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In this blog, we'll cover some of the key areas outlining Why Power BI is best for Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM…
Do you find it a struggle to know exactly what you need to be doing with the ever-growing volumes of data and information across your ERP and CRM business systems and processes?
Your data is one of your most valuable assets and if you are not reaping the real benefits of this data – then you are missing the bigger picture! Unless you are getting access to the data that really matters and knowing what to do with it, then you are missing out on lost opportunities to help you remain competitive and to enhance your business performance.
To get the most out of your ERP and CRM data, Power BI is the go-to Solution for Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics 365 CRM users. However, Real-time data has the potential to power next-level analytics, but only if that data is clean and accurate. To gain a competitive edge, organizations must ensure that their data is not only plentiful but also reliable and well-integrated across systems. [1] This is where Stacksync enhances the Power BI experience by ensuring consistent, real-time data synchronization across all your business systems. This winning combination enables data driven insights and decision making for all. Power BI presents the data in the form of reports or interactive tables, making the information easy to use, analyse and share across the business.
Data visualisation – There are multiple visualisation options available for your data with Microsoft Power BI – from tables to diagrams and maps to charts and more. High-quality data is accurate, complete, consistent, timely, and accessible. Poor data quality can significantly impact the accuracy and reliability of BI insights. [2] Stacksync ensures your Power BI visualizations are based on consistently synchronized, high-quality data across all connected systems.
Data processing – Power BI will do a deep dive into your data, enabling you to get access to the critical business data and information across your ERP and CRM Systems. The growing reliance on BI to drive decisions makes data quality an indispensable asset. Businesses need data that is: Clean: Free from errors, duplicates, and inaccuracies. Integrated: Unified across systems to provide a single source of truth. Timely: Updated in real-time to reflect the latest information. [1] Stacksync provides the foundation for superior Power BI performance by automatically maintaining data quality and real-time synchronization across your enterprise systems.
Data sharing and Distribution – Power BI enables you to schedule data updates and making it easy to share reports, dashboards and visualisations with all key stakeholders, whether internal or external. Instant alerts about data anomalies and customer issues. Analyses that can be shared in real-time across departments. [3] When combined with Stacksync's real-time data synchronization, your Power BI reports and dashboards reflect the most current information across all business systems.
ETL and data storage – Power BI for ERP offers companies ETL solutions. Extract – extract data from its source, Transform – transform and standardise the data according to the business needs, and Load – load the data to a new location. Once the ETL processes are all completed, the data is then stored in a data warehouse. Power BI was not initially designed to handle real-time data (like most traditional BI tools). Companies utilizing these tools rely on constant data refreshes via a data gateway, which is adequate for some daily reports and dashboards. But as streaming data becomes more popular and 24×7 customer expectations increase, refreshing is not enough. [4] Stacksync addresses these limitations by providing true real-time data synchronization that feeds Power BI with continuously updated information, eliminating the delays inherent in traditional ETL processes.
Multi-source data – Power BI can connect to multiple internal or external data sources such as online services, text files, or other ERP and CRM databases. However, Integrating data from disparate sources such as CRM systems, legacy ERP software, and scattered customer feedback. This can be complex and time-consuming, especially for businesses with limited IT resources. [5] Stacksync simplifies multi-source integration by automatically synchronizing data across all your systems, ensuring Power BI receives consistent, unified data regardless of source complexity.
Full integration with other Microsoft products – Your BI ERP and CRM Solutions can be integrated with existing Microsoft products such as Office 365 and the Microsoft suite. Power BI can be easily linked with the products in the Dynamics 365 series: for example with the ERP system Business Central. Simple integration with Microsoft Teams is also possible. And a link via connectors can also be made with Office 365, SharePoint, Salesforce and more than 100 other applications. [6] Stacksync extends this integration capability by ensuring seamless data flow between all connected Microsoft and third-party applications, maintaining data consistency across your entire technology ecosystem.
With so many powerful BI features, Power BI for ERP & CRM empowers you to get the most out of your data flow – for end-users to Management, from Business and Data Analysts to the IT experts. When enhanced with Stacksync's real-time synchronization capabilities, this power is amplified through guaranteed data consistency and reliability.
