An all-in-one business management solution, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central helps manage financials, project budgeting/scheduling, supply chain automation and customer service. Microsoft Power BI complements Dynamics 365 with the ability to visualize data through real-time dashboards supports more thorough analytics and informed decision making. Power BI helps visualize and analyze data across a business.

The cloud-based BI solution integrates with Business Central via intuitive apps to retrieve data, build dashboards and deliver reports. Dynamics 365 Business Central now offers several Power BI apps for its cloud and on-premises solutions. These include CRM, finance and sales.

Business Central dashboards are conveniently available in Power BI by selecting any visual on a dashboard. Once an underlying report is chosen, it can be filtered or have fields added to it. A customized view can be added to the dashboard, so users can continue tracking the selected metrics. Drilling into a report enables users to refresh data manually or automatically by setting up a refresh schedule.

Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials

Starting at $70 per user/month, this cloud solution is based on the user-friendly Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). It is customizable and includes:

  • Financial Management: Users can work with general ledgers, budgets, cash flows and payments along with many other finance-related functions.
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Business Central helps manage and support sales operations; the information available helps improve customer interactions.
  • Project Management: Configure jobs and schedule resources while leveraging information needed to manage budgets and track the progress of any project.
  • Supply Chain Management: Gain the visibility and control needed to optimize inventory and reduce shortages while maximizing profitability through automation.
  • Human Resources Management: Business Central lets users manage payroll and expenses, track time and absences and complete many other HR tasks.
  • Warehouse Management: Track goods from receipt through shipping with a solution that helps organize/maintain inventory and manage workflow and other internal warehouse activities.

Dynamics 365 Business Central Premium

Available from $100 per user/month, Business Central Premium offers all the basic features of Essentials, but adds integrated, customizable capabilities for:

  • Service Management: Includes tools for managing and tracking customer service including scheduling calls, setting up service orders and tracking supplies and the status of repairs.
  • Manufacturing: A range of functionality is available, from executing production orders to tracking finished production costs to managing subcontract manufacturing and post production.

Learn more in Dynamics 365 Business Central: Premium Vs. Essentials.

A Complete Overview with Power BI

With Power BI, Dynamics 365 Business Central users can access data, create reports and view dashboards using mobile applications. The tool helps visualize data from across a business to help managers make key decisions and develop strategies. Data from multiple departments can be combined for an integrated view. In addition, Power BI connects with Excel and Power View.

When combined with Dynamics 365, the BI solution delivers new insights via interactive data visualizations. The combination presents company data and critical statistics in real time, while reports can be published on Power BI. This provides availability across mobile devices to increase visibility and collaboration.

We have worked with many companies on the implementation of Dynamics 365 Business Central working in concert with Power BI as well. If you’re interested in learning how this simple, but data-rich management platform can help your business, let’s talk.

Additional Business Central Resources

Comparing QuickBooks to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Improving Field Service Operations with Dynamics 365 Business Central

Improving Your Business with Dynamics 365 Business Central