Business Central Reporting Overview: Tools, Options, and Best Practices

Why Reporting Matters in Business Central

For any business, timely and accurate reporting is critical to success. With Dynamics 365 Business Central, reporting isn’t just a feature it’s a core strength that sets it apart as a modern ERP solution for SMBs.

By running all your transactions in a single, integrated system, you gain access to real-time reporting in Business Central that eliminates guesswork and enables informed decision-making across finance, operations, and customer service.

Here’s why Business Central reporting capabilities matter:

• Real-Time Visibility:
  Unlike outdated systems that rely on batch updates, Business Central delivers up-to-the-minute data so you can respond to changes instantly.
• Financial Confidence:
  Robust Business Central financial reporting helps you keep a close eye on cash flow, budgets, and profitability, ensuring compliance and control.
• Operational Insight:
  Through role-based dashboards and KPIs, managers in operations, sales, and service can monitor performance and take action where needed.
• Holistic Data Analysis:
  Because all data lives in one system, you can perform cross-departmental analysis, track trends, and uncover hidden opportunities.

When combined with tools like Power BI and customizable report layouts, these features make Business Central a powerful platform for data analysis and reporting that SMBs can rely on to stay competitive.

Types of Reports and Tools in Business Central

One of the standout strengths of reporting in Dynamics 365 Business Central is its variety of reporting options. From intuitive dashboards to detailed financial statements, Business Central reporting tools cater to every role and department. Below is a breakdown of the key Business Central report types and how each can help your business.

Standard Visual Reports and Dashboards

Business Central includes out-of-the-box KPI dashboards and role-specific visualizations tailored to your job function such as sales pipelines, top opportunities, and customer trends.

• Configurable graphs and charts tied to your role center.
• Drill-down into individual transactions or records for deeper insight.
• Ability to filter by date ranges, sales cycles, or other dimensions.

These Business Central standard reports are perfect for day-to-day monitoring and quick decisions.

Embedded Power BI Reports

For advanced analytics, Business Central offers seamless Power BI integration, allowing you to view and interact with Power BI dashboards directly within the Business Central interface.

• Switch between dashboards from your Power BI workspace.
• Apply filters and explore data without leaving the system.
• Embed Power BI visuals throughout Business Central, not just on the home page.

This integration combines the best of Business Central’s data with Power BI’s advanced visualization capabilities.

Transactional and Document Reports

Transactional and document reports like sales order confirmations, invoices, or pick instructions are essential for daily operations.

• Print or export reports in PDF, Word, Excel, or XML formats.
• Customize layouts for different customers or internal needs.
• Use advanced filters and settings to tailor report content.
• Preview documents before printing or sending.

Business Central also lets you set default layouts and manage multiple templates to suit specific reporting needs.

Financial and Custom Reports

For finance teams and decision-makers, Business Central provides robust financial reporting tools:

• Account Schedules: Create custom income statements, balance sheets, and other financial statements.
• Analysis by Dimensions: Break down data by department, project, or other dimensions for deeper insights.
• Custom Report Layouts: Design and save tailored layouts to fit your company’s unique reporting needs.

These options ensure your financial data is clear, actionable, and aligned with your business goals.

Best Practices for Reporting in Business Central

To fully leverage the powerful reporting capabilities in Business Central, it’s essential to follow best practices that align with your business goals and processes. Below are actionable tips to help you get the most out of your Business Central reporting tools and options.

Leverage Role-Specific Dashboards

Configure dashboards and KPI visuals to match each user’s role center. Sales teams can focus on pipeline data, while finance teams see cash flow and budgets at a glance. This ensures everyone sees the most relevant data for their responsibilities.

Customize Report Layouts

Take advantage of customizable report layouts to tailor documents like order confirmations, invoices, and pick lists. Use advanced settings to define customer-specific templates, improving both clarity and professionalism.

Use Power BI for Advanced Insights

Integrate Power BI dashboards for advanced data visualization and real-time analytics. Set up multiple dashboards for different teams and encourage staff to use filters and drill-downs to explore trends and uncover opportunities.

Plan for Scalability and Performance

Set appropriate limits on large transactional and document reports to avoid performance issues. Use filtering options and advanced settings to keep reports manageable and responsive as your data grows.

By following these best practices, SMBs can maximize the value of their Business Central reporting for finance and operations, ensuring that data drives smarter decisions at every level of the business.

Get Expert Help with Business Central Reporting

While Dynamics 365 Business Central offers hundreds of standard reports, KPIs, dashboards, and integrations, realizing the full power of these tools often requires expert configuration and strategic planning. Many SMBs discover that without guidance, reports are underutilized, poorly formatted, or fail to deliver actionable insights.

That’s where Volt Technologies can make the difference.

As a trusted Microsoft Dynamics 365 Partner, specializing in Business Central implementation and optimization for small and mid-sized businesses, we provide tailored support that helps you:

Define Reporting Requirements by Department

We help you document what finance, operations, sales, and service teams actually need from their reports, eliminating noise and focusing on what matters.

Configure Role-Specific KPI Dashboards and Visuals

We ensure dashboards and charts in each role center reflect meaningful KPIs and allow drill-down into key details, enabling every team member to act with confidence.

Optimize Power BI Embedded Reports

Power BI integration is a game changer but many businesses fail to set up meaningful dashboards. We build and embed visually rich Power BI dashboards that are responsive, interactive, and tailored to your workflows.

Design Branded and Functional Document Layouts

Professional invoices, order confirmations, and contracts are not just operational necessities; they also reflect your brand. We customize document layouts across Word, Excel, PDF, and XML formats, supporting customer-specific formats and regulatory needs.

Develop Advanced Financial and Dimensional Analysis

We create custom account schedules and configure analysis by dimensions so your leadership team can analyze performance by department, project, product line, or region with clarity and accuracy.

Train and Empower Your Team

Our consultants deliver hands-on training to your users, showing them how to create, customize, and interpret reports, ensuring adoption and self-sufficiency long after implementation.

Whether you’re just starting with Business Central or looking to optimize your existing setup, our proven approach delivers actionable, reliable reporting at every level of your business.

Schedule a consultation with Volt Technologies today to explore how we can transform your reporting in Business Central into a true competitive advantage.

Conclusion

Reporting isn’t just about tracking numbers, it’s about empowering your teams to make smarter, faster decisions. With Business Central’s rich reporting capabilities, SMBs can finally unify their data, monitor key metrics in real time, and adapt quickly to market changes.

From standard Business Central report types and custom layouts to advanced Power BI dashboards, Business Central gives you the tools you need to stay competitive but success depends on setting up and using those tools the right way.

By partnering with Volt Technologies, you gain a dedicated team that understands your business, configures your reporting tools to match your goals, and trains your team to extract maximum value from every report.

Don’t settle for basic reports when you can unlock the full power of your ERP.
Contact Volt Technologies today and elevate your Business Central reporting to the next level.