Data migration to
D365 with Azure Data Factory

Client Overview

A leading Japanese international advertising agency, among the top five globally, faced performance issues with Microsoft AX2012 and other tools like Tally, FAMS, and ADAMS for finance and operations. Due to the large customer base and high transaction volume, the client struggled with system performance and lacked an integrated view across platforms. To address these issues, client was advised to migrate to Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O for a seamless, holistic experience with cloud integration and reporting.

Challenges

Complex Source Systems

Financial data was dispersed across multiple systems, requiring thorough analysis.

Data Integration & Storage

Integrating data from diverse sources into a common storage required in-depth expertise in ETL tools.

Data Integrity & Reporting

Ensuring data accuracy and applying validation rules throughout migration was complex.

Source-Target Mapping

Differences in data models between systems required expert mapping for smooth migration.

Cost Management

Efficient resource utilization was critical to avoiding cost overruns during migration.

Introduction
Migration SSRS to Power BI

The migration is about upgrading reports from SSRS to Power BI. While SSRS is good for basic reports, it lacks interactive and visually appealing features. Power BI offers better data visualization, interactive dashboards, and advanced analytics to overcome these limitations.

Enhanced Visualization

Power BI’s advanced, interactive visuals will make data easier to understand, helping us create more engaging reports for better decision-making.

User-Friendly Experience

Power BI’s intuitive interface and interactive features will simplify data interaction, allowing us to customize reports and gain insights more quickly.

Scalability and Flexibility

Power BI’s cloud-based platform will make it easier to update and expand our reporting system, ensuring it can handle growing data and user needs in the future.

By achieving these goals, aim to significantly improve reports, boost user satisfaction, and enhance decision-making across the organization.

Current StateAnalysis

Current reports use SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), which has been essential for various types of reports, including financial, operational, and compli- ance reports.

SSRS offers features like tabular and matrix reports, user parameters, scheduled delivery, and data drill-down.

However, SSRS has limitations such as limited interactivity, outdated interfaces, complex design, integration issues, and scalability problems. To overcome these are migrating to Power BI. Power BI’s modern, interactive interface and real-time data features will address these issues and improve reporting capabilities.

Our
Migration Strategy

Assessment and Planning

Tools and Techniques

Data Mapping & Transformation

The Migration process started by listing all existing SSRS reports, noting their types, how often they are used, and their importance to the business. Also reviewed each report’s key features, like data sources, parameters, and formats. Then documented what need from the new Power BI reports, including visualizations, interactive features, and any special functions. We set clear goals for the Power BI migration, such as better interactivity, improved data visualization, and real-time data access. Also defined how measure success, focusing on user satisfaction, report accu- racy, and performance improvements.

Challenges

SSRS and Power BI handle report formatting differently.

SSRS and Power BI handle report formatting differently. Recreating complex layouts and visual styles from SSRS in Power BI required major adjustments. Some detailed tables and multi-level groupings had no direct equivalents in Power BI, so we had to rethink or simplify these elements

Certain custom visuals and intricate formats from SSRS didn’t exist in Power BI, so we either found alternatives or created custom visuals. We also encountered inconsistencies in data aggrega- tion and calculations during the transition. This required revising our data transformation logic to ensure that Power BI reports accurately reflect the intended metrics and KPIs…

Solutions Implemented

Delivered by Our Company

To fix visual issues, we used Power BI’s custom visuals library and developed new ones when needed. We redesigned reports to take advantage of Power BI’s interac- tive dashboards and dynamic filters, focusing on how to present information more effectively and enhance usability.

Benefits of Migration

Power BI provides advanced visuals like interactive charts and custom dashboards. It’s easier to use and accessible on mobile devices. It also offers Al-driven insights and real-time data up- dates.

User Training and Adoption

We provided extensive training for users to help them adapt to Power BI and set up support and feedback systems to ensure a smooth transition

Our
Conclusion

The migration to Power BI has effectively modernized our reporting infrastructure. We now benefit from improved data visualization, with more dynamic and interac-
tive charts and dashboards that enhance user experience. This upgrade allows for more intuitive data exploration and better insights.

As we continue to utilize

Power BI

we are excited about the opportunities it presents for advanced reporting and analytics, and we look forward to fully leveraging its capabilities to meet our future
reporting needs.