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Reporting and Analysis

Extract insights from your asset data using Business Central's powerful filtering, searching, and Excel export capabilities.

[Screenshot Placeholder: Asset List with filters applied]

Understanding Asset Reporting​

What is Asset Reporting?​

Asset Reporting = Extracting meaningful information from asset data

Methods:

  • Filtering - Show subset of data matching criteria

  • Searching - Find specific assets

  • Exporting - Send data to Excel for analysis

  • List Views - Built-in BC list pages

  • Edit in Excel - Real-time Excel editing

Purpose: Answer business questions with data

Core Reporting Tools​

1. Asset List Page​

Main Tool: Asset List is your reporting home base

Access:

  • Press Alt+Q, enter "Assets", choose "Asset List"

  • From Role Center: Navigate → Assets → Asset List

Shows:

  • All assets (or filtered subset)

  • Key fields: No., Description, Industry, Current Holder, Status

  • Customizable columns

  • Sortable by any column

[Screenshot Placeholder: Asset List page]

2. Filtering​

What: Show only assets matching criteria

How: Click filter pane, add filters

Examples:

  • Industry = FLEET

  • Current Holder Type = Location

  • Blocked = No (active assets only)

  • Acquisition Cost > 10000

Power: Combine multiple filters for precise results

3. Searching​

What: Find specific text in asset data

How: Use search box (Ctrl+F3)

Searches: Asset No., Description, Serial No.

Example: Type "server" to find all assets with "server" in description

4. Excel Export​

What: Send filtered data to Excel

Methods:

  • Export to Excel - One-time export (static data)

  • Edit in Excel - Live connection (editable)

  • Open in Excel - Pre-formatted workbook

Use: Advanced analysis, pivot tables, charts, custom formatting

Filtering Assets​

Opening Filter Pane​

Step 1: Open Asset List

  1. Navigate to Asset List

Step 2: Open Filter Pane

  1. Click Filter button (ribbon) or press Shift+F3

  2. Filter pane opens on right side

  3. Add filter criteria

[Screenshot Placeholder: Filter pane open]

Adding Filters​

Method 1: Quick Filter

  1. Click column header (e.g., Industry)

  2. Filter options appear

  3. Select value(s)

  4. List updates immediately

Method 2: Filter Pane

  1. Click +Filter in filter pane

  2. Select field to filter

  3. Enter filter value

  4. Apply

Method 3: Advanced Filter

  1. Click Advanced in filter pane

  2. Complex expressions

  3. Multiple conditions

Common Filter Criteria​

By Industry​

Filter: Industry Code = FLEET

Shows: All fleet assets

Use: Industry-specific analysis

Example: "Show me all fleet assets for maintenance review"

By Current Holder Type​

Filter: Current Holder Type = Location

Shows: All assets at locations (not at customers/vendors)

Use: Internal asset inventory

Example: "How many assets do we currently have?"

By Current Holder​

Filter: Current Holder Code = WAREHOUSE

Shows: All assets at WAREHOUSE location

Use: Location-specific inventory

Example: "What assets are at our main warehouse?"

By Acquisition Date​

Filter: Acquisition Date = 01/01/2024..03/31/2024

Shows: Assets acquired in Q1 2024

Use: Purchase analysis, depreciation start dates

Example: "What did we acquire last quarter?"

By Status​

Filter: Blocked = No

Shows: Active assets (not blocked)

Use: Operational asset count

Example: "How many active assets in production?"

By Classification​

Filter: Classification Level 1 Value = Commercial

Shows: Assets classified as Commercial

Use: Classification-based analysis

Example: "How many commercial vessels vs. military?"

By Attribute Values​

Filter: Cargo Capacity > 50000 (custom attribute)

Shows: High-capacity cargo assets

Use: Capability-based selection

Example: "Which ships can handle large cargo loads?"

Note: Attribute filtering requires attributes configured

Combining Filters​

Power of Multiple Filters: AND logic

Example: Fleet Assets at Locations Over $100k

Filters:

  1. Industry Code = FLEET

  2. Current Holder Type = Location

  3. Acquisition Cost > 100000

Result: High-value fleet assets currently at our locations

Use: High-value asset tracking, insurance audit

[Screenshot Placeholder: Multiple filters applied]

Saving Filter Views​

Save Frequently Used Filters:

Step 1: Apply Filters

  • Set up desired filters

Step 2: Save View

  1. Click Share → Share this page

  2. Or use bookmarks (browser)

  3. Or Views feature (if enabled)

Step 3: Reuse

  • Reopen saved view/bookmark

  • Filters automatically applied

Benefit: Instant access to common reports

Searching Assets​

Search Box: Top right of Asset List

Shortcut: Ctrl+F3

Searches: Asset No., Description, Serial No.

