What Is Jet Analytics, and Do You Actually Need It?

Jet Analytics is a data platform for Dynamics that takes your Business Central data, models it and delivers it to a data store, so that Excel and Power BI can report from it quickly. Whether you need it depends on your reporting speed, history and consolidation needs.

This guide explains what it does, how it differs from Jet Reports, the real benefits and downsides, and how to decide honestly.

What Jet Analytics actually is

Jet Reports works against your Business Central data directly. The vendor describes Jet Reports as a way to connect live to your Dynamics ERP and build refreshable reports in Excel. For many reports, that is all you need.

Jet Analytics changes the model. The vendor describes Jet Analytics as cloud-native integration for Microsoft Dynamics that ingests, models and delivers clean ERP data across Fabric, Snowflake and Azure, with native connectors to Power BI, Excel and other BI tools. It says it ships with pre-built data models, called cubes, that already understand Dynamics financial data.

In practice you get three layers:

• A data store that loads data from Business Central on a schedule
• A cube layer with friendly measures and dimensions, so report builders do not wrestle with raw tables
• A reporting surface for Excel and Power BI that reads from that store instead of the live system

A separate edition, Jet Analytics Classic, is described as a SQL-based data warehouse for on-premises and air-gapped environments.

Key PointJet Reports is how you build reports. Jet Analytics is where the data comes from. You can have Jet Reports without Jet Analytics.

How it differs from Jet Reports

This is the distinction that trips people up.

Jet Reports is the Excel-based report writer. It pulls Business Central data into spreadsheets. If your reports refresh quickly enough, it may be all you need. Our complete guide to Jet Reports covers it in detail.

Jet Analytics is the data infrastructure underneath. It does not replace Jet Reports; it can feed it, and Power BI, from one prepared source.

The real benefits

• Faster complex reporting. Packs that are slow against live data can run faster against a model where the work of joining and summarising is already done.
• History. A warehouse can keep history on a consistent basis, so year-on-year comparisons are easier.
• Several companies or sources. A warehouse is a natural place to bring several companies, or other systems, together with consistent dimensions.
• Power BI without loading the live system. Power BI can read from the warehouse instead of querying Business Central directly.

The honest downsides

• Cost. Ask for pricing, and budget for hosting and setup as well as the licence.
• Setup and expertise. Someone has to design the warehouse, configure the sources, build the models and schedule the loads. This is a project, not an afternoon.
• Another moving part. A scheduled load can fail, so the data can be stale. That needs monitoring.
• Latency by design. A warehouse is only as current as its last load. For live operational numbers, that can be a drawback.

Watch OutAn unmaintained warehouse is worse than none. Do not buy one unless someone on the team can own it day to day.

You probably need it if

• Your month-end or board reporting is slow against live data
• You run several companies and consolidation in Excel is painful
• You need years of consistent history
• You want to combine Business Central with other systems in one reporting model
• You are rolling Power BI out widely and do not want everyone querying the live system

You probably do not need it if

• You have one company and fairly standard financial reports
• Your Jet Reports already refresh quickly enough
• You only need current numbers, not deep history
• You have no appetite for the extra cost and administration

There is no shame in the second list. If it describes you, Jet Reports alone may be all you need.

How it compares to Power BI on its own

Power BI can connect to Business Central directly. Microsoft's guide to building Power BI reports on Business Central data explains how.

Connecting directly works well for smaller models and current data. A warehouse helps when the model gets large, when you need history, or when finance in Excel and the wider business in Power BI should read the same numbers. Our guide to Power BI for Business Central covers when it fits.

Pro TipBefore you buy, time your slowest month-end report against live data. If it is quick enough, you probably do not need a warehouse yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Jet Reports and Jet Analytics?

Jet Reports is the Excel-based report writer. Jet Analytics is the data layer underneath: it ingests and models your Dynamics data and delivers it to a data store such as Fabric, Snowflake or Azure, for faster, historical, multi-source reporting.

Does Jet Analytics work with Power BI?

Yes. The vendor says it delivers data to Power BI and Excel, so both can read the same numbers.

Do I need Jet Analytics for month-end reporting?

Not necessarily. If your month-end reports already refresh quickly against live data, a warehouse may add cost without solving a problem. Our reporting checklist for Business Central helps you see where the real problem is.

Talk it through before you buy

If you would like a straight assessment of whether it fits your setup, contact our team. For independent guidance on finance technology, see the ICAEW technology resources.