A BI ERP and CRM Solution to Consolidate, Analyse, Automate and Manage all your Data:
Power BI enables you to quickly access and visualise all types of real-time data across your business including:
Real-time data is only as useful as its quality. Implement measures to ensure that the data being streamed into Power BI is accurate and up to date. This may involve regular audits of your data sources and setting protocols for data entry. High-quality data will lead to more reliable insights and better decision-making. [7]
With Power BI you promote flexibility, security, efficiency, and collaboration among your team members and provide some real benefits across departments and teams. Stacksync enhances these benefits by ensuring all team members work with the same synchronized, accurate data across all business systems.
Senior Management & Decision-Makers – Busy Decision-makers are caught up in everyday business management issues and where time is of the essence. Management needs to be in control and aware of and respond to daily business issues which may impact on the Business. Increased Agility: Power BI's real-time monitoring allows businesses to adapt to changes quickly. Whether you need to adjust operations, change a strategy, or seize a new opportunity, you'll be equipped with the latest information to act swiftly. [8] Power BI empowers the Management team to easily and quickly access real-time reports and dashboards to meet all their IT and Business needs. Stacksync ensures these reports reflect the most current, consistent data across all operational systems.
Business & Data Analysts – Analysts might often be overwhelmed with data-overload on a daily basis and their key function is to ensure they provide the right data analysis to the right people and at the right time. Efficiency: Clean and consistent data reduces the time and effort needed to prepare data for analysis, allowing analysts to focus on generating insights. Trust: Reliable data helps maintain trust within the business and with customers by ensuring that data is accurately recorded and analyzed. [2] Analysts can leverage Power BI to analyse the raw data and transform it into the Business Insights which really matter and to make this data available to all end users. Stacksync eliminates data preparation time by ensuring analysts always work with clean, synchronized data.
IT Team – IT teams can leverage Power BI to ensure your business data is secure as well manage data access, monitor user activities, and ensure the compliance of all your processes – whether data sourced internally or externally. Allow IT to create a secure, governed environment. Offer management tools for data quality and consistency. Enable data cleansing before information is fed to BI analytics tools. Stacksync complements these IT capabilities by providing automated data quality management and synchronization, reducing the operational burden on IT teams while maintaining enterprise-grade security and compliance.
Qlik recognized as a Leader for 15 consecutive years in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Analytics & Business Intelligence (BI). [9] Microsoft is also recognized as a leader in its field when it comes to Business Intelligence & Analytics Solutions. Learn why Gartner recognized Microsoft as a Leader in the 2022 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms report. [10] Power BI is an easy-to-use BI Tool which enables you to explore and deep dive into the Business data which really matters and provides you with data-driven Insights for informed data-driven decision making.
Power BI is a collection of software services, apps, and connectors that work seamlessly to help you to create, share and consume key data driven business insights effortlessly!
Power BI is a cloud-based business intelligence tool. It consolidates data from multiple data sources into the one central platform. Business intelligence tools typically use the extract, transform, and load (ETL) method to aggregate structured and unstructured data from multiple sources. This data is then transformed and remodeled before being stored in a central location, so applications can easily analyze and query it as one comprehensive data set. [3] It allows you to access and use this data to create meaningful, real-time, and accurate reports and dashboards that tell a visualisation story of how your business is performing. Power BI will consolidate data across multiple data sources and software programs – even if the different data sources are not integrated! However, this consolidation process can be enhanced significantly when underlying data systems are properly synchronized through solutions like Stacksync.
Why Dynamics 365 ERP & CRM and Power BI?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is one of the leading ERP and CRM Solutions in the market providing an end-to-end business suite to cover all business operations from Finance to HR and Sales, Marketing, Services, Manufacturing, Distribution to Operations and much more. As well as the core modules, Dynamics 365 has a range of value-add enhancements such as Dynamics 365 Add-ons and Apps DynamicsShop to meet all business needs and to enhance the ROI of your ERP and CRM technology investments.
With Microsoft's Power BI you get an industry leading BI & Analytics solution. Power BI enables you to drag data from multiple sources and systems and present it in easily understood data formats. Power BI, a leading business analytics tool from Microsoft, offers comprehensive capabilities for transforming raw data into meaningful insights. This paper explores the benefits of leveraging Power BI for enhanced data visualization and business intelligence. [11] Power BI will quickly and easily create and generate reports, dashboards and visualisations and provides you with a 360 view across your entire business. When your underlying data systems are synchronized through Stacksync, Power BI's capabilities are enhanced with guaranteed data consistency and real-time accuracy.
