Jet Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics: A Complete Guide

Jet Analytics is a game-changer solution for organizations seeking to harness the power of their data for strategic planning and development. In today’s data-driven world, organizations constantly seek ways to extract meaningful insights from their vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently.

Premier Analytics recently became Insight Software’s Partner and can now provide Jet Analytics to organizations that use Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP solutions. However, since becoming partners, we’ve noticed that potential clients often need more information about Jet Analytics. In this blog post, we aim to clear up any confusion about Jet Analytics. We’ll explain what it is, why organizations should consider using it, and how it differs from Microsoft Power BI.

Understanding Jet Analytics

Jet Analytics is a comprehensive data management and analytics platform built specifically for Microsoft Dynamics ERP systems, including Dynamics 365 Business Central, Dynamics AX, and Dynamics NAV. It offers a wide range of tools and capabilities designed to simplify the process of data extraction, transformation, and analysis, allowing users to derive actionable insights from their data with ease.

At its core, Jet Analytics serves as a data warehouse solution, enabling organizations to consolidate data from multiple sources into a centralized repository for easy access and analysis. By providing a unified view of data across the organization, Jet Analytics empowers users to gain a holistic understanding of their business performance and make data-driven decisions with confidence.

Key Features and Capabilities

Here are Jet Analytics key features and capabilities:

Data Consolidation and Warehousing: Jet Analytics consolidates data from multiple sources, both within and outside of Dynamics. Create a single source of truth by combining historical and current data.

Automated ETL (Extract, Transform, Load): Transform raw data into meaningful insights using Jet Analytics’ ETL capabilities. Maintain consistency in data transformations across your organization.

Pre-Built Data Warehouse and Cubes: Jet Analytics provides pre-built data warehouses and OLAP cubes designed specifically for reporting and analytics. These optimized structures feed into tools like Power BI, enhancing their performance.

Self-Service Reporting: Business users can create and manage their reports and dashboards. Say goodbye to waiting for IT—Jet Analytics enables self-service analytics.

Smooth Migration: Transitioning to Dynamics 365? Jet Analytics simplifies data migration. Easily report across historical and current data in multiple locations

Real-Time Data Access: Jet Analytics provides real-time access to D365 BC data, ensuring reports and insights are always based on the most current information. This eliminates the need for manual data refreshes and guarantees data accuracy for informed decision-making.

Drag-and-Drop Report Building: Jet Analytics simplifies report creation with its drag-and-drop functionality. Users can easily select the desired data fields, drag them into the report layout, and customize formatting for a clear and visually appealing presentation.

Advanced Data Analysis Tools: Jet Analytics goes beyond basic reporting by offering advanced data analysis capabilities. Users can leverage pivot tables, charts, and graphs to identify trends, patterns, and relationships within their data.

Collaboration Features: Jet Analytics fosters collaboration by allowing users to easily share reports and dashboards with colleagues. This facilitates teamwork, improves communication, and ensures everyone has access to critical business information.

Drill-Down Functionality: For deeper insights, Jet Analytics offers drill-down functionality. Users can explore specific data points in greater detail, allowing them to investigate variances and uncover underlying causes.

Benefits of Jet Analytics

The adoption of Jet Analytics offers numerous benefits for organizations seeking to unlock the full potential of their data. Some of the key benefits include:

Improved Decision Making: By providing timely and accurate insights, Jet Analytics empowers organizations to make informed decisions quickly and confidently, driving business growth and profitability.

Increased Efficiency: Jet Analytics streamlines the data analytics process, reducing the time and effort required to extract, transform, and analyze data. This enables organizations to focus their resources on value-added activities and strategic initiatives.

Enhanced Visibility and Transparency: With Jet Analytics, organizations gain a unified view of their data, enabling greater visibility and transparency into business performance and operations. This facilitates better collaboration and alignment across departments, leading to improved business outcomes.

Better Compliance and Governance: Jet Analytics helps organizations maintain compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards by ensuring data integrity, security, and governance. This reduces the risk of non-compliance and helps organizations build trust with stakeholders.

Empowered Users: Jet Analytics puts the power of data in the hands of business users, enabling them to explore and analyze data on their own terms. This fosters a culture of data-driven decision-making and innovation, driving organizational success.

Who should use Jet Analytics

Premier Analytics has noticed that some organizations we interact with may benefit from using Jet Analytics. However, we have observed that these organizations may not fully understand the advantages of using Jet Analytics and how it can make their daily operations more efficient. To help clarify, we have provided a list of individuals or departments within an organization that can take advantage of Jet Analytics to simplify their daily tasks:

Business Analysts: Business analysts can leverage Jet Analytics to create customized reports, perform data modeling, and gain insights into business performance. They can explore data trends, identify patterns, and make informed decisions.

