Configure Business Central content packs in Power BI
Getting insights into your Business Central data is easy with Power BI and the Business Central content packs. Power BI retrieves your data and then builds an out-of-the-box dashboard and reports based on that data.
You must have a valid accounts for both Business Central and Power BI. To use a Power BI content pack, you must have permissions to the underlying tables.
Power BI content packs for Business Central
The Power BI content packs for Business Central are designed to use Azure Active Directory as the authentication mechanism. If you use Business Central on-premises and use a different authentication mechanism, then Power BI cannot connect to your data.
Microsoft has published several content packs, including:
Dynamics 365 Business Central - CRM
Dynamics 365 Business Central - Customer List
Dynamics 365 Business Central - Finance
Dynamics 365 Business Central - Items List
Dynamics 365 Business Central - Jobs
Dynamics 365 Business Central - Jobs List
Dynamics 365 Business Central - Purchase Invoices
Dynamics 365 Business Central - Sales
Dynamics 365 Business Central - Sales Order List
Dynamics 365 Business Central - Vendors List
Each content pack provides reports that you can drill into:
Choose any visual on the dashboard to bring up one of the underlying reports.
Filter the report or add fields that you want to monitor.
Pin this customized view to the dashboard to continue tracking.
You can refresh data manually, and you can set up a refresh schedule.
The content packs are preconfigured to work with data from the demonstration company that you get when you sign up for Business Central. When you install the apps in Power BI, and you connect to your own data, some reports may not work because they rely on data that your company does not have. In those cases, you can simply remove that report from your dashboard.
You can also build your own reports and dashboards in Power BI based on your Business Central data.
Connect to a content pack
To connect to a content pack, follow these steps:
Go to Power BI and login to your Power BI workspace. If you don't have an account yet, you can register for one.
Select Get Data at the bottom of the left navigation pane.
You may also get starting from within Business Central. From the role center, navigate to Report Selection in the Power BI Role Center part.
Select either Services or My Organization from the ribbon.
When either of these actions are selected, you will be taken to either the Organization gallery in Power BI or to the services library in Power BI, which will also be filtered to only display content packs related to Business Central.
In the Services box, select Get.
This will open a page with the AppSource and Apps for Power BI apps.
Select Apps from the Apps for Power BI apps tab, enter Business Central in the search box.
Choose the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central content pack that you want to use, and then select GET IT NOW.
When prompted, enter the name of your company, this is not the display name. The company name can be found on the Companies page within your Business Central instance.
A common mistake is to enter the company display name instead of the company name. To find the company name search for Companies. Then use the Name field when entering your company name.
If you enter a non-valid company name during the connection process, you may get the error message "The key didn't match any rows in the table". Provide the correct company name and try connecting again.
Once connected, a dashboard, report and data set will automatically be loaded into your Power BI workspace. When completed, the tiles will update with data from your Business Central company. You can find the app in the Apps section.
Import Business Central data into Power BI content packs
To import your Business Central data into Power BI, you need to have permissions to the web services used to retrieve data.
An easy way to find the web services is to search for web services in Business Central. In the list make sure the Publish box is marked for any web services that you require.
The web services required for each content pack include:
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - CRM
Sales Opportunities
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Finance
PowerBIFinance
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Jobs
Job List
Job Planning Lines
Job Task Lines
Power BI Report Labels
Excel Template View Company
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Sales
Sales Dashboard
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
List Page Reports
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Customer List
Item Sales by Customer
Power BI Item Purchase List
Power BI Item Sales List
Sales Dashboard
Power BI Customer List
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - General Ledger Entries List
Power BI GL Amount List
Power BI GL Budgeted Amount
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Items List
Item Sales by Customer
Power BI Item Purchase List
Power BI Item Sales List
Sales Dashboard
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Jobs List
Power BI Jobs List
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Purchase Invoices
Power BI Purchase List
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Sales Order List
Power BI Sales List
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Vendors List
Power BI Item Purchase List
Power BI Item Sales List
Power BI Vendor List
Excel Template View Company
Power BI Report Labels
Need help? See our troubleshooting guide or provide specific feedback by reporting an issue.