Power BI Integration in Dynamics 365 Business Central

Build Intuitive, Insightful Power BI Reports in Business Central / Navision with Addend Analytics!

Business Central & Power BI

Power BI, a Microsoft data visualisation system, makes it simple to gain insights from your Business Central data. Power BI takes data from Business Central and allows you to create dashboards and reports with it. Power BI is a flexible alternative to Business Central reports, allowing you to drill down and personalise the display, as well as merge data from other firms. Some Power BI reports can be embedded in Business Central and read without having to leave the platform. The Power BI online site provides a better experience with more complicated dashboards.

Power BI reports that display Business Central data can be embedded directly in parts Business Central pages. You can switch the part to display any report that is made available to you.

Dynamics 365 Business Central

Key Steps for Power BI Integration in Business Central

Dynamics 365 Business Central
You’ll probably notice an empty Power BI component (as indicated in the preceding example) on several pages when you first sign into Business Central. Connecting to your Power BI account is the first step. You can see reports once you’ve linked. This step only has to be completed once.
  1. In the Power BI Reports section, click the Get Started with Power BI
  2. The aided Setup Power BI Reports in Business Central To continue, select Next.
  3. On the page for Check your Power BI license. Follow one of the steps below:
    • Select the Go to Power BI homepage option if you haven’t already signed up for Power BI. Create an account, then return to Business Central to complete the setup.
    • Select Next if you already have a licence.
  4. Business Central will now upload a demo report to Power BI on the next page. This is done in the background because it will take a few minutes. Select Next, then Finish to complete the setup.
Explore the video to experience the combined power of Power BI and Business Central
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Play with Power BI Reports in Business Central

Show Reports on list pages

On various critical list pages in Dynamics 365 Business Central, a Power BI FactBox is included. This FactBox gives you more information about the data in the list. The report is updated and filtered for the selected entry as you travel between rows in the list. If you don't see this section, go to Actions > Display > Show/Hide Power BI Reports from the action bar.

Switch Reports

Any Power BI report that you have access to can be shown via a Power BI part on a page. Select the Select Report action from the drop-down command list at the top of the section to switch to another report.

The Power BI Reports Selection page displays a list of all available Power BI reports. This list can be fetched from any of your own workspaces in the Power BI service, as well as workspaces that have been shared with you. Choose OK after checking the Enable box for each report you want to show on the page. You'll be taken back to the previous page, where the last report you enabled will be visible. Using the drop-down command list, use the Previous and Next commands to navigate between reports.

Get More Reports

Choose Get Reports if you don't see any reports on the Power BI Reports Selection screen, or if you don't see the report you desire. This action allows you to search for reports in two places: My Organization and Services.

  • To access the Power BI services, select My Organization. You can access the reports that you've been granted access to within your organisation from here. After that, you can add them to your workspace.
  • Select Services to access the Microsoft AppSource store, where you may download and install Power BI apps.

Manage and Modify Reports

In the Power BI section, you can make modifications to a report. After that, the adjustments you've made will be published to the Power BI service. Unless you save the modifications to a new report, other users will see the changes if the report is shared.

Choose the Manage Report action from the Power BI part's drop-down command list to alter a report. Then begin to make modifications. Select File > Save once you've finished making adjustments. If it's a shared report and you don't want to make the modification for all users, choose Save As instead.

When you return to the role center, the updated report will appear. If you used Save As, you'll have to choose Select Report, and then enable the new report to see it.

Upload Reports

As .pbix files, Power BI Reports can be shared among users. You can upload and share any .pbix files you have with all Business Central members. Each company's reports are posted on Business Central.

Select the Upload Report action from the Power BI Reports part's drop-down command list to upload a report. After that, look for the .pbix file that defines the reports you want to share. You can alter the file's default name.

The report will immediately upload to other users' Power BI workspaces after it has been uploaded to yours.

Microsoft App Source

Business Central publishes three apps for Power BI on Microsoft AppSource. These apps create detailed reports and dashboards in your Power BI service for viewing Business Central data. Available apps include

Dynamics 365 Business Central - CRM

Dynamics 365 Business Central - Finance

Dynamics 365 Business Central - Sales

Why Addend Analytics as Power BI-BC Integration partner?

Power BI – Business Central Integration FAQs
What is Addend Analytics’ expertise?
Addend Analytics is a Microsoft Gold Partner based in Mumbai, India and a branch office in U.S. We have successfully implemented 10000+ Microsoft Power BI embedded reports in Business Central/Navision and other Microsoft business applications across U.S., Europe, and Australia.
How much does it cost to implement Power BI reports in Business Central / Navision?
This totally depends on your requirements. Our rates are typically around $40 per hour for a typical Power BI Embedding projects and go even lower for the longer projects.
Are you able to tailor the embedded solutions in Business Central/Navision to support specific needs?
Yes, we provide full stack development for the end-to-end process. If needed, we can help design the app sign in page, UI and UX etc. Outside of this, we tailor the experience and features within the Business Central app to your specific needs.
Do you provide any ongoing support?
Yes, to ensure your team can overcome any obstacles or issues experienced after the implementation, we often encourage clients to consider Maintenance and Support Agreement (MSA) on monthly or annual basis. In this scenario, you can purchase a bundle of support hours to be drawn from as needed on monthly basis or on a pay-as-you-go basis.
How do I contact you?
Please email your requirements at kamal.sharma@addendanalytics.com and we will get back to you.