How to Customize Reports and Dashboards in Dynamics 365 Business Central

Many companies rely on enterprise resource planning systems like Dynamics 365 Business Central to streamline their core business processes. These systems centralize data from different areas, such as finance, human resources, and supply chain management. If you work in manufacturing, Dynamics 365 reporting tools and dashboards let you see what’s happening in real time in your production cycles. For retailers, it provides insight into available inventory across different locations. 

Importance of Business Central Report and Dashboard Customizations

Creating customized dashboards in Business Central makes key data points and metrics available to managers, executives, and other decision-makers. For a sales manager, a dashboard that displays up-to-date sales stats, customer acquisition rates, and pipeline stages is extremely helpful.

You can also create Business Central reports confirming that your business intelligence is aligned with organizational goals. If your business values customer satisfaction, you’d want reports and dashboards that provide metric information like response times, service resolution rates, and Net Promoter Score (NPS).

One of the benefits of Dynamics 365 reports and dashboards is that they scale and adapt to company growth. This keeps your reporting tools relevant even as your business creates new products, expands into different markets, or reshapes operations. 

How to Leverage Dynamics 365 Reporting Tools 

While Business Central reports come with some excellent out-of-the-box features, many businesses have more specific needs that require customization. To start building a custom report, you have three options, which we’ll explore below.

1. Create From Scratch

Use this option if you wish to design a completely new report. There’s a layout file that provides available report fields to add and arrange as needed.

1. Start by clicking the search icon. Enter Report Layouts and select the related link. You’ll also see other layouts available for different reports.
2. Choose the layout you need for your report and select New.
3. Go to the Add New Layout for a Report dialog box and set the parameters for the following fields:
   1. Report ID: ID assigned to report
   2. Layout Name: Descriptive name for layout
   3. Description: Details about the layout
   4. Format Options: Choose a field that matches the layout, i.e. Word or Excel
4. Choose the Create a blank layout from the report object option, then click OK.

You should now see your new layout in the list with your available report fields and captions to start designing your report. 

2. Import an Existing Report

You can also import the layout from an existing report.

1. Click the search icon and enter Report Layouts to see available options.
2. Select a layout option you want to copy, then select Export Layout to download the report.
3. Open the layout file with the correct application, like Word or Excel.
4. Make your updates, then save the file.
5. Go to the Reports Layout page and select New. From there, you can set the same options as before, i.e., Report ID and Layout Name.
6. Click OK, then upload the layout file for your report into Business Central. 
   

3. Save a Copy of an Existing Report to Edit

Another option you have is to modify a current report layout.

1. Search for the Reports Layout option, then select the layout option you need
2. Click the Export action, then open the file in the appropriate application.
3. Make your updates and then save the file.
4. Go to your Reports Layout page, select an existing layout, then click Replace Layout.
5. Select OK, then open the File Explorer on your device.
6. Locate your file and upload it to Business Central.

How to Leverage Dynamics 365 Business Central Dashboards

Before you start building dashboards, take some time to figure out what information you want to be featured. For example, if you work in Operations, you’ll likely want to see data tied to production timelines, supplier performance, and inventory levels. For advanced visualization, consider integrating Power BI into Business Central to create more interactive dashboards.

From there, you must go to Dynamics 365’s Role Center to set up customized user profiles. You can create one for various organizational levels, like managers and information workers. Navigate to Role Center by going to Settings -> My Settings. From there, you can select roles aligned with different job functions and tie them to customized dashboards. 

1. Create a New Dashboard

You can start creating Dynamics 365 dashboards by selecting the Dashboard view. 
1.    Select New, then choose a layout from the available options
2.    From the Dashboard Canvas, select the items you wish to use to present your data. Options include Charts, Lists, Web resources, and iFrames. 
3.    Drag the component and place it onto your Dashboard Canvas. From there, you can resize the object. 
4.    Modify different dashboard sections by double-clicking the gray panels behind the components. You can also select a panel and then click “Edit Component.”
5.    Once you’re done adding different components, click “Save” to save your dashboard updates. 

2. Create Dashboards from Existing Layouts

You can also use an existing dashboard and then add customizations.

1. Open the dashboard you wish to modify.
2. Select the “Save As” option from the menu instead of New. This will make a copy of the existing dashboard with a custom name.
3. You can make edits as needed to your new copy. 

3. Create a Dashboard Using Power BI

You’ll need to install Power BI Desktop to create Business Central dashboards.

1. Go to Power BI Desktop and click “Get Data from another source.”
2. Select Online Services, then choose Dynamics 365 Business Central.
3. Enter all relevant credentials to connect.
4. Select relevant tables from your Business Central instance from the navigator window.
5. Once you have the necessary data, click “Close & Load” to import it into Power BI.
6. Create your visualizations, including charts, graphs, and tables. Arrange the visualizations on the dashboard layout.
7. Once done, save your dashboard as a Power BI file (.pbix) and publish it to the Power BI Service. 
   

Make the Most of Business Central With IES

Internet eBusiness Solutions (IES) can help you get the most from your Dynamics 365 instance. Learn more about how we can help by contacting one of our representatives.