To help our customers better understand the integration of Power BI with Sparkrock 365, we sat down with Oyindamola Badewa, Support Specialist Sparkrock. He shared his insights on how this powerful integration can benefit school boards and districts looking to improve their reporting tools.
Interviewer: "Oyindamola, can you help us understand the integration of Power BI with Sparkock 365?"
Oyindamola: "Absolutely. A lot of our school districts tell me that the integration between Power BI and Sparkrock 365 is one of many reasons they choose our system. It’s really powerful what they can do with their own data. Our reporting tools help them manage their financials, HR, payroll, and scheduling from one database which reduces a lot of friction for them.
Interviewer: "How does this integration streamline data handling, especially in Excel?"
Oyindamola: "Great question. In Sparkrock 365, finance managers can access real-time data using tools they’re probably already using today, like Excel exposing web services and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that allow external systems, including Excel, to interact with its data. This enables seamless integration and real-time data updates. Power Query, a data connection technology in Excel, is often leveraged for data transformation and loading. Users can connect Excel to D365 BC data sources, perform transformations, and load the data back into the ERP system.
This is a huge advantage, and it means they can get access to powerful reporting without having to learn a new tool, making their workflow much smoother."
Interviewer: "What about the advanced features of Power BI? How do they enhance this integration?"
Oyindamola: "Ah yes, this is where it gets interesting, at least for me...I’m a bit of a data nerd. The Power BI connector allows access to Business Central APIs. This means we’re not just relying on basic web services but tapping into a richer data source, which is vital for in-depth analysis in areas like finance.
Interviewer: "Oyindamola, integration of Power BI with Sparkrock seems very powerful. How does this specifically apply to different departments within K-12 school districts?"
Oyindamola: “For starters, Sparkrock 365 is an integrated system across Finance, HR, Payroll and Scheduling. That interconnectedness makes data very accessible and much easier to track spending across different programs as everything is tied back to the general ledger. Finance teams have a more accurate view of their budgets and spending across the different departments. Human Resources can now distill complex employee data, identify turnover trends and assess the effectiveness of their training programs. Payroll benefits from increased accuracy and efficiency through automated processes and robust cost reports available to them out-of-box. Scheduling provides the capability for you to reserve the times of approved absences. Booking employees for shifts that overlap absence periods is avoided. And we haven’t even touched on the custom reporting options.”
Interviewer: "That’s quite comprehensive. How would you summarize the overall impact of this integration?"
Oyindamola: The Power BI and Sparkrock 365 integration essentially empowers K-12 school districts with a 360-degree view of their operations. These tools don't just streamline existing processes—it enables a data-driven culture that fosters continuous improvement and strategic decision-making for educational leaders.
Interviewer: "Any final thoughts for our readers, especially those in K-12 school districts?"
Oyindamola: "Definitely. For anyone in a K-12 school district, embracing this integration means embracing efficiency and strategic decision-making. It's not just about data management; it’s about transforming how schools operate at a fundamental level. I would encourage anyone interested in exploring the full breadth of our reporting capabilities to reach out to a member of our Sales team to have a more in-depth discussion."
We thank Oyindamola Badewa for his valuable insights. If you have any questions about the integration of PowerBI with Sparkrock 365, please reach out to us directly – we’d love to chat!