Power BI easily integrates with Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM in a number of ways such as via the Power BI Desktop option or the Power BI Service. The Power BI Desktop route is geared more towards the technical user and where broader business end users often prefer Power BI Service. Power BI Service is an online option, easy to use and navigate and will have you up and running with your business intelligence reporting and analysis in no time. At the heart of this integration is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, a leading ERP system that streamlines operations. Combining Power BI with Business Central unlocks unparalleled data visibility and analytical power. [12]
With the right BI ERP or CRM solution, all your key data is extracted, processed, and inter-connected regardless of the source. Some data sources could be in the form of a PDF, MP3, or JPG file, or other data systems. After it is converted into the form you need, the data is then accessible across multiple devices – desktop, tablet, iPad or mobiles. However, A challenge found in many businesses is the reporting of financials from lagging data. By the time the data has been gathered, it's often days, or even weeks, out of date. That results in a disconnect between decision making and the financial reality of the business. [13] Stacksync addresses this challenge by ensuring real-time data synchronization across all systems, providing Power BI with the most current information for immediate business intelligence and decision-making.
Power BI Desktop – Once installed, Power BI will let you create advanced analytics and personalised, dynamic reports and is enhanced by leveraging AI (artificial intelligence). Microsoft Power BI is a Business Intelligence (BI) tool that enables you to transform your raw data into informative insights seamlessly. With its ability to connect to various data sources, Power BI provides a comprehensive platform for managing real-time data. It allows you to visualize your data in interactive dashboards, which can enhance your understanding of the information being presented. [7]
Power BI Service – Power BI Cloud-based SaaS is used to publish and share previously created visual reports with other teams and Users. It helps businesses visualize their data and turn it into easy-to-understand dashboards and reports. But what makes Power BI stand out is its ability to connect to live data sources and provide real-time insights. Instead of static reports, Power BI allows decision-makers to interact with the data, spotting trends, outliers, and opportunities as they happen. [8]
Power BI Mobile – Power BI is compatible for all devices and is designed to cater for the busy on the go mobile users. Regardless of where you are, you still get access to your data securely and with access to real-time updates. One of the most notable aspects of Power BI is its live data streaming capability. You can connect your dashboards to real-time data sources via REST APIs or Azure services. This means you can stream your data directly into Power BI, allowing you to monitor your business in real time without delays. Whether you're tracking sales performance, customer interactions, or system health, this feature helps you stay on top of critical metrics. [7]
Integrated ERP & CRM Business Intelligence:
Power BI enables businesses to answer questions about the business performance, which gives them a competitive edge in the market-place. Integrating an ERP with Power BI is a game-changer, transforming raw data into actionable insights that drive smarter, data-driven decisions. In today's fast-paced business world, making informed decisions quickly is key to staying competitive. [12] Some of the key drivers why organisations invest in an effective BI tool for their ERP & CRM include:
Organizations that meet these criteria aren't just able to extract actionable insights, they also position themselves to respond faster to market changes, identify emerging opportunities, and mitigate risks effectively. [1] Stacksync ensures your organization meets these criteria by providing the synchronized, high-quality data foundation that makes superior Power BI analytics possible.
Power BI Reports – provides multiple dashboards and data visualisations from a dataset, or Custom Reports can also be created on demand. For example, if you wish to see specific Product Sales Pipeline Performance data, then you can create custom dashboards and data visualisations to view the data for specific Sales Pipeline datasets. Viewing current and historical data in context with business activities gives companies the ability to quickly move from insights to action. Business intelligence enables real time adjustments and long-term strategic changes that eliminate inefficiencies, adapt to market shifts, correct supply problems, and solve customer issues. [3]
Power BI Dashboards – use purpose-built dashboards to highlight specific trends, patterns & Business Insights to enable informed data driven decisions. With Power BI Dashboards you can view multiple visual views from multiple data sources and are designed to provide a 360 view of the wider performance and not just a brief overview of a single data source. Power BI allows you to create customizable dashboards that meet your specific requirements. You can choose which visual elements to include and how to arrange them on your dashboard. This flexibility ensures you receive information in the format that makes the most sense to you and your business needs. Additionally, you can design reports that can be shared across teams, ensuring everyone has access to vital data. [7]
For example, you may wish to view the performance of the full Sales Pipelines status across your full product range and create a dashboard which gives a full picture of the overall business sales pipeline performance. Improved Accuracy: Relying on outdated data can lead to wrong decisions. Real-time data ensures you're always working with the latest information, reducing the risk of errors. [8] Stacksync ensures your Power BI dashboards display the most current, synchronized data across all business systems.
