Data platformsProof of concept
Business Central to Microsoft Fabric with Open Mirroring
A proof of concept that replaced CSV extracts from a legacy Power BI sync tool with incremental mirroring of Dynamics 365 Business Central data into Microsoft Fabric, feeding silver and gold layers, a semantic model and Power BI reports.
Before
- A legacy Power BI sync tool extracting Business Central data
- CSV files in OneDrive as the hand-off to reporting
- No typed, governed data layer
- Each report reshaping the same files
After
- Business Central tables mirrored into Microsoft Fabric
- Only changed records sent, on a schedule
- Silver and gold layers in Fabric
- One semantic model behind the Power BI reports
01 · The challenge
Where they started
The client runs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Their Power BI reports were fed by a legacy sync tool that extracted Business Central data into CSV files stored in OneDrive.
Legacy extract tooling
Data left Business Central through an ageing sync tool: one more component to maintain outside the data platform.
Files as the hand-off
Extracts landed as CSV files in OneDrive, so every report depended on files arriving complete and on time.
No governed layer
CSV files carry no data types or relationships, so the same shaping was repeated report by report.
Hard to grow
Adding a table meant changing the extract and everything downstream that read its files.
02 · The solution
What we built
DATA LEAGUE proved a modern, file-free path from Business Central to Power BI, using Microsoft Fabric Open Mirroring and the open-source bc2adls extension.
How it fits together
- Business Centralbc2adls extension
- Mirrored databaseFabric Open Mirroring
- Silver and goldCleansed, then business-ready
- Semantic modelPower BI
- ReportsPower BI
Open Mirroring with bc2adls
The open-source bc2adls extension sends Business Central changes to the mirrored database's landing zone, and Fabric applies them automatically.
Only what reporting needs
Tables and fields are chosen in Business Central, and exports run on a schedule from the Business Central job queue, sending only changed records.
Silver and gold layers
Mirrored tables are cleansed and conformed in silver, then shaped into business-ready gold tables.
Semantic model and reports
A Power BI semantic model over the gold layer gives the reports one trusted set of measures, in place of CSV files.
03 · Delivery
How we delivered it
- 1
Assess
Reviewed the sync tool, the CSV files it produced and the reports that depended on them.
- 2
Set up mirroring
Created the Fabric mirrored database and a secure app registration, then installed and configured bc2adls in Business Central.
- 3
Build the layers
Shaped the mirrored data through silver and gold, ready for analysis.
- 4
Prove it in Power BI
Built the semantic model and reports on gold to prove the path end to end.
04 · Results
What the proof of concept showed
A proven way off CSV files
Business Central data reaches Power BI through Fabric, with no files in between.
Changes only
Incremental exports move only what changed, rather than repeated full extracts.
Less to maintain
Fabric applies the changes itself, so there is no consolidation code to build or run.
Ready to scale
More tables are added from the Business Central setup page, with no new pipelines to build.
05 · Technology
Built with
- Dynamics 365 Business Central
- bc2adls (open source)
- Fabric Open Mirroring
- Medallion architecture
- Power BI
With thanks to the open-source bc2adls project and its contributors.
Related services
More case studies
Running Business Central?
Tell us how you report on it today. A consultant will read it, do a little homework and come back with practical next steps.