The Business Central integration with Microsoft Fabric It opens up a new way to analyze ERP information without constantly relying on traditional APIs. By replicating data, companies will be able to move information from Business Central to OneLake and use it in Power BI solutions, advanced analytics, data engineering, and artificial intelligence.
Microsoft presented this native integration through the Open Mirroring architecture during FabCon Europe 2026, held in Barcelona. The announcement represents a significant step forward for organizations that need to leverage their ERP data more quickly and reduce the technical complexity of their analytical projects.
Microsoft points out that this feature is planned as a preview version ready for production in October 2026. Since this is preliminary documentation, both the delivery date and the features could change.
What has Microsoft announced for Business Central and Fabric?
The new data mirroring feature of Business Central allows you to connect a Business Central Online environment with a mirrored database using Open Mirroring in Microsoft Fabric.
The administrator selects the companies and tables they want to sync. Business Central makes an initial copy of that data and then replicates any changes to OneLake.
In practical terms, integration allows:
- Connect Business Central Online with Microsoft Fabric.
- Select the companies that should be synced.
- Choose the tables needed for the analytical project.
- Perform an initial load of the data.
- Incrementally sync the subsequent changes.
- Monitor the executions from Business Central and Fabric.
- Use the synchronized data in Power BI, Data Factory, and other Microsoft Fabric services.
The preliminary documentation indicates that up to 1,000 tables can be selected and that Microsoft will offer a setup package with a selection of standard tables.
What is Open Mirroring?
Open Mirroring is the architecture used to replicate information from external systems into a mirrored database in Microsoft Fabric.
In the case of Business Central, the synced data is stored in OneLake in Delta Parquet format. This allows different Fabric experiences to use the information without having to repeatedly read the data through the Business Central APIs.
The result is a clearer separation between two workloads:
- Business Central, as an operating system where business processes are managed.
- Microsoft Fabric, as a platform to integrate, prepare, analyze, and consume data.
How does Business Central data mirroring work?
Integration starts with creating an Open Mirroring database within a Microsoft Fabric workspace.
Next, Business Central connects to that workspace, and the administrator selects the companies and tables they want to sync. Once the sync starts, the system creates an initial copy and replicates any changes afterwards.
General flow of the integration
The process defined by Microsoft includes the following phases:
- Create an Open Mirroring database in a Fabric workspace.
- Connect Business Central with the workspace and the database.
- Grant the main service access to the mirrored database.
- Select the companies and tables you want to sync.
- Start syncing.
- Supervise the executions and resolve any possible issues.
The setup and synchronization operations run asynchronously. Business Central logs general information for each run and details by company and table.
Where are the data stored?
The data replicated from Business Central is stored in Microsoft OneLake, Microsoft's unified data lake in Microsoft Fabric.
Once available in OneLake, they can be used in different data and analytics experiences, including:
- Microsoft Power BI.
- Data Factory.
- Fabric IQ.
- Data engineering processes.
- Analytical models.
- Other services compatible with the data hosted on Fabric.
Microsoft also plans to offer versions of the standard Power BI apps for Business Central that use the data stored in Fabric, both for single-company scenarios and for multi-company analysis.
Differences compared to traditional integrations
Until now, moving information from Business Central to an analytics platform could require different extraction and integration methods:
- OData Services.
- Standard API pages.
- Custom APIs.
- Azure Data Factory pipelines.
- Integrations through Dataverse.
- Extensions and solutions developed by third parties.
- Exports to Azure Data Lake Storage.
These procedures continue to be useful in certain scenarios. However, native integration offers a Microsoft-managed alternative to make Business Central information available in Fabric.
Menor dependencia de las API de Business Central
One of the most notable differences is that analytical loads can work with the information synced in OneLake, without having to make repeated reads over the Business Central APIs.
This doesn't mean that APIs will stop being necessary. They will still be useful for operational integrations, exchanging information with applications, and processes that need to query or update data in Business Central.
The difference is in the goal:
- The API they are suitable for integrating applications and carrying out specific operations.
- The data mirroring It’s aimed at making data available in Fabric for analytics and data engineering.
Main advantages for companies
Integrating Business Central with Microsoft Fabric can simplify the creation of a connected data architecture with the ERP.
Business Central Reporting with Power BI
Finance, sales, and operations teams can use the synced data to create reports and dashboards in Power BI.
Some practical applications are:
- Sales analysis by customer, product, area, or channel.
- Tracking income, expenses, and margins.
- Monitoring of pending accounts receivable and payable.
- Inventory evolution.
- Comparison of results between companies.
- Tracking purchases and suppliers.
- Project analysis and financial dimensions.
The value isn't just in visualizing the data. A well-designed architecture allows you to connect Business Central information with other corporate sources.
Multi-company analysis
Organizations that use multiple companies within the same Business Central environment can choose which ones should be part of the synchronization.
This makes it easier to create consolidated analytical models, as long as the accounting structures, dimensions, and rules to standardize the information are defined correctly.
For example, a business group could analyze in Power BI:
- Consolidated sales.
- Treasury positions.
- Margins by company.
- Inventory evolution between companies.
- Common financial indicators.
- Performance differences between business units.
The integration supports multiple Business Central companies and lets you choose which tables you want to sync.
Data prepared for artificial intelligence
Microsoft Fabric is not just a reporting platform. It also provides a foundation for preparing, governing, and using data in artificial intelligence initiatives.
Having Business Central data in OneLake can make future projects that combine financial and operational information with other business data easier. Some possible use cases, which would require proper design and validation, could be:
- Customer classification.
- Identification of deviations.
- Analysis of business trends.
- Demand prediction.
- Pattern detection in inventory.
- Preparing information for business assistants and agents.
Data synchronization doesn't automatically generate these use cases. To get reliable results, you still need a proper data model, quality controls, security, governance, and well-defined business goals.
Connect Business Central Online with Microsoft Fabric.
Microsoft's preliminary documentation lays out several technical requirements to use this integration.
Business Central Requirements
The environment must meet these conditions:
- Use Business Central Online.
- Run Business Central 2026 release wave 2, version 29.0 or later.
- Have the Microsoft Fabric Mirroring extension installed from the Microsoft Marketplace.
- Having data encryption enabled.
- To have the set of permissions MS Fabric Mirroring – Admin or of equivalent permits.
For the preview version, a specific application registration in Microsoft Entra ID is also required.
Microsoft Fabric Requirements
The organization needs:
- Access to an active Microsoft Fabric capability.
- A Fabric workspace.
- Member or admin role in the workspace.
- A workspace hosted in the same Microsoft Entra tenant as the Business Central environment.
These requirements correspond to the preliminary documentation and could change as the functionality evolves.
Business Central and Fabric: a new foundation for business analytics
The native integration between Business Central and Microsoft Fabric can simplify the path between ERP operational data and the organization's reporting, analytics, and AI needs.
Its main contribution is providing a managed mechanism to select companies and tables, replicate changes in OneLake, and use the information from Power BI and other Fabric experiences.
However, activating the connection is just the beginning. To get value, you need to define the indicators, select the right data, design the analytical model, and set up the appropriate security and governance measures.
Get your Business Central integration ready with Microsoft Fabric
At ABD Consulting and IT Solutions We help companies make the most of their Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central data through reporting solutions, Power BI, and business analytics.
Our team can help you review your current architecture, identify the necessary tables and companies, define business indicators, and assess whether integrating with Microsoft Fabric fits into your data strategy.
Get in touch with ABD to assess how to connect Business Central, Microsoft Fabric, and Power BI in an analytical environment tailored to your company's needs.