As we near the end of our 10-day journey exploring the functionalities of Business Central, Day 8 brings us to an exciting and practical topic: Financial Reports Printing and Exporting to Excel. On this post we'll dive into how to effectively use these features with one of my favorite demo companies, a doggy daycare and grooming service. This example not only adds a fun twist but also makes the process relatable and easier to grasp.
Key Dimensions to Track
For our demo company, here are some key dimensions that we track:
Breed Size: Default values are assigned to customers based on the size of their dogs.
Service Type: Default values are assigned to items based on the type of service (e.g., grooming, daycare).
Grooming Type: A required value for grooming-related items, which helps in categorizing the services.
Groomer: The specific groomer assigned to each grooming session, adding another layer of detail to the reports.
Creating Unique Financial Reports
One of the most exciting aspects of using these dimensions is the ability to create financial reports that go beyond the typical Balance Sheet or Income Statement. With Business Central, you can generate reports that provide insights tailored to the specific needs of your business. For example, you can create a report that shows revenue by Breed Size or a detailed analysis of grooming services by Groomer.
Printing and Exporting Financial Reports to Excel
When it comes to financial reporting in Business Central, you have two main options to get your data into Excel: Print to Excel and Export to Excel. While these options might sound similar, they yield different results and can be used for different purposes.
Print to Excel
The Print to Excel option is typically used when you want to create a formatted, print-ready version of your financial report. This option retains the layout and formatting of the report as it appears in Business Central, making it ideal for presentations and official documentation. It’s a great way to share visually appealing reports with stakeholders who prefer a polished look. Keep in mind you can take advantage of the Excel Report Layouts Functionality ere to really jazz up these reports. Check out my blog for Day 3 for more information.
Export to Excel
On the other hand, the Export to Excel option provides a raw data export, which is incredibly useful for further analysis.
The Create New Document option strips away the formatting, giving you a clean slate to work with in Excel. You can then use Excel's powerful data manipulation and analysis tools to dig deeper into the numbers, create custom charts, and apply various filters and pivot tables.
You also have the ability to update the file that was previously created and manipulated. When you select Update Copy of Existing Document. It will ask you to upload the file and then will generate a new version of your file for you to download.
We will see you for Day 9 of 10 of Utilizing Excel with Business Central soon!
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