Example: Type "laptop" to find all laptop assets

Use: Fast lookup by keyword

Filter by Search Term:

Method: Use filter pane with wildcards

Examples:

  • Description = *server* (contains "server")

  • Asset No. = VEH* (starts with "VEH")

  • Serial No. = *2024* (contains "2024")

Wildcards:

  • * = any characters

  • ? = single character

Find Specific Asset​

Scenario: Find asset by serial number

Steps:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Filter: Serial No. = exact serial number

  3. Asset appears (if exists)

Alternative: Use search box with serial number

Excel Export​

Method 1: Export to Excel​

Purpose: One-time static export for analysis

Step 1: Filter Data (optional)

  • Apply filters to Asset List

  • Only filtered data will export

Step 2: Export

  1. Click Export to Excel (ribbon or actions)

  2. Excel file downloads

  3. Open in Excel

Step 3: Analyze in Excel

  • All visible columns exported

  • Data is snapshot (not live)

  • Use Excel features: pivot tables, charts, formulas

[Screenshot Placeholder: Export to Excel button]

Method 2: Edit in Excel​

Purpose: Live connection for editing and analysis

Step 1: Open in Excel

  1. Click Edit in Excel (ribbon)

  2. Excel opens with live connection

  3. Data linked to Business Central

Step 2: Edit Data

  • Edit cells directly in Excel

  • Changes can sync back to BC (if configured)

Step 3: Refresh Data

  • Click Refresh in Excel to update from BC

  • Live data always current

Benefit: Familiar Excel interface with BC data

Note: Requires Microsoft 365 and Edit in Excel add-in

[Screenshot Placeholder: Edit in Excel connection]

Method 3: Open in Excel (with template)​

Purpose: Pre-formatted Excel reports

If Available:

  1. Click Open in Excel (actions)

  2. Excel template opens with current data

  3. Professional formatting pre-applied

Benefit: Instant professional reports

Note: Requires Excel templates configured

Common Reporting Scenarios​

Scenario 1: Asset Inventory by Location​

Question: How many assets at each location?

Steps:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Filter: Current Holder Type = Location

  3. Export to Excel

  4. Create Pivot Table:

    • Rows: Current Holder Code

    • Values: Count of Asset No.

  5. Chart: Column chart of asset count by location

Result: Visual asset distribution across locations

Use: Resource allocation, inventory planning

[Screenshot Placeholder: Pivot table by location]

Scenario 2: Asset Acquisition Trend​

Question: How many assets acquired each month this year?

Steps:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Filter: Acquisition Date = 01/01/2024..12/31/2024

  3. Export to Excel

  4. Create Pivot Table:

    • Rows: Acquisition Date (grouped by month)

    • Values: Count of Asset No.

  5. Chart: Line chart showing acquisition trend

Result: Monthly acquisition volume

Use: Budget analysis, procurement trends

Scenario 3: High-Value Asset Report​

Question: What are our assets over $100,000?

Steps:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Filter: Acquisition Cost > 100000

  3. Sort: Acquisition Cost (descending)

  4. Export to Excel

  5. Format as table

  6. Total: Sum of Acquisition Cost

Result: High-value asset portfolio

Use: Insurance coverage, security planning

Scenario 4: Assets by Industry​

Question: What's our asset distribution across industries?

Steps:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Export to Excel (all assets)

  3. Create Pivot Table:

    • Rows: Industry Code

    • Values: Count of Asset No., Sum of Acquisition Cost

  4. Chart: Pie chart of asset count by industry

Result: Industry portfolio breakdown

Use: Investment allocation, strategic planning

Scenario 5: Asset Holder History​

Question: Where has Asset VEH-001 been?

Steps:

  1. Open Asset Card for VEH-001

  2. Click Holder Entries action

  3. Holder Entries page opens (filtered to VEH-001)

  4. Export to Excel

  5. Sort by Posting Date

  6. Timeline view of holder changes

Result: Complete custody history

Use: Compliance audit, location verification

Scenario 6: Assets at Customers​

Question: Which assets are at customer sites?

Steps:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Filter: Current Holder Type = Customer

  3. Group by Customer (if available) or Export to Excel

  4. Pivot Table: Rows = Customer, Values = Count of Assets

  5. List shows all customer-held assets

Result: Customer asset portfolio

Use: Service planning, asset recovery

Scenario 7: Assets Under Warranty​

Question: Which assets still under warranty?

