Jet Analytics is a business intelligence (BI) and reporting solution developed by insightsoftware, designed primarily for Microsoft Dynamics ERP systems like Dynamics 365 Business Central, Dynamics NAV, and Dynamics GP.
Key Features of Jet Analytics:
- Data Warehouse Automation:
- Automates the creation and management of a data warehouse, which stores and organizes data from various systems for reporting and analysis.
- Pre-built Cubes and Dashboards:
- Comes with pre-built OLAP cubes and dashboards tailored for Dynamics ERPs (finance, sales, inventory, etc.), reducing implementation time.
- Excel Integration:
- Deep integration with Excel, allowing business users to build powerful reports and dashboards using familiar tools.
- Self-Service BI:
- Empowers business users to create reports without needing deep technical or SQL knowledge.
- Data Consolidation:
- Consolidates data from multiple sources (multiple companies, databases, or systems) into one unified view.
- Power BI Integration:
- Seamless integration with Microsoft Power BI for enhanced visualizations and broader BI capabilities.
Common Use Cases:
- Financial and operational reporting.
- Sales and inventory analysis.
- Consolidated group reporting across entities.
- Historical trend analysis.
Ideal For:
Organizations using Microsoft Dynamics ERPs who want faster, easier reporting and deeper data insights without heavy dependence on IT resources.
Jet Analytics vs Power BI and other BI tools?
Here’s a comparison of Jet Analytics vs Power BI, highlighting their strengths, differences, and how they can complement each other—especially for Microsoft Dynamics users:
Jet Analytics vs Power BI
| Feature / Criteria | Jet Analytics | Power BI |
| Primary Function | Data warehouse automation + reporting | Data visualization and advanced analytics |
| Target Users | Business users in finance and operations (especially Dynamics users) | Analysts, data scientists, and business users across industries |
| Ease of Use | High (Excel-based interface, no coding needed) | Moderate (drag-and-drop, but more advanced capabilities require DAX or Power Query knowledge) |
| Integration with Microsoft Dynamics (BC/NAV/GP) | Deep, native integration with pre-built cubes and templates | Requires custom modeling or third-party connectors |
| Data Modeling | Automated data warehouse and cubes | Manual data modeling via Power Query or external models |
| Visualization | Basic (Excel-based) | Advanced (interactive dashboards, AI visuals, drill-downs) |
| Deployment Time | Fast (pre-built content for Dynamics) | Varies (depends on complexity and data prep) |
| Self-Service Reporting | Strong (Excel-centric, minimal IT involvement) | Strong, but users may need training |
| Data Sources Supported | Focused (optimized for Dynamics + some external) | Broad (hundreds of connectors including Dynamics, Azure, SQL, Salesforce, etc.) |
| Typical Use Case | Fast financial and operational reporting for Dynamics users | Advanced data exploration, executive dashboards, cross-platform analytics |
| Licensing | Sold as an add-on solution (via insightsoftware) | Part of Microsoft Power Platform (license-based: Free, Pro, Premium) |
How They Complement Each Other
- Jet Analytics can serve as the data foundation, handling data warehouse automation and preparing clean, modeled data.
- Power BI can then consume this structured data for more sophisticated visualizations, sharing via dashboards, and embedding analytics in portals or apps.
Summary
- Use Jet Analytics if:
- You want rapid, reliable reporting for Dynamics data.
- Your team prefers Excel.
- You need a data warehouse but don’t want to build it from scratch.
- Use Power BI if:
- You need interactive dashboards, AI-driven insights, or want to share insights across your organization or externally.
- You’re integrating data from many diverse systems.
Here is a visual diagram showing how Jet Analytics and Power BI work together in a Dynamics 365 environment:
