--- id: video/z7UTBiCNOo8 type: video title: "What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available" summary: "Excel layouts for built-in Business Central reports were added as preview a couple of releases ago and become generally available in 2025 release wave 1. The video demos the Trial Balance Excel report: opening it in Excel, enabling editing, customizing the layout and pivot table, and uploading it back. It also shows the finance analytics documentation, where each report has worksheet descriptions, persona use cases and alternatives." tier: official language: en tags: - excel reports - excel layouts - trial balance - finance analytics - power query - pivot tables - report customization - general availability system: reporting review: state: reviewed by: opus at: "2026-10-07T23:01:52.509Z" flags: [] generated: at: "2026-10-07T23:01:52.552Z" pipeline: 0.2.0 prompts: extract-video: 1 summarize-video: 2 input_hash: 8231fad97b3e489552ca66b58a3f136fd4bd070814f7d055711b68a4ca78f447 evidence: - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=39s title: "Excel Layouts for Built-in Reports: announced" date: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" commit: null t: 39 quote: they are marked here with a preview the new thing for wave 1 is that they will be generally available - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=19s title: "What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available" date: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" commit: null t: 19 quote: to change because they were coded in the al language - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=39s title: "What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available" date: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" commit: null t: 39 quote: a couple of releases ago we added new Excel layouts and they are marked here with a preview the new thing for wave 1 - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=130s title: "What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available" date: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" commit: null t: 130 quote: because this report is using some power query inside Excel it's not communicating to the outside world I need to open for that - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=152s title: "What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available" date: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" commit: null t: 152 quote: as a user I can completely change the look and feel for this um if I don't what I don't like - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=253s title: "What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available" date: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" commit: null t: 253 quote: I can upload this back to business Central make sure I clear my filters - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=343s title: "What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available" date: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" commit: null t: 343 quote: you can also get a description of the worksheets in the report with screenshots so you can kind of get an idea of what - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=384s title: "What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available" date: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" commit: null t: 384 quote: there's a link to the report if you want to try it out so you don't have to go from business Central - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=404s title: "What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available" date: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" commit: null t: 404 quote: links to alternative ways to analyze this data maybe you want to use powerbi maybe you want to use the legac report links: learn: [] objects: [] features: [] topics: [] localizations: [] videos: [] posts: [] guidelines: [] video_id: z7UTBiCNOo8 channel: yt-microsoft source_name: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (YouTube) url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8 published_at: "2025-03-13T13:56:05.000Z" duration_s: 447 captions: full audience: - functional consultant - end user - administrator chapters: - t: 0 title: Introduction to Excel Reports in Business Central - t: 39 title: Excel Layouts Moving to General Availability - t: 60 title: "Demo: Running and Opening Trial Balance Report" - t: 130 title: Customizing Report Layout in Excel - t: 172 title: Filtering and Modifying Report Structure - t: 253 title: Uploading Changes and Finding Documentation - t: 309 title: Exploring Finance Reports in Documentation - t: 384 title: Alternative Analysis Tools and Resources features: - name: Excel Layouts for Built-in Reports status: announced t: 19 verified: true status_source: video - name: Report Customization in Excel status: unclear t: 152 verified: false status_source: video - name: Slicer Controls for Report Filtering status: unclear t: 193 verified: false status_source: video - name: Finance Analytics Documentation status: unclear t: 270 verified: false status_source: video - name: Alternative Analysis Methods Documentation status: unclear t: 404 verified: false status_source: video objects_mentioned: - report Trial Balance Over Previous Year - report Detailed Trial Balance - report Trial Balance in Excel - report Trial Balance Previous Year or Budget Over Balance Over Budget in Excel quotes: - t: 19 text: to change because they were coded in the al language check: fuzzy - t: 39 text: a couple of releases ago we added new Excel layouts and they are marked here with a preview the new thing for wave 1 check: exact - t: 130 text: because this report is using some power query inside Excel it's not communicating to the outside world I need to open for that check: exact - t: 152 text: as a user I can completely change the look and feel for this um if I don't what I don't like check: exact - t: 253 text: I can upload this back to business Central make sure I clear my filters check: exact - t: 343 text: you can also get a description of the worksheets in the report with screenshots so you can kind of get an idea of what check: snapped - t: 384 text: there's a link to the report if you want to try it out so you don't have to go from business Central check: exact - t: 404 text: links to alternative ways to analyze this data maybe you want to use powerbi maybe you want to use the legac report check: exact --- # What's Cooking in Business Central: Excel Reports that Become Generally Available > Excel layouts for built-in Business Central reports were added as preview a couple of releases ago and become generally