What do the different tools do?
Business Central’s own reporting
Business Central has built-in reports, printouts and analysis options (e.g. account charts, budgets, dimensions and Excel integration).
Strengths: Fast to standard reports, closely linked to daily processes.
Limitation: Limited flexibility and difficult to combine data from multiple sources.
Jet Reports
Jet Reports is suitable for users who want to extract data directly into Excel.
Strengths: Quick access to data, easy to use for finance departments, ideal for operational reports.
Limitation: Works primarily with Business Central data, not an actual data warehouse.
Jet Analytics
Jet Analytics builds on top of Jet Reports and provides a data warehouse with ready-made data models.
Strengths: Good for companies that want a structured data foundation without building everything themselves. Scalable to the entire organization.
Limitation: More focused on BC data; limited if you want to connect many external sources.
Power BI
Power BI is the visualization tool that can present data beautifully and interactively.
Strength: Make data accessible to the entire organization with dashboards and graphs.
Limitation: Power BI is only as strong as the data it’s built on. For complex data sets, an underlying platform is required – this is where Fabric comes in.
Microsoft Fabric
Fabric takes it one step further.
Strengths: Unifies all data sources in one platform (OneLake), can handle huge amounts of data and serves as the foundation for Power BI, AI and advanced analytics.
Limitation: More complex implementation; typically a solution for companies with greater needs than “just” BC reporting.
Read more about how we work with Business Intelligence?
How do you choose the right one?
The choice depends on your needs:
- Do you primarily need to pull BC data into Excel?
– Start with Jet Reports. - Do you want a ready-made data warehouse with standard models for BC?
– Jet Analytics can be the fast track. - Do you want to visualize and share reports widely in the organization?
– Power BI is obvious – possibly with Jet or BC as a data source. - Do you want to aggregate data from many systems, build long-term data models and leverage AI – or do you have large or complex amounts of data from Business Central alone?
– Fabric is the future-proof solution – capable of handling complex and large amounts of data.
Many companies start small with Business Central’s own reports or Jet Reports – gradually moving towards Power BI and eventually Fabric as data needs grow.
By incorporating BI from the start of a Business Central implementation project, Business Central becomes not just an operating system, but a management tool – where data can be actively used from day one to optimize production, finances and the entire business. By incorporating BI from the start, you also future-proof your solution and avoid costly adjustments and duplication later on.
Your choice depends on your future plans
Business Central gives you a range of reporting options out of the box. Jet Reports and Jet Analytics extend these capabilities, especially for the finance department, and Power BI brings data to life and makes it accessible across the organization.
But if you want to ensure that your data isn’t confined to one system, but instead used as a strategic asset across your entire business – now and in the future – Microsoft Fabric is the solution that ties it all together.
Frequently Asked Questions about reporting tools for Business Central
When companies work with reporting and Business Intelligence in Business Central, a number of questions typically arise: Which tool best fits our needs? Where should we start? And how do we ensure the solution supports both current requirements and future ambitions?
Below, we have gathered answers to some of the questions we most often discuss with customers at Vektus.
1. What reporting capabilities does Business Central offer out of the box?
Business Central includes built-in reports, account schedules, budgets, analytical views, and close integration with Excel. This makes it easy to get started with standard reporting that supports daily operations. However, flexibility is limited when more advanced analysis or data from multiple systems is required.
2. When does Jet Reports create the most value?
Jet Reports is ideal for companies that primarily work in Excel and want easy access to Business Central data. It is especially popular within finance departments for operational and management reporting. The solution is quick to implement but focuses mainly on Business Central data and does not function as a full data warehouse.
3. What is the difference between Jet Reports and Jet Analytics?
Jet Analytics builds on Jet Reports by adding a structured data warehouse with predefined data models. This provides a stronger foundation for analysis and reporting across the organization. It is well suited for companies that want scalability and structure, while still keeping Business Central as the primary data source.
4. When should Power BI be used with Business Central?
Power BI is the obvious choice when data needs to be visualized and shared broadly through dashboards and interactive reports. It makes insights accessible to both management and employees. Power BI depends on a solid data foundation, and for more complex requirements it is often combined with an underlying data platform.
5. What is Microsoft Fabric, and when is it relevant?
Microsoft Fabric is a unified data platform designed to handle large and complex data volumes from Business Central and other systems. It serves as the foundation for Power BI, AI, and advanced analytics. Fabric is typically relevant for companies with long-term BI ambitions, multiple data sources, or a strategic approach to data.
6. How does Vektus help choose the right BI solution?
At Vektus, we start with your business and future plans. We help assess your current needs, data maturity, and ambitions to ensure you choose a solution that delivers value today and can scale over time. This way, Business Central becomes not just an operational system, but a true management and decision-support tool.
How to get started with Business Intelligence
If you’re getting started with Business Intelligence, ask our experts.
They know how to get started and what you need to consider.
Why Vektus
How we work
We work to make your investment in Business Central a success both now and in the long run.
