June 13 2025

The Complete Guide to Business Central Reporting

Getting Started with Microsoft Dynamics 365

Modern businesses rely heavily on accurate and timely reporting to make informed decisions and maintain compliance. From tracking financial health to monitoring operational performance, having the right tools in place is critical. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is one such tool—equipped with a powerful suite of built-in and customizable reporting features designed to deliver real-time insights. This guide explores how Business Central reports work, what types are available, and how organizations can get the most out of their Business Central financial reporting capabilities.

How Reporting Works in Business Central

Dynamics 365 Business Central enables companies to consolidate data across finance, operations, inventory, and more. It simplifies report creation while integrating with familiar tools like Excel and Power BI for enhanced visualization.

Key Reporting Areas in Business Central

1. Financial Analysis With built-in financial reports such as the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, Business Central supports in-depth financial review. Organizations can also use Dimensions to analyze data at multiple levels, supporting more granular insights across departments or cost centers. Plus, budgeting is streamlined with Excel integration and support for multiple budget versions.

2. Operational Insights Business Central enables consistent reporting across departments like sales, purchasing, inventory, and warehousing. When paired with Power BI, users can create dashboards that track KPIs such as delivery performance, customer satisfaction, and stock turnover.

3. Compliance and Auditing With features like audit trails and change logs, Business Central ensures traceability for regulatory compliance. Field-level auditing and detailed General Ledger (GL) reports help organizations stay compliant and transparent.

4. Strategic Decision-Making Whether it’s launching a new product or reallocating resources, decision-makers can rely on accurate and timely reports generated by Business Central to guide high-stakes choices.

Types of Business Central Reports

Not every business has the same reporting needs. Fortunately, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a flexible approach with both standard and custom reporting capabilities.

Standard Reports

Ideal for companies needing fast, out-of-the-box insights, standard reports include:

  • Aged Accounts Receivable & Payable: Analyze overdue invoices and assess credit risks.
  • Trial Balance: Ensure your debits and credits align as part of financial close processes.
  • Customer & Vendor Reports: Review transaction histories and gain insight into buying or selling patterns.
  • Inventory Valuation: Track stock levels and inform purchasing decisions with year-end reconciliation support.
  • Sales & Purchase Reports: Monitor performance by customer, vendor, product, or location.
  • Cash Flow Forecasts: Understand your liquidity position now and in the future.

    • These reports form the foundation of everyday Business Central financial reporting, saving time and improving data reliability.

Custom Reports

For businesses with unique requirements, Business Central custom reports can be built using AL code, RDLC, or Word layouts. Custom reports allow companies to tailor the output to meet operational or branding needs. Examples include:

  • Department-Specific Dashboards: Highlight key data like regional growth, top-selling products, or sales trends.
  • Project Cost Reports: View job ledger entries, timesheets, and active purchase orders in one place.
  • Branded Shipping Documents: Customize layouts, fonts, and formats to meet customer or partner requirements.

Jet Reports in Business Central

Jet Reports offers an Excel-based alternative for users who prefer working within spreadsheets while leveraging data from Business Central. This integration helps bridge the gap between Excel familiarity and the robust data management features of Business Central.

Benefits of Using Jet Reports with Business Central

  • Generate financial statements such as income, balance sheet, and cash flow reports.
  • Track departmental KPIs with live data.
  • Monitor inventory levels, sales performance, and more—all within Excel.

To get started, install the Jet Reports add-in, connect it to Business Central via the Jet Admin Console, and start building reports using functions like GL() and NP().

Best Practices for Business Central Financial Reporting

Creating effective Business Central reports starts with a clear understanding of their purpose. Ask:

  • Who is the report for?
  • What decisions will it inform?
  • How often should it be run?

Other tips include:

  • Use Dimensions Strategically: Avoid overcomplicating your structure. Keep your dimension tagging aligned with business goals.
  • Start With Standard Reports: Built-in options often cover 80–90% of business needs
  • Customize Only When Necessary: Turn to custom reports when your business faces a unique scenario not covered by default templates.

FAQs:

What are reports in Business Central?

Reports in Business Central provide real-time data insights on finance, inventory, sales, and more. They help users make informed business decisions using customizable templates and visual dashboards.

Is Microsoft Dynamics the same as Business Central?

Business Central is part of Microsoft Dynamics 365, specifically designed for small to medium-sized businesses as an all-in-one ERP solution.

Which two types of reports can be created for Microsoft Dynamics CRM?

You can create FetchXML-based reports and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports in Microsoft Dynamics CRM for data visualization and analytics.

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