Microsoft Power BI

Path: Integrate with other applications > Microsoft Power Platform > Microsoft Power BI · tier official · system reporting · narrative reviewed (checked by Opus)

Overview

This section covers how Business Central works with Power BI. It starts with an introduction and an architecture overview, which explain the connectors, embedded reports, default reports, and the read-only database replica used for online environments. A page on enabling the integration covers licensing and how data is exposed through API pages and OData web services.

For setup and building, one page covers connecting an on-premises deployment: OData web services, access keys, and a Microsoft Entra ID app registration. Another covers building reports in Power BI Desktop with the connector. A further page covers building reports for list pages so they show in the Power BI FactBox.

For everyday use, one page explains the Business Central apps in Power BI for CRM, Finance, and Sales, including installation and troubleshooting. Another covers viewing, refreshing, and sharing reports inside Business Central. Start with the introduction, then go to the enabling page for your deployment type.

Key points

• Data reaches Power BI through API pages and OData web services; Dataflows and Power BI apps are also covered.
• Integration needs a Power BI free or Pro license, as described on the enabling page.
• Online environments use a read-only database replica for Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service reports.
• On-premises setup involves enabling OData web services (ODataV4 endpoint), a web service access key, and registering an application in Microsoft Entra ID.
• The Power BI Desktop connector supports API and OData sources, custom Power Query functions, and cross-company reporting.
• Reports for list pages need proper naming, sizing, and primary key filtering to display in the Power BI FactBox.
• Built-in Power BI apps for CRM, Finance, and Sales need company connection parameters and a data refresh schedule.
• Reports in Business Central can be refreshed manually or on a schedule, and shared.

Learn pages

• Building reports in Power BI Desktop to display Business Central data: Learn how to make your data a Power BI source and build insightful business reports.
• Connect to Power BI from Business Central on-premises| Microsoft Docs: Get insight, business intelligence, and KPIs from your Business Central data on-premises using Power BI.
• Display custom Power BI reports: Use the Power BI FactBox to display interactive Power BI reports and gain deeper insights into data on key list pages.
• Enabling Power BI integration with Business Central: Learn how to set up the connection to Power BI. With Power BI reports, you can get insights, business intelligence, and key performance indicators from your data.
• Introduction to Business Central and Power BI: Get an overview of using Power BI to get insights from your Business Central data.
• Power BI integration component and architecture overview for Business Central| Microsoft Docs: Learn about the different aspects of Power BI integration with Business Central.
• Use the Business Central apps in Power BI: Easily gain insights, business intelligence, and KPIs from your Business Central data using the Business Central apps for Power BI.
• Working with Power BI reports in Business Central: Get insight, business intelligence, and key performance indicators from your Business Central data with Power BI.

Videos and posts

Linked by a Haiku matcher with a grounding quote from the item’s summary (link/topics.ts); machine-generated.

• How to Install and Configure Power BI Monitor for Business Central (community post): “Power BI Monitor extension enables Business Central users to manage Power BI resources directly”

Business Central pages and reports

The pages, reports and queries this hub’s Learn pages name (ms.search.form, API reference), joined to the code by exact object id (data/index/docs-objects.json); a page shows the table it runs on.

• Page 6316 “Sustainability Report Power BI” · captioned “Sustainability Report (Power BI)”
• Page 6317 “To Net Zero Carbon Power BI” · captioned “Journey to Net Zero Carbon (Power BI)”
• Page 36951 “PowerBI Reports Setup” · captioned “Power BI Reports Setup” · on Table 36951 “PowerBI Reports Setup”

Source: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0). Descriptions are Learn’s own.