Introducing: Analytical Workspaces in Dynamics 365 for Operations

***ANNOUNCING*** the General Availability of Analytical Workspaces & Reports in Dynamics 365 for Operations. Built-in Analytical Applications are now available standard as part of the Spring '17 Release.The following article offers insights into the Power BI service integration with direct links to walk-thru guides and Best Practices published by the Dynamics 365 product group.

• VALUE PROP - To get a general overview of the advantages in using the Power BI service to deliver embedded analytics throughout the organization review the article here.
• PORTFORLIO - Usage details on the collection of Analytical applications delivered as part of the Dynamics 365 for Operations Spring '17 Release (aka v7.2) is available here.
• AUTHORING - Learn how to use Power BI Desktop to author Analytical solutions in a local development environment using instructions here.
• CUSTOM SOLUTIONS - To extend the application to include custom solutions, use the developer walk-thru which includes X++ code samples and form control properties available here.

The following image offers a sneak peak into the built-in visualizations delivered standard as part of the Dynamics 365 for Operations service as of July '17.

Note:   Based on the speed of innovation, this list is subject to change as we continue to deliver advanced analytics directly in the application empowering every level of your organization.

Q:   Can I customize the Power BI embedded reports?

A:    Yes, simply install Power BI Desktop onto a 1Box to get started using steps described here .

Q:   Do customers need to purchase a separate Power BI license to use the new embedded analytics?

A:    No, however, a Power BI Pro license is required to connect to Entity Store using Direct Query from PowerBI.com

Q:   Can I perform data mashups using external data in the Embedded Reports?

A:    Not at this time.  Data mashups can be authored on PowerBI.com that include data sourced from the Entity Store.

Q:   Can I secure data to only those companies I have access to?

A:    Yes, the single company view prevents users from accessing data from companies they don't have access to.  For more information on securing custom solutions, follow guidance provided here.

Q:   How is currency displayed across multiple companies?

A:    As a system currency. (System administration > Setup > System parameters)

Q:   Can I drill on summary balances back into Dynamics 365?

A:    You are able to drill into the details within a Power BI report. There is limited support for drill down into Dynamics 365.

Q:   What languages are currently supported?

A:    English only however the PBI team has additional planned.

Q:   Can I access Analytical Workspaces & Reports in Local Business Data?

A:    Not at this time.  Systems of Intelligence services are available on Cloud hosted solutions.