If using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central often feels like trying to watch your favorite shows across multiple streaming services (each one offering a piece, but none delivering the full picture) you’re not imagining it. That’s exactly how Anthony Bonaduce, CRO and Co-Founder of Cosmos, described the Business Central reporting experience during a recent webinar hosted by Elliott Clark Consulting. He compared the modern reporting landscape to the overwhelming clutter of streaming apps with lots of options, little integration, and too much work for the user. Stephanie Clark, founder of Elliott Clark Consulting, co-hosted the session to help contextualize the challenges BC users face every day. Her company helps manufacturers and distributors increase profitability through a process-first approach, identifying inefficiencies and unlocking insights using Business Central. Together, Stephanie and Anthony explored where native BC tools help, where they fall short, and how Cosmos fills the gap with purpose-built, cloud-native reporting. Read on for our webinar recap, or… Watch the full webinar here! Native Business Central Reporting: Strengths and Struggles Business Central has plenty of built-in reports, over 400, in fact. And for many small teams or straightforward businesses, the basics will work: Account schedules for financial statements On-screen filtering and Analyze mode Excel integration for templates and exports Power BI dashboards for visualization But as Stephanie emphasized, these tools start to show their limits quickly: Formatting is rigid; board-ready reports require lots of Excel patchwork Multi-company reports must be exported and stitched together manually Drill-down and historical snapshots are inconsistent Dimensional reporting can be powerful, but hard to visualize You’re either dependent on IT or a developer to modify reports In short: the data is there, but telling the story is hard. Why Reporting Feels So Hard Reporting in Business Central isn’t just about picking the right tool; it’s about solving a messy, people-and-process problem. As Stephanie noted, manufacturing and distribution businesses often enter their ERP implementation with high hopes of achieving a single source of truth. But once the data starts flowing, it quickly becomes clear that every team tells a different version of the story. Finance wants precision, sales wants speed, operations wants specifics. And then of course, the IT department is stuck in the middle translating it all. This fragmentation leads to delays, misunderstandings, and lots of manual work. Add to that: Rapidly changing business needs Limited flexibility in native tools The challenge of visualizing dimensional data Dependency on developers for even small changes And you have a perfect storm of complexity. As Anthony put it, “At the end of the day, ERPs are not reporting tools.” They’re great at capturing data, but not necessarily at presenting it in ways that drive action across a modern, multi-team organization. Where Cosmos Fits In Cosmos is designed to solve those very issues. It’s the only fully cloud-based reporting platform purpose-built for Business Central Cloud. Here’s what sets it apart: Excel-based design that’s intuitive for finance users Seamless Power BI integration for dashboards Built-in data warehouse that flattens BC’s complex table structure Support for multi-company and multi-dimensional reporting out of the box Report automation and scheduling Drill-down capabilities with secure access controls During the webinar, Anthony showed how to build a custom sales report in Cosmos in under five minutes, from template to scheduled distribution. Cosmos turns what used to be days of manual report prep into a repeatable, scalable process. Should You Stick with Native Reporting or Add Cosmos? Here’s a quick way to tell… Stick with native Business Central reporting if: You operate in a single company with simple reporting needs You rarely use more than one or two dimensions You don’t mind occasional manual Excel work Consider Cosmos if: You manage multiple entities and need consolidated views You want polished, repeatable reports without IT help You rely heavily on dimensions and want better visual filtering You need faster month-end closes You want reports scheduled and delivered automatically If you said yes to two or more in the second list, Cosmos is worth a look. Webinar Recap Business Central Reporting: Native Capabilities vs Cosmos With Elliot Clark Consulting Watch on YouTube Choosing the Right Reporting Tools for Growth If you’re a manufacturer or distributor trying to make smarter, faster decisions, the right reporting strategy matters. It’s easy to see why many teams begin with Business Central’s native reports because they’re already included, easy to test, and offer a fast way to get started. But as your reporting needs evolve, the tools that once worked can become a bottleneck. Whether you’re tracking profitability by product line, consolidating financials across multiple companies, or trying to empower non-technical users with real-time insights, there comes a time when native tools hit their limits. Stephanie put it best, “Start with what you have, so you understand what’s possible. But know when to pivot.” Native reporting in Business Central is a great starting point, but it wasn’t designed to handle the scale and flexibility many businesses need today. Cosmos steps in to fill that gap with a modern, cloud-based tool that empower users, not hold them back. Ready to Stop Wrestling with Reports? Book a Demo Now Anthony Bonaduce Chief Revenue Officer About the Author Latest Posts Anthony Bonaduce brings nearly a decade of sales leadership expertise to the Microsoft Channel, where he has built lasting partnerships and driven significant growth for data analytics solutions. As co-founder of Cosmos Data Technologies, Anthony combines his passion for relationship building with deep industry knowledge gained through executive roles at Jet Reports (now insightsoftware) and Rand Group. Anthony’s business philosophy centers on exceptional customer service and transparent communication—principles he credits as the foundation of his success. His proudest achievement includes expanding Jet’s partner channel to unprecedented levels, earning him the trust of countless Microsoft partners and clients. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and Marketing from the University of Oregon. When he’s not helping clients unlock their data potential, Anthony enjoys cheering on the Oregon Ducks, playing golf, and spending time with family and friends. How to Get Custom Business Central Inventory Reports in Minutes August 17, 2026 What is Cloud Reporting? Benefits, Tools, and How it Works August 7, 2026 Best Business Central Reporting Tools (2026): Compare Top 5 Excel-Based Options July 27, 2026 Cloud Reporting for Business Central: The Missing Step Between Spreadsheets and AI June 4, 2026 AI Won’t Help Your Ungoverned Data May 11, 2026 Fact Checked & Editorial Guidelines Our Fact Checking Process We prioritize accuracy and integrity in our content. Here's how we maintain high standards: Expert Review: All articles are reviewed by subject matter experts. Source Validation: Information is backed by credible, up-to-date sources. Transparency: We clearly cite references and disclose potential conflicts. Your trust is important. Learn more about our Fact Checking process and editorial policy. Reviewed by: Subject Matter Experts Our Review Board Our content is carefully reviewed by experienced professionals to ensure accuracy and relevance. Qualified Experts: Each article is assessed by specialists with field-specific knowledge. Up-to-date Insights: We incorporate the latest research, trends, and standards. Commitment to Quality: Reviewers ensure clarity, correctness, and completeness. Look for the expert-reviewed label to read content you can trust.