Steps:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Export to Excel

  3. Add column: Warranty Expiration = Acquisition Date + 2 years (example)

  4. Filter: Warranty Expiration > TODAY()

  5. List shows assets under warranty

Result: Warranty-covered assets

Use: Warranty claim planning, vendor negotiations

Note: Requires warranty period known

Scenario 8: Component Usage Report​

Question: How many oil filters used this year?

Steps:

  1. Open Component Entries

  2. Filter: Item No. = FILTER-OIL, Posting Date = 01/01/2024..12/31/2024, Entry Type = Install OR Replace

  3. Export to Excel

  4. Sum Quantity

Result: Annual consumable usage

Use: Purchase planning, budget forecasting

Excel Analysis Techniques​

Pivot Tables​

Purpose: Summarize large datasets

Common Pivot Tables:

  • Asset count by location

  • Total cost by industry

  • Asset count by classification

  • Holder changes by month

Steps:

  1. Export asset data to Excel

  2. Select data range

  3. Insert → PivotTable

  4. Drag fields to Rows/Columns/Values

  5. Analyze

[Screenshot Placeholder: Excel pivot table example]

Charts​

Purpose: Visual data representation

Common Charts:

  • Column chart: Assets by location

  • Pie chart: Industry distribution

  • Line chart: Acquisition trend over time

  • Bar chart: Top 10 most expensive assets

Steps:

  1. Create pivot table (or use data range)

  2. Insert → Chart

  3. Select chart type

  4. Customize

Formulas​

Common Formulas:

Warranty Expiration:

=DATEADD(Acquisition_Date, 2, "years")

Asset Age (years):

=DATEDIF(Acquisition_Date, TODAY(), "Y")

Depreciation (straight-line example):

=Acquisition_Cost / Useful_Life_Years

High-Value Flag:

=IF(Acquisition_Cost > 100000, "High Value", "Standard")

Conditional Formatting​

Purpose: Highlight important data

Examples:

  • Red: Blocked assets

  • Green: Assets under warranty

  • Yellow: High-value assets

  • Color scale: Acquisition cost range

Steps:

  1. Select data range

  2. Home → Conditional Formatting

  3. Choose rule type

  4. Apply

Built-In BC Features​

FlowFields​

What: Calculated fields on Asset Card/List

Examples:

  • Total Holder Entries (count)

  • Total Component Entries (count)

  • Days Since Last Movement

Use: Quick metrics without exporting

View: Asset List or Asset Card

FactBoxes​

What: Summary panels on Asset pages

Shows:

  • Quick statistics

  • Related records count

  • Key metrics

Example FactBoxes:

  • Holder Information

  • Component Summary

  • Classification Details

Benefit: At-a-glance insights

[Screenshot Placeholder: FactBoxes on Asset Card]

List Statistics​

Feature: Built-in list aggregations

Access: Bottom of list pages (if enabled)

Shows:

  • Count of records

  • Sum/Average of numeric fields

  • Quick totals

Example: Total Acquisition Cost of filtered assets

Best Practices​

Start with Filtering​

Before Exporting: Always filter data first

Why:

  • Smaller exports (faster)

  • Focused analysis

  • Less Excel work

  • Clearer insights

Example: Don't export all 10,000 assets if you only need fleet assets

Save Common Filter Views​

Create Standard Reports:

  • "High-Value Assets" (Cost > $100k)

  • "Assets at Customers" (Holder Type = Customer)

  • "Fleet Inventory" (Industry = FLEET)

  • "Blocked Assets" (Blocked = Yes)

Benefit: One-click reporting

Use Excel Templates​

Create Report Templates:

Step 1: Create Once

  1. Export data

  2. Create pivot table

  3. Add charts

  4. Format professionally

  5. Save as template

Step 2: Reuse Monthly

  1. Export new data

  2. Paste into template

  3. Refresh pivot tables

  4. Report updated

Benefit: Consistent monthly reports in minutes

Export Regularly​

Establish Cadence:

  • Monthly: Asset inventory by location

  • Quarterly: Acquisition trend, high-value assets

  • Annually: Complete asset register export

Benefit: Historical trending, year-over-year comparisons

Combine with External Data​

Excel Power:

  • Import BC asset data

  • Add external data (budgets, benchmarks)

  • Compare actual vs. planned

  • Variance analysis

Example:

  • BC: Actual asset acquisitions

  • Budget spreadsheet: Planned acquisitions

  • Analysis: Over/under budget by industry

Advanced Reporting​

Custom Views​

Business Central Views:

  • Save filter combinations

  • Share with team

  • Standard views for all users

Setup: Ask BC administrator to create views

Benefit: Team consistency

Power BI Integration​

For Advanced Users:

