Power BI - Integration with Business Central and and new embedded reports out of the box

Key Takeaways

Understanding Power BI: A Comprehensive Data Tool

Power BI is a powerful collection of software services, applications, and connectors that allows businesses to unify disparate data sources into coherent, visually immersive, and interactive insights.

Key Components of Power BI

• Software Services – A suite of tools to analyze and visualize data.
• Apps & Connectors – Over 100 data connectors available, including Excel, PDFs, SQL databases, and Business Central.
• Interactive Reports – Users can create dynamic and drillable reports to uncover insights.

With Power BI, companies can consolidate information from multiple data sources, including cloud-based, on-premises, and hybrid systems, making it easier to visualize trends and make data-driven decisions.

The Power BI Ecosystem

Three core tools make up the Power BI ecosystem, each playing a crucial role in data processing, visualization, and sharing.

Power BI Desktop

• Free application for creating reports.
• Connects to multiple data sources.
• Offers powerful data transformation capabilities.
• The primary tool for building dashboards and visualizations.

Power BI Service (Online)

• A cloud-based platform where reports can be published and shared.
• Free version: Allows individual use without collaboration.
• Power BI Pro license required for sharing, scheduled refresh, and collaboration.
• Integration with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint for seamless collaboration.

Power BI Mobile Apps

• Available for iOS, Android, and Windows.
• Allows users to access and interact with reports on the go.
• Supports optimized mobile views for better readability.

Key Insight: Power BI’s ecosystem is designed for flexibility—whether you’re building reports on your desktop, sharing insights via the cloud, or accessing data on the go.

Connecting Power BI to Business Central

One of the highlights of the webinar was a step-by-step guide on how to connect Power BI to Business Central and extract meaningful data.

Methods for Connecting Data Sources

Power BI provides three primary ways to connect to Business Central:

Business Central API (Preferred Method)

• Microsoft recommends using standard APIs over legacy Web Services.
• APIs are faster, more secure, and handle large data volumes better.
• Available APIs include financials, vendors, sales, and inventory data.

Web Services

• Can be used when a necessary API is not available.
• Allows customization of specific page views (e.g., Sales Orders, Financial Reports).
• Requires manual setup via Business Central.

Custom Advanced APIs

• Designed for custom Business Central implementations.
• Requires development work but offers full control over exposed data.

Security Considerations:

• Power BI inherits Business Central permissions, ensuring data is accessed securely.
• Users cannot view data unless they have proper permissions in Business Central.

Transforming Data in Power BI

Once connected, Power BI offers robust data transformation tools to clean, filter, and shape data before creating reports.

Key Data Transformation Techniques

• Filtering: Extract specific periods, transaction types, or financial accounts.
• Column Selection: Keep only necessary fields for better report performance.
• Hierarchical Drill-Through: Move from summary data to detailed transactions with a single click.
• Scheduled Refresh: Automate daily or periodic data updates.

Example: Filtering only invoice transactions from a general ledger and structuring them into a dynamic financial report.

Creating Interactive Dashboards

One of Power BI’s strengths is its ability to create highly interactive dashboards that allow users to drill into specific data points and uncover insights.

Key Dashboard Features

• Interactive Filters: Adjust time periods, categories, or regions dynamically.
• Drill-Through Views: Click on a high-level number to see underlying transactions.
• Hierarchical Analysis: Move from yearly to quarterly, monthly, or daily breakdowns.
• Custom Visuals: Expand Power BI’s capabilities with third-party visualizations.

⚠️ Pro Tip: Be cautious with third-party visuals, as some require additional licensing.

Publishing and Sharing Reports

Once a report is created, it can be published to Power BI Service for broader accessibility and collaboration.

Sharing Options

• Microsoft Teams & SharePoint: Embed reports directly into Teams channels or SharePoint pages.
• Workspaces: Organize reports into collaborative shared workspaces.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure reports display correctly on smartphones and tablets.

Automatic Refresh Schedules:

• Power BI Pro allows up to 8 refreshes per day.
• Premium accounts allow up to 48 refreshes per day.

Embedding Power BI Reports in Business Central

The most exciting feature of Business Central V25 is the ability to embed Power BI reports directly into Business Central pages.

How It Works

1. Publish the report to Power BI Service.
2. Select the report within Business Central’s role centre.
3. Embed the report so it appears within the Business Central interface.

This eliminates the need to switch between Power BI and Business Central, allowing users to interact with reports natively inside Business Central.

New Out-of-the-Box Embedded Reports in Business Central V25

With Business Central V25, Microsoft has released 76 pre-built Power BI reports across different business functions.

Available Reports by Function

• Finance (14 reports) – Balance Sheets, Income Statements, Cash Flow.
• Sales (10 reports) – Sales Performance, Top Customers, Revenue Trends.
• Purchasing (10 reports) – Vendor Analysis, Purchase Orders, Costs.
• Inventory & Manufacturing (various) – Stock Levels, Valuation, Demand Planning.

How to Install the New Reports

1. Visit Microsoft AppSource and download the reports.
2. Configure connection settings (Business Central environment & company).
3. Enable reports in Business Central for seamless integration.

Key Benefit: These reports are fully customizable, allowing businesses to extend and modify them to fit their needs.