Quick Tip: Deep Dive into Report Objects and Layouts @BC TechDays 2025

I had the pleasure of presenting this session at BC TechDays 2025 in Antwerp! 🏢💻

A special thank you to Luc for inviting me to present — it was an honor to share insights with such an amazing audience. 🙏

We explored how reports work in Business Central — from datasets to request pages, and layouts in Word, RDLC, and Excel. If you’ve ever wondered how to build faster, cleaner, and more maintainable reports, this session is for you.

🎥 Watch the full session here: YouTube: Deep Dive into Report Objects and Layouts

⏱️ Jump to Your Favorite Topics

• 00:00 – Intro & Overview

• 01:02 – Analytics Needs in Organizations

• 05:33 – Key Questions Before Starting a Report

• 12:00 – Data Analysis Mode

• 20:05 – Queries & Page Extensions

• 24:46 – Report Objects: Data Modeling Fundamentals

• 27:05 – Union & Join Data Sets

• 35:01 – Performance Tips

• 43:02 – Using Integer Data Items

• 47:24 – Document Report Data Models

• 54:09 – Layout Types: Word vs RDLC vs Excel

• 1:00:00 – Word Layout Tips & Tricks

• 1:10:00 – Word Practical Techniques

• 1:13:02 – RDLC Layouts

• 1:18:02 – Excel Layouts

• 1:24:00 – Extending Reports with Extensions

• 1:25:48 – Power BI Reporting

• 1:31:16 – Q&A

💡 Key Takeaways

1. Understand the Layers – A report object combines data (dataset), presentation (layout), and user input (request page). Treat each as a separate layer.

2. Choose the Right Layout Type –

   • Word for documents and email-friendly reports.

   • RDLC for advanced formatting and legacy compatibility.

   • Excel for analytical output and pivot-based reports.

3. Keep It Lean – Include only necessary data items and columns. Heavy datasets slow down SaaS reports.

4. Label Everything – Use labels, not hardcoded text, for multilingual support.

5. Extend Responsibly – Use report extensions to modify existing reports instead of changing the base app.

6. Push Logic to AL – Layouts should display, not compute. Keep complex logic in AL triggers or queries.

7. Optimize for Cloud Performance – Word layouts often perform better in SaaS than RDLC because of sandbox restrictions.

🎬 Why You Should Watch It

This session goes far beyond the basics. It’s not about adding a logo or adjusting a margin — it’s about understanding how reports work in Business Central from the inside out.

You’ll see practical demos, real-world patterns, and performance tips that will save you hours when designing or troubleshooting complex reports.

Whether you’re a consultant fine-tuning report layouts or a developer extending report datasets, you’ll walk away with a clearer mental model of how everything fits together.

👋 Wrapping Up

Reports in Business Central are more than just printable outputs — they’re powerful objects that combine data, logic, and presentation. Understanding how datasets, layouts, and request pages work together can save you time, improve performance, and make your solutions more professional.

I hope this session recap gives you practical insights you can apply right away, whether you’re a consultant optimizing layouts or a developer extending report datasets.

A big thank you to Luc for inviting me to present and to everyone who attended BC TechDays 2025 — it was amazing to connect with so many fellow Business Central enthusiasts! 🙏

🎥 Watch the full session on YouTube: Deep Dive into Report Objects and Layouts in Business Central

💡 If you have questions or want to share your own reporting tips, drop a comment below — I’d love to hear from you!