Power BI can help turn business data into useful visuals and tables that support analysis and decision-making. Once you've created a Power BI report, you can embed it as a dashboard in Dynamics 365 CRM so users can access information such as sales data without leaving CRM. For example, an embedded report could help answer questions like:

• What is my close rate on opportunities?
• What is my quote acceptance rate?
• How does that compare to last year?

Prerequisites

Before creating the embedded dashboard, make sure the appropriate permissions and access are in place. To create the dashboard, you'll need:

• A System Administrator or System Customizer security role in CRM
• Admin access to the Power BI workspace where the report or dashboard resides

Users viewing the report inside CRM will also need:

• A Power BI license
• Appropriate security configured on the Power BI side

One option is to provide access to the Power BI workspace through the app's audience settings. Access can be granted to the entire organization or to specific users or groups.

Create the Power BI embedded dashboard

Start by going to make.powerapps.com and opening Solutions. You can create a new solution or open an existing solution. Within the solution:

1. Select New.
2. Go to Dashboard.
3. Select Power BI Embedded.
4. Enter the display name users will see in CRM.
5. Choose the appropriate Power BI workspace.
6. Select the report you want to embed.
7. Save the dashboard.

When choosing between a Power BI dashboard and a report, keep in mind that dashboards don't provide the filters users may be accustomed to working with. A report can be used when you want users to retain that filtering experience. There is also an option to limit reports to the current environment. Clearing this option can broaden the available choices. Environment variables can also help when transitioning a solution from a sandbox to production.

Add the dashboard to your model-driven app

After creating the dashboard, the next step is adding it to the model-driven app where users should see it. Within your solution, add the existing model-driven app and open it for editing. Before adding the dashboard, select the navigation group where you want it to appear. Otherwise, the dashboard may be added to the bottom of the navigation, requiring you to move it manually.

Once you've selected the desired navigation location:

1. Choose Add page.
2. Select Dashboard.
3. Find the Power BI dashboards.
4. Select your embedded report.
5. Make sure Show in Navigation is selected.
6. Add the dashboard.

The report will then appear within the navigation group you selected.

Save, publish, and test

After adding the embedded report, save and publish your changes. You can access the model-driven app normally or use the Play option to open it and test the experience. Once embedded, the Power BI report is available directly within CRM. Report filters continue to work, allowing users to interact with the report similarly to how they would within Power BI.

Key takeaways

Once you've created your Power BI report, embedding it in Dynamics 365 CRM involves a few key steps:

• Make sure users have the necessary Power BI licensing and security.
• Create a Power BI embedded dashboard within a solution.
• Select the appropriate Power BI workspace and report.
• Add the embedded dashboard to your model-driven app.
• Place it in the appropriate navigation group.
• Save and publish the app.
• Test the report and its filters within CRM.

Embedding Power BI in Dynamics 365 CRM gives users convenient access to reporting within the application they already use, bringing interactive Power BI insights directly into the CRM experience.