What is Business Central Data Analysis?

In the 2023 release wave 1 of Business Central, we are introducing a new powerful feature that allows you to analyze data on lists
directly in the Business Central.

Read more about Data Analysis here: release plan entry TBA

How can I use Data Analysis?

Data Analysis is meant for quick fact checking and ad-hoc analysis when you don't want to run a report, if a report for your specific
needs does exist, or if you want to quickly iterate to get a good overview on part of your business.

In the following table, you'll find examples of usage scenarios for each main area in the Business Central application.

Data Built-in
Area Scenario How Data Analysis can help Fields to get you started
Foundation report(s)

Finance See what your Open the Customer Ledger Customer Customer Name, Due Date, Aged
(Accounts customers Entries list and switch on Ledger and Remaining Amount. Accounts
Receivables) owe you, Analyze. Go to the Columns Entries Receivables
maybe broken menu and remove all columns Customer
down into (click the box next to Statement
time intervals the Search field). Turn
for when on Pivot mode (located directly
amounts are above the Search field). Now,
due. drag the Customer Name field
to the Row Groups area and
drag Remaining Amount to
the Values area. Finally, find
the Due Date Month field and
drag it to the Column
Labels area. If you want to
 Data Built-in
Area Scenario How Data Analysis can help Fields to get you started
Foundation report(s)

restrict the analysis to a given

year/quarter, apply a filter in
the Additional Filters menu (to
the right, just below
the Columns menu.) Rename
your analysis tab to "Aged
Accounts by Month" or
something that describes this
analysis for you.

Finance See your Open the General Ledger General G/L Account No., Posting Date, Trial
(Income income over Entries list and switch on Ledger and Amount. Balance by
statement) the income Analyze. Go to the Columns Entries Period
accounts from menu and remove all columns
the chart of (click the box next to
account, the Search field). Turn
maybe broken on Pivot mode (located directly
down into above the Search field). Now,
time intervals drag the G/L Account No. field
for when to the Row Groups area and
amounts were drag Amount to
posted. the Values area. Finally, find
the Posting Date Month field
and drag it to the Column
Labels area. For the income
statement, you need to filter on
the accounts you use for this, in
the Business Central demo
data, these are accounts
 Data Built-in
Area Scenario How Data Analysis can help Fields to get you started
Foundation report(s)

starting with "4", your chart of

account setup might be
different (if you run the Trial
Balance by Period report, you
can easily see which accounts is
used in your setup). Set a filter
on appropriate accounts in
the Additional Filters menu (to
the right, just below
the Columns menu.) Rename
your analysis tab to "Income by
Month" or something that
describes this analysis for you.

Finance See your Open the General Ledger General G/L Account No., Posting Date, Trial
(total assets) assets over Entries list and switch on Ledger and Amount. Balance by
the asset Analyze. Go to the Columns Entries Period
accounts from menu and remove all columns
the chart of (click the box next to
account, the Search field). Turn
maybe broken on Pivot mode (located directly
down into above the Search field). Now,
time intervals drag the G/L Account No. field
for when to the Row Groups area and
amounts were drag Amount to
posted. the Values area. Finally, find
the Posting Date Month field
and drag it to the Column
Labels area. For the assets
 Data Built-in
Area Scenario How Data Analysis can help Fields to get you started
Foundation report(s)

statement, you need to filter on

the accounts you use for this, in
the Business Central demo
data, these are accounts
starting with "10", your chart of
account setup might be
different (if you run the Trial
Balance by Period report, you
can easily see which accounts is
used in your setup). Set a filter
on appropriate accounts in
the Additional Filters menu (to
the right, just below
the Columns menu.) Rename
your analysis tab to "Income by
Month" or something that
describes this analysis for you.

Sales Get an Open the Customer Ledger Customer Customer Name, Document Customer -

overview of Entries list and switch on Ledger No., Sales, and Remaining Top 10 list
the customers Analyze. Go to the Columns Entries Amount.
that purchase menu and remove all columns
the most or (click the box next to
that owe the the Search field). Now, drag
most. the Customer Name field to
the Row Groups area and then
the Document No. field below
it. Then drag the
fields Sales and Remaining
 Data Built-in
Area Scenario How Data Analysis can help Fields to get you started
Foundation report(s)

Amount to the Values area.

Open the Sales Orders list and

switch on Analyze. Go to the
Analyse your Columns menu and remove all
expected sales columns (click the box next to
volume. the Search field). Turn
on Pivot mode (located directly
See order above the Search field). Now,
Sell-to Customer Name, Sell-
details with drag the fields Sell-to Customer
to Customer Customer -
the sales Name, Sell-to Customer No.,
Sales Sales Orders No., No. , Amount, Document Order
amount for and No. fields to the Row
Date Year and Document Summary
orders not yet Groups area (in that order).
Date Month.
shipped Then drag the field Amount to
broken down the Values area. Finally, find
to customer the Document Date
and Year and Document Date
year/month. Month fields and drag them to
the Column Labels area (in that
order).

Finance See what you Open the Vendor Ledger Vendor Vendor Name, _Document Vendor -
(Accounts owe your Entries list and switch on Ledger Type, Document Balance to
Payable) vendors, Analyze. Go to the Columns Entries No., Remaining Amount, Due Date
maybe broken menu and remove all columns Date Year and Due Date
Purchasing down into (click the box next to Month. Vendor -
time intervals the Search field). Turn Top 10 list
for when on Pivot mode (located directly
amounts are above the Search field). Now,
 Data Built-in
Area Scenario How Data Analysis can help Fields to get you started
Foundation report(s)

drag the fields Vendor Name,

_Document Type,
and Document No. fields to
the Row Groups area (in that
order). Then drag the
due. field Remaining Amount to
the Values area. Finally, find
the Due Date Year and Due
Date Month fields and drag
them to the Column Labels area
(in that order).