Finance Teams: Finance professionals can use Jet Analytics to generate financial reports, track budget vs. actuals, and analyze financial data. Whether it’s profit and loss statements, balance sheets, or cash flow reports, Jet Analytics streamlines financial analysis.

Sales and Marketing Teams: Sales and marketing teams can utilize Jet Analytics to analyze sales data, monitor customer behavior, and track campaign performance. They can create dashboards to visualize sales pipelines, conversion rates, and customer segments.

Operations Managers: Operations managers can benefit from Jet Analytics by monitoring supply chain data, inventory levels, and production metrics. They can identify bottlenecks, optimize processes, and improve overall efficiency.

Executives and Decision Makers: Jet Analytics provides executives with real-time insights into business operations. They can access high-level dashboards, drill down into details, and make strategic decisions based on accurate data.

IT Professionals: IT teams can implement and maintain Jet Analytics, ensuring data accuracy, security, and system performance. They can also create data connections and manage user access.

Considerations when choosing Jet Analytics

In today’s data-driven world, selecting the perfect reports and analytics solution for your ERP system can feel overwhelming. With a sea of providers offering various features, how do you navigate the options and find the perfect fit for your specific needs? Here is how

Understand Business Needs and Goals

Define your specific business requirements. What data do you need to analyze? What insights are you seeking? Consider your short-term and long-term goals.

Assess whether Jet Analytics aligns with your business strategy and growth plans.

Data Sources and Integration

Identify the data sources you want to connect to Jet Analytics. Does it integrate seamlessly with your existing systems (e.g., ERP, CRM, databases)?

Evaluate the ease of data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes.

Scalability and Performance

Consider the scalability of Jet Analytics. Will it handle increasing data volumes as your business grows?

Evaluate its performance in terms of query speed, report generation, and handling complex calculations.

User-Friendly Interface

Explore the user interface. Is it intuitive and easy to navigate? Can non-technical users create reports and dashboards without extensive training?

Look for features like drag-and-drop functionality, customizable templates, and interactive visualizations.

Security and Access Control

Security is critical. Assess Jet Analytics’ data encryption, role-based access controls, and compliance with industry standards (e.g., GDPR).

Ensure that sensitive data remains confidential and that users have appropriate permissions.

Customization and Extensibility

Can you customize reports, dashboards, and KPIs according to your unique needs? Is there room for extensibility through custom scripts or plugins?

Evaluate the flexibility of the solution to adapt to changing business requirements.

Support and Training

Investigate the level of customer support provided by the vendor. Is there a dedicated support team? Are there online resources and documentation?

Consider training options for your team to maximize the benefits of Jet Analytics.

Mobile and Cloud Capabilities

Check if Jet Analytics offers mobile access. Can users view reports and dashboards on smartphones and tablets?

Assess its compatibility with cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS) if you plan to migrate or expand to the cloud.

Jet Analytics Vs Microsoft Power BI

Do you need Jet Analytics if you already have Microsoft Power BI? To answer this, let’s take a closer look at the differences between Jet Analytics and Microsoft Power BI.

Purpose and Focus

Jet Analytics: Primarily designed as a data preparation, automation, and modeling solution for Dynamics ERP customers. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Dynamics.

Power BI: A comprehensive business intelligence platform that caters to a broader audience, including users from various industries and data sources.

Ease of Use

Jet Analytics: Offers a straightforward interface, especially for Dynamics users. Its familiarity with Excel-based reporting can be advantageous.

Power BI: Known for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible to both technical and non-technical users.

Customization and Extensibility

Jet Analytics: Provides customization options within the Dynamics ecosystem. Tailoring reports and dashboards to specific needs is feasible.

Power BI: Highly customizable with extensive visualizations, DAX expressions, and custom visuals. It supports third-party extensions and APIs.

Integration and Data Sources

Jet Analytics: Primarily integrates with Dynamics 365 and related data sources. Limited connectivity beyond the Dynamics environment.

Power BI: Offers a wide range of connectors for various data sources (SQL databases, cloud services, APIs, etc.). It’s versatile in handling diverse datasets.

Scalability and Licensing

Jet Analytics: Scalability depends on Dynamics ERP scalability. Licensing is user-based and requires custom implementation.

Power BI: Scales well for small to large enterprises. Licensing options include free, Pro, and Premium tiers, accommodating different user needs.

Conclusion

Jet Analytics empowers organizations to unlock the true potential of their data, transforming it into actionable insights that drive informed decision-making and fuel business growth. By streamlining data extraction, transformation, and analysis, Jet Analytics empowers a range of users – from business analysts to executives – to gain deep visibility into business performance and collaborate effectively.

Call to Action

Is your organization struggling to harness the power of its data? Schedule a free demo with Premier Analytics today to learn how Jet Analytics can transform your business intelligence practices. Our team of experts will assess your specific needs and demonstrate how Jet Analytics can help you achieve your goals.