SAP Business One in Power BI, or a shorter route to the same dashboards
SAP Business One reporting in Power BI usually takes three pieces: Power BI Desktop, its SQL Server connector, and an on-premises data gateway for refresh. If you'd rather skip that stack, AgentUI reads the same SQL Server through a read-only connector. You describe the dashboard, and it builds it.
Read-only connector. Revoke it in two clicks.
- 1Power BI Desktop (Windows)
- 2SQL Server connector
- 3On-premises data gateway
- 4Publish + schedule refresh
- 1Install connector (Win / macOS / Linux)
- 2Describe the dashboard
- 3Share the link
How Power BI connects to SAP Business One
Model it in Power BI Desktop
Desktop is a Windows app. You point its SQL Server connector at the B1 company database and map tables with SAP's short names, like OINV for invoices and OITW for warehouse stock.
Install an on-premises data gateway
The Power BI service can't reach an office SQL Server on its own, so a gateway runs on a Windows machine that can.
Publish and schedule refresh
You publish the report, set the refresh schedule and share it. Viewers need the matching Power BI licences.
The AgentUI route to the same SAP Business One data
Install the connector
Put one service on the database server: Windows, macOS or Linux. It only reads, and it only calls out, over HTTPS on port 443.
Describe the report
"Sales by branch this month from invoices." The AI writes the queries against your B1 tables and builds the dashboard.
Share it with the team
Everyone opens the same link and sees the numbers as they are in SAP Business One right now.
Power BI vs AgentUI for SAP Business One, side by side
| Power BI | AgentUI | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you build | Power BI Desktop (Windows) | In the browser, by describing it |
| What reaches the server | On-premises data gateway on a Windows machine | AgentUI Connector on Windows, macOS or Linux |
| Network | Outbound connection from the gateway | Outbound HTTPS on port 443, no inbound ports |
| Your data | Import mode copies it into the model on each refresh | Queried on demand, never copied; up to 1,000 rows / 30 s per query |
| Modelling | Deep: relationships, DAX, many sources | Lighter: the AI writes the SQL |
| Beyond charts | Reports and dashboards | Also internal apps that use the same data |
| SAP B1 on HANA | Supported with the SAP HANA connector | Not supported — SQL Server only |
| Setup help | Your team or a partner | A person from our team, plus a Word setup guide |
When Power BI is the better choice for SAP Business One
- Your company already runs on Microsoft 365 and has Power BI licences in place.
- You need heavy modelling: DAX measures, many related tables, several data sources in one model.
- You run SAP Business One on SAP HANA. The AgentUI connector only reads SQL Server.
- You have an analyst who already knows Power BI and wants to own the reports.
When AgentUI fits SAP Business One better
- Nobody on the team builds BI models, and the monthly report still gets rebuilt by hand.
- You want the tool around the report too — a stock check screen, an approval list — on the same SAP data.
- You'd rather not keep a Windows machine running just to host a gateway.
- You want read-only access by design, with a key you can revoke in two clicks.
Try the AgentUI route on one SAP Business One report
Start with the report you rebuild every month. Connect SAP Business One once. If your IT wants a hand with the connector, one of us sets it up with them.
Read-only connector. Revoke it in two clicks.