Hi, Readers.
Today I would like to share another mini tip about Business Central, how to view excel reports (Excel Layout) directly from the web without downloading files (Excel Online).
In Business Central, you can use reports to print or display information from a Business Central database. Use reports to structure and summarize information to print documents, such as invoices.
A report layout controls content and format of the report. There are four types of layouts that you can use for reports:
- Word
- RDLC
- Excel
- External
A request page has a predefined set of buttons depending on the report type and the current layout. The standard buttons are
| Button | Rdlc | Word | Excel | Processing Only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ok | x | |||
| Cancel | x | x | x | x |
| Preview | x | x | ||
| x | x | |||
| SendTo | x | x | x | |
| Download | x |
More details: Using request pages with reports
This post focuses specifically on Excel layouts. Excel layouts are based on Microsoft Excel workbooks (.xlsx file type). They let you create reports by using familiar Excel features for summarizing, analyzing, and presenting data with tools like formulas, PivotTables, PivotCharts, and more.
For example,
More details: Working with Microsoft Excel layouts
Actually, we can open it directly in Excel in the browser/web (Excel Online).
Below are three points of Viewing and Editing in Excel From Business Central mentioned in Microsoft documentation. Let’s take a closer look at the third point.
- Excel respects filters on the page that limit the records shown. The Excel workbook has the same rows and columns that appear on the page in Business Central.
- This action works on both Windows and macOS.
- If your organization has configured OneDrive for system features, the Excel workbook is opened in your browser by using Excel for the web. If you’re not using OneDrive for system features, the workbook is downloaded to your device. From there, you can open it using either the Excel desktop app or Excel for the web, depending on what you have.
This also applies to downloading Excel reports. Let’s see more details.
Choose Tell Me icon, enter OneDrive Setup, and then choose the related link.
Or choose Connect your files to the cloud in Assisted Setup page.
Choose Next.
In the OneDrive Setup assisted setup guide for setting up OneDrive integration, you can turn on or off features for handling Business Central files in OneDrive. The features are divided between two options:
In the OneDrive Setup assisted setup guide for setting up OneDrive integration, you can turn on or off features for handling Business Central files in OneDrive. The features are divided between two options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Use OneDrive for app features | If you turn on this option, the Open in OneDrive and Share actions are made available on files in Business Central, like files attached to documents or in the report inbox. These actions let users copy, open, and share files in OneDrive. For more information, see Opening and Sharing Business Central Files in OneDrive. |
| Use OneDrive for system features | Turning on this option activates the following features:The Open in Excel and Edit in Excel actions on list pages will automatically copy the Excel file to OneDrive, then open it in Excel Online. For more information, see Viewing and Editing in Excel.Sending a report to an Excel or Word file will automatically copy the file to OneDrive, then open it in the Excel or Word online. For more information, see Saving a report to a file. |
Turn on the second option.
Choose Done.
OK, let’s test it again.
At this time, the Excel file will not be downloaded, but will be copied to OneDrive. Then you can see the report in the browser.
Another example:
Great, give it a try!!!😁
Note:
The add-in works with Excel for the web (online) from any device as long as as use a supported browser. It also works with the Excel app for Windows (PC); but not for macOS.
Limits when using Excel for the web
When Edit in Excel is used on list pages for tables with many columns, the resulting workbook may have too many columns for the file to be viewed in Excel for the web. Business Central automatically limits the exported workbook to 100 columns when OneDrive is configured for system features.
PS:
1. Dynamics 365 Business Central: How to use Edit in Excel in the browser/web (Excel Online)
2. Dynamics 365 Business Central: How to use Open in Excel in the browser/web (Excel Online)
END
Hope this will help.
Thanks for reading.
ZHU
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