  • Export BC data to Power BI

  • Interactive dashboards

  • Real-time metrics

  • Executive reporting

Note: Requires Power BI license and setup

API / OData Access​

For Developers:

  • Programmatic data access

  • Custom reporting tools

  • External system integration

  • Automated report generation

Note: Requires development resources

Common Questions​

Q: Can I schedule reports?​

A: BC doesn't natively schedule reports

Workarounds:

  • Manual monthly exports (set calendar reminder)

  • Power BI scheduled refresh (if using Power BI)

  • Custom development (automation via APIs)

Recommendation: Manual monthly export sufficient for most needs

Q: How do I share reports with team?​

A: Multiple options

Method 1: Export to Excel, email file

Method 2: Save to shared drive, update monthly

Method 3: Power BI dashboard (if available)

Method 4: BC Views (share filter views)

Q: Can I edit data in Excel and import back?​

A: Yes, via Edit in Excel

Requirements:

  • Microsoft 365

  • Edit in Excel add-in installed

  • Proper BC permissions

Process:

  1. Edit in Excel

  2. Make changes

  3. Click Publish in Excel

  4. Changes sync to BC

Note: Some fields may be read-only

Q: What's the difference between Export and Edit in Excel?​

Export to Excel: One-time snapshot, static data, no connection

Edit in Excel: Live connection, editable, syncs changes

Use Export When: Analysis only, no editing needed, simpler

Use Edit in Excel When: Need to edit data, want live refresh

Troubleshooting​

Problem: Export to Excel Not Working​

Cause 1: Pop-up blocker

Solution: Allow pop-ups for BC site

Cause 2: Excel not installed

Solution: Install Microsoft Excel or Office 365

Problem: Filter Not Showing Expected Results​

Cause: Multiple filters conflicting

Solution:

  1. Clear all filters (click Clear Filter)

  2. Apply filters one at a time

  3. Verify logic (AND vs. OR)

Problem: Too Much Data in Export​

Cause: No filters applied

Solution:

  1. Apply filters before export

  2. Export only necessary columns

  3. Consider exporting subset

Problem: Edit in Excel Won't Connect​

Cause: Add-in not installed or BC connection issue

Solution:

  1. Install Edit in Excel add-in

  2. Check BC connection in Excel

  3. Re-authenticate if needed

  4. Contact BC administrator

Reporting Workflow Example​

Monthly Asset Inventory Report​

Frequency: Monthly (first Monday of month)

Step 1: Export Data (5 minutes)

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Filter: Blocked = No (active assets only)

  3. Export to Excel

  4. Save as: Asset_Inventory_YYYY_MM.xlsx

Step 2: Analyze (10 minutes)

  1. Open Excel template

  2. Paste new data

  3. Refresh pivot tables:

    • Assets by Location

    • Assets by Industry

    • High-Value Assets (>$100k)

  4. Charts auto-update

Step 3: Review (5 minutes)

  1. Verify totals

  2. Note any significant changes

  3. Add commentary

Step 4: Distribute (5 minutes)

  1. Save final report

  2. Email to stakeholders

  3. Archive in shared drive

Total Time: 25 minutes

Benefit: Consistent monthly visibility

Tips for Success​

Master Filtering First​

Priority 1: Learn filtering inside-out

Practice:

  • Filter by industry

  • Filter by holder type

  • Combine multiple filters

  • Save filter views

Time Investment: 30 minutes

Payoff: 10x faster reporting

Create Excel Templates​

One-Time Effort:

  • Perfect pivot table setup

  • Professional formatting

  • Clear chart labels

  • Consistent branding

Ongoing Benefit:

  • Instant professional reports

  • No reformatting each month

  • Consistency across reports

Establish Report Calendar​

Schedule:

  • Monthly: Asset inventory

  • Quarterly: Acquisition trends

  • Annually: Complete asset register

Calendar Reminders: Never miss a report

Consistency: Historical data accumulates

Collaborate with Team​

Share:

  • Filter views

  • Excel templates

  • Best practices

  • Report examples

Benefit: Team efficiency

See Also:

  • Asset References - Document cross-references

  • Holder Entries - Custody history

  • Component Entries - Component history

  • Asset List - Main data source

Prerequisites:

  • Assets created and maintained

  • Data quality (accurate fields)

  • Regular updates

Next Steps:

  • Practice filtering Asset List

  • Export data to Excel

  • Create first pivot table

  • Build Excel report template

  • Schedule monthly report

Tip: The Asset List plus Excel export is 90% of your reporting needs. Master filtering, export to Excel, create pivot tables and charts. Build one excellent Excel template and reuse monthly. Don't overcomplicate - simple, consistent reports beat complex reports that no one uses!