Power BI Visualisations are tools to help you better interpret data insights discovered by Power BI and presented as a visual story. As businesses increasingly adopt digital transformation strategies, Power BI stands out as a vital tool for improving operational efficiency, understanding market trends, and driving business growth. This study highlights the significance of Power BI in supporting organizations to not only interpret complex data but also to stay agile and responsive in an evolving business environment. In conclusion, Power BI's robust data visualization and business intelligence capabilities offer organizations a competitive edge in today's fast-paced, data-centric landscape. [11]
With Power BI Apps – will bring all related Dashboards and Reports together into one central, easily accessible location. This enables the sharing of Dashboards and Reports to all relevant stakeholders and indeed across the business, so everyone has the same 360 view of the data and information which really matters to the business. Collaboration and Transparency: Power BI dashboards can be shared with your team, promoting collaboration. Everyone has access to the same data, making it easier to stay aligned and make informed decisions together. [8]
Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP & CRM Data Sources – Power BI automates, streamlines and provides a unified reporting user experience within your ERP and CRM environment and enhances the ROI of your Dynamics 365 investments. Integrating Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) with your Dynamics 365 ERP and reporting on that data with Microsoft Power BI is more than a technological upgrade; it's a transformation in how your organization accesses and utilizes data. Unified Data Access: This integration ensures that data from disparate sources is accessible in a unified format, providing a comprehensive view of the organization's operations. Operational Agility: When operational data from ERP systems, such as production schedules and inventory levels, is combined with customer-facing data from Dynamics 365 CE, organizations gain agility. This agility enables them to respond quickly to market changes, customer needs, and operational challenges. Informed Decision Making: The combined data offers nuanced insights, aiding leaders in making informed decisions. [14]
Some of the benefits of using Power BI with Dynamics 365 ERP & CRM:
Having Power BI as the Reporting Tool over Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM will transform the way you do business as Power BI enhances your ERP and CRM Solution value-add. However, these benefits are maximized when your underlying data systems are properly synchronized and maintained at the highest quality levels.
With Power BI's powerful features, SMBs can streamline data integration, enforce data governance practices, and derive actionable insights from their consolidated data. [5] However, the foundation of successful Power BI implementation requires synchronized, high-quality data across all systems. Stacksync provides this foundation by ensuring your Dynamics 365 systems maintain consistent, real-time data synchronization with all connected applications.
Spend less time preparing your data and more time visualising to drive business decisions! By using Power BI as the Reporting Tool over Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics 365 CRM will help you to get the most out of your ERP and CRM Solutions. Get deeper Insights into your end-to-end business operations for more informed data driven decision-making enabling you to enhance the business performance and drive productivity and profitability. Ensure Real-Time Accuracy: Keep datasets up-to-date to enable BI systems to generate timely and actionable insights. Given the increasing importance of real-time insights, businesses should prioritize real-time data matching and cleansing tools that can keep up with fast-moving data streams. This proactive approach will ensure that the data powering BI systems is always up-to-date and accurate. [1]
At Stacksync, we aim to ensure you enjoy the many benefits of the ROI in your ERP & BI Technology Investments by providing the data synchronization foundation that makes Power BI truly powerful.
The demand for reliable, clean data is only going to increase as digital transformation continues to redefine industries. To stay ahead, businesses must act now to transform their raw data and build a strong foundation for future BI success. [1] Our real-time data synchronization platform ensures your Power BI implementations have access to consistent, accurate data across all connected systems.
To learn more about how your organization can drive your Business Success with the right Business Intelligence Analytics for ERP & CRM powered by synchronized, high-quality data – Contact Stacksync Now or why not request a Free 30 Minute Consultation with our Dynamics 365 ERP & CRM Data Synchronization Specialists Now – we're here to help ensure your Power BI investments deliver maximum value through reliable, real-time data synchronization.
