Duration 3 days – 21 hrs
Overview
This 3-day instructor-led training is designed to equip participants with practical skills to transform Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central data into structured, management-ready dashboards using Power BI.
The program focuses on foundational ERP reporting principles, guided data modeling, and structured dashboard creation. The learning journey is intentionally progressive to ensure participants gain confidence without being overwhelmed by technical complexity.
By the end of the program, participants will have built a functional Executive ERP Dashboard and will understand the core principles required for more advanced ERP analytics.
Objectives
- Understand the structure of Business Central ERP data
- Identify key transaction and master tables used for reporting
- Connect Power BI to Business Central (SaaS environment)
- Perform essential data cleaning using Power Query
- Build a basic ERP data model (fact & dimension structure)
- Create Finance and Sales dashboards
- Develop essential DAX measures (SUM, CALCULATE, YTD)
- Apply dashboard design and data storytelling principles
- Publish reports to Power BI Service
- Understand the concept and application of Row-Level Security
Target Audience
- Business Analysts
- Finance Officers
- Sales & Operations Managers
- ERP End Users
- Reporting & MIS Teams
- Business Decision Makers
Prerequisites
- Basic familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
- Basic Excel knowledge
- No prior Power BI experience required
Course Outline
Day 1 – ERP Foundations & First Dashboard
Theme: Understanding ERP Data with Confidence
Module 1 – Introduction to ERP Data Architecture
- Overview of Business Central modules
• Transactions vs Master Data
• Key reporting tables:
- G/L Entry
- Sales Line
- Customer
- Item
• How ERP data flows into reports
Module 2 – Navigating Business Central for Reporting
- Searching for data
• Viewing ledger entries
• Understanding document structures
• Exporting data (if applicable)
Module 3 – Introduction to Power BI & Data Connection
- Power BI interface overview
• Connecting to Business Central (built-in connector)
• Loading core tables
• Understanding data refresh basics
Module 4 – Building the First Dashboard
- Creating basic visuals
• Total Sales by Customer
• Sales by Month
• Intro to formatting best practices
End-of-Day Output:
Participants build a Sales Summary Dashboard.
Day 2 – Data Modeling & Business Insight Development
Theme: From Raw Data to Structured Reporting
Module 5 – Power Query Fundamentals
- Cleaning ERP data
• Removing unnecessary fields
• Renaming for clarity
• Creating calculated columns
• Merging Sales with Customer & Item tables
Module 6 – Basic Data Modeling
- Fact vs Dimension tables
• Creating relationships
• Introduction to Date table
• Why modeling improves reporting accuracy
Module 7 – Introduction to DAX
- What is a measure?
• SUM()
• CALCULATE()
• Simple YTD calculation
• Creating KPI measures
Module 8 – Finance & Sales Dashboard Build
- Revenue trend
• Top 10 customers
• Monthly growth
• KPI cards
End-of-Day Output:
Participants build a structured Finance & Sales Dashboard.
Day 3 – Executive Reporting & Publishing
Theme: Professionalizing Reports for Management Use
Module 9 – Dashboard Design & Storytelling
- KPI visualization best practices
• Visual hierarchy
• Choosing appropriate chart types
• Presenting insights effectively
Module 10 – Performance Metrics & Variance
- Simple variance analysis
• Growth percentage
• Interpreting performance trends
Module 11 – Introduction to Security & Governance
- Concept of Row-Level Security
• Simple demonstration scenario
• Data sharing best practices
Module 12 – Publishing & Sharing
- Publishing to Power BI Service
• Overview of scheduled refresh
• Sharing dashboards internally
Module 13 – Workshop & Presentation
Participants will:
- Finalize their Executive ERP Dashboard
• Identify key insights
• Present findings
End-of-Training Output:
Participants complete a functional Executive ERP Dashboard.