available in 2025 release wave 1. The video demos the Trial Balance Excel report: opening it in Excel, enabling editing, customizing the layout and pivot table, and uploading it back. It also shows the finance analytics documentation, where each report has worksheet descriptions, persona use cases and alternatives. [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8) · Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (YouTube) · 2025-03-13 · 7:27 · tier official · reviewed (checked by Opus) ## Overview The video explains that built-in reports, previously coded in AL, now have Excel layouts. These were marked as preview in earlier releases and are moving to general availability. The demo runs the Trial Balance report in Excel, where Power Query supplies the data and editing must be enabled. The presenter then shows how a user can change the look of the report. Rows can be removed, tabs hidden, spacing adjusted and pivot table fields modified. Slicers filter by dimensions such as fixed asset categories. The changed layout is uploaded back to Business Central after clearing filters. The video ends with the finance analytics documentation, which covers worksheet descriptions with screenshots, use cases by persona, Copilot tips, and links to Power BI, legacy reports and financial reporting. ## Key points - The Excel reports menu was once limited to built-in reports that were hard for users to change because they were coded in AL. New Excel layouts were added a couple of releases ago and are marked as preview. - Per the presenter, the new Excel layouts become generally available in 2025 release wave 1. - When you open the downloaded report, you need to enable editing in Excel. The report uses Power Query, so you must also allow it to communicate before it renders. - Users can change the look and feel of the Microsoft-provided template: delete rows, reduce white space, hide tabs such as the data tab, filter with slicers, and remove pivot table fields. - The modified report can be uploaded back to Business Central. Clear filters before uploading. - For the generally available version, slicers will likely be moved to the right side. - The short URL 'BC Finance analytics' opens the finance analytics documentation. It lists Excel and classic finance reports, with descriptions, worksheet screenshots, persona use cases, a tip on using raw pivot data with Copilot, direct links to try reports, and alternatives such as Power BI, legacy reports and financial reporting. ## Chapters - [0:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=0s) Introduction to Excel Reports in Business Central - [0:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=39s) Excel Layouts Moving to General Availability - [1:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=60s) Demo: Running and Opening Trial Balance Report - [2:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=130s) Customizing Report Layout in Excel - [2:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=172s) Filtering and Modifying Report Structure - [4:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=253s) Uploading Changes and Finding Documentation - [5:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=309s) Exploring Finance Reports in Documentation - [6:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=384s) Alternative Analysis Tools and Resources ## Features | Feature | Status | At | Evidence | |---|---|---|---| | Excel Layouts for Built-in Reports | announced, demoed | [0:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=19s) | "they are marked here with a preview the new thing for wave 1 is that they will be generally available" ([0:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=39s)) | | Report Customization in Excel | status not stated, demoed | [2:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=152s) | | | Slicer Controls for Report Filtering | status not stated, demoed | [3:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=193s) | | | Finance Analytics Documentation | status not stated, demoed | [4:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=270s) | | | Alternative Analysis Methods Documentation | status not stated | [6:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=404s) | | ## AL objects mentioned As heard in the captions. A name that matches one object page by exact type and name links to it; the others stay as named. - report "Trial Balance Over Previous Year" at [1:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=60s) - report "Detailed Trial Balance" at [5:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=323s) - report "Trial Balance in Excel" at [5:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=323s) - report "Trial Balance Previous Year or Budget Over Balance Over Budget in Excel" at [5:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=343s) Not found in BC28-30: report "Trial Balance Over Previous Year", report "Detailed Trial Balance", report "Trial Balance in Excel", report "Trial Balance Previous Year or Budget Over Balance Over Budget in Excel". ## Quotes - [0:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=19s) "to change because they were coded in the al language" - [0:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=39s) "a couple of releases ago we added new Excel layouts and they are marked here with a preview the new thing for wave 1" - [2:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=130s) "because this report is using some power query inside Excel it's not communicating to the outside world I need to open for that" - [2:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=152s) "as a user I can completely change the look and feel for this um if I don't what I don't like" - [4:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=253s) "I can upload this back to business Central make sure I clear my filters" - [5:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=343s) "you can also get a description of the worksheets in the report with screenshots so you can kind of get an idea of what" - [6:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=384s) "there's a link to the report if you want to try it out so you don't have to go from business Central" - [6:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=404s) "links to alternative ways to analyze this data maybe you want to use powerbi maybe you want to use the legac report" ## Disclaimers in the video - [0:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=39s) preview: they are marked here with a preview - [3:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UTBiCNOo8&t=193s) subject-to-change: for the generally available version we'll likely put these slices to the right Presenters (as heard): Kim Teld.