Tweaking the GP Business Analyzer Charts with SQL Report Builder

Microsoft delivers many fancy charts and KPI's with Dynamics GP Business Analyzer. Most are fine out-of-the-box, but some need to be tweaked to get more useful information. Enter (stage left) SQL Report Builder! Even a beginner's knowledge of this tool will be helpful in improving the presentation of these KPI's.

For instance, a pie chart where the labels sit on top of each other and without a total can be fixed up by setting a few chart properties and dragging a summary total field into the report footer.

Here is an example where the currency symbols are out of place and where the main report was disconnected from the drill-back detail report. Stretching the columns put the currency symbols where they belong. Setting the "Show" property of the Detail drill-back now shows the detail transaction data behind the chart. GP even drills through that report into the source transaction in the accounting system.

Finally, here is a chart of the total checkbook balance, but with the vertical axis labels defined in millions, when it should be defined in hundred-thousands. Also, the values aren't displayed. Change a few properties with SQL Report Builder and the chart makes more sense.

SQL Report Builder is integrated within Dynamics GP, so that you may edit any of these charts or any of the 200+ SSRS reports in place. Just view the finished report and click on the "Edit" button to make your changes. Of course, always make a copy of the original report and make changes to that copy. Mistakes can happen.

Reports are stored in the Reporting Services database, but are accessible through the SQL Report Manager interface or directly from the Dynamics GP dashboard.