your industry.
• Role-specific dashboards: Tailor insights for executives, managers, and frontline staff.
• Scalable reporting: Expand dashboards as your business evolves.
• Deeper analysis: Combine ERP data with external systems for a 360-degree view.

By creating custom Business Central dashboards with Power BI, organizations extend the value of ERP beyond standard reporting, enabling smarter, industry-specific decision-making.

How to Embed Power BI in Dynamics 365 Business Central

One of the most powerful features of Business Central Power BI integration is the ability to embed Power BI dashboards directly into the ERP. Instead of switching between applications, users access analytics within their daily workspace.

Steps to Embed Power BI in Business Central

1. Activate Power BI Pro: Ensure you have licensing and connect Business Central to your Power BI workspace.
2. Enable Reports: Add available reports to Business Central role centers.
3. Customize Views: Expand dashboards, apply filters, and pin specific reports to role centers.
4. Combine Dashboards: Use both out-of-the-box reports and custom dashboards.

Benefits of Embedding

• Unified workspace combining ERP data and analytics
• Real-time insights at the point of decision-making
• Role-based dashboards tailored to departments
• Drill-downs from summary KPIs into transaction-level detail

This functionality ensures that employees have the insights they need without leaving Business Central.

Business Value of Using Power BI in Business Central

Integrating Power BI with Dynamics 365 Business Central goes beyond dashboards, it transforms how teams operate. The combination drives measurable value across the organization.

Key Business Benefits

• Finance: Gain real-time visibility into revenue, profitability, and margins with financial dashboards.
• Sales: Track top customers, high-performing sales reps, and product profitability with sales dashboards.
• Operations: Improve stock management and supplier reliability with inventory dashboards.
• Manufacturing: Monitor efficiency, waste, and sustainability goals with manufacturing dashboards.

Strategic Advantages

• One version of truth: Everyone works from consistent, live data.
• Faster decisions: Replace manual reports with automated dashboards.
• Informed analysis: Drill from high-level KPIs into detailed transactions.
• Scalability: Start with Microsoft’s dashboards and expand with custom ones.

With Business Central Power BI integration, companies move from reactive reporting to proactive, insight-driven management.

Best Practices for Power BI in Business Central

To maximize value, organizations should follow proven practices when implementing Power BI with Business Central.

1. Keep Dashboards Role-Specific: Tailor views for finance, sales, operations, or manufacturing. Avoid overwhelming users with unnecessary data.
2. Automate Data Refresh: Ensure Power BI reports in Business Central always display current data. Configure refresh schedules to align with business needs.
3. Leverage Drill-Down Features: Allow users to explore data at multiple levels. A finance user, for example, can drill from profit margins into transaction details.
4. Balance Standard and Custom Dashboards: Use out-of-the-box reports for immediate insights and custom dashboards for advanced KPIs.
5. Focus on the Right KPIs: Align dashboards with organizational goals (e.g., revenue growth, customer retention, operational efficiency).
6. Train and Support Users: Provide role-based training so employees can confidently use dashboards. Ongoing support helps maintain adoption.
7. Review and Evolve Dashboards Regularly: Business needs change. Schedule regular reviews to ensure dashboards remain aligned with strategy.

By following these practices, businesses turn Business Central dashboards with Power BI into a trusted hub for reporting and analytics.

FAQs on Business Central Power BI Integration

Do I need a Power BI license for Business Central?
Yes, a Power BI Pro license is required to embed and share reports.

Can I use Business Central on-premises with Power BI?
Yes, though cloud deployments provide smoother integration and updates.

How often does the data refresh in Power BI dashboards?
By default, dashboards refresh daily, but this can be adjusted based on business needs.

What types of reports are available out of the box?
Finance, sales, purchasing, inventory, and manufacturing dashboards are included.

Can I create custom dashboards in Business Central?
Yes. Organizations can design custom Business Central dashboards with Power BI that combine ERP and external data sources.

Is embedding Power BI in Business Central user-friendly?
Yes. Reports can be pinned to role centers, expanded, and filtered inside the ERP system.

Do I need IT support to maintain dashboards?
Not always. With training, business users can manage filters, refreshes, and simple customizations. IT teams can assist with complex analytics.

Does Power BI improve collaboration?
Yes. Teams can share dashboards and work from the same metrics, creating alignment across departments.

Can I track sustainability and ESG goals in Business Central using Power BI?
Yes. Many manufacturing and supply chain dashboards can be adapted to include sustainability metrics, helping organizations monitor environmental and social KPIs.

Getting Started with Business Central Power BI Reports

The best way to begin is by enabling Microsoft’s ready-to-use dashboards and gradually moving toward custom dashboards as requirements evolve. Embedding Power BI in Business Central ensures that insights are accessible where employees spend most of their time.

At Volt Technologies, we help organizations implement and optimize Dynamics 365 Business Central Power BI reports. From setup and configuration to custom dashboards and role-based training, we ensure businesses gain maximum value from Microsoft’s ERP and analytics tools. Ready to unlock the power of Business Central dashboards with Power BI? Contact Volt Technologies today to schedule a consultation or demo.

Watch the full demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7KOwX1fr8g&t=12s