How-ToTips & Tricks

How to Use Analysis Mode in Business Central

Explore and pivot your Business Central data interactively using Analysis Mode on list pages without exporting to Excel.

Stein Sæstad
7 min read

Analysis Mode turns any supported list page into an interactive data exploration surface. You can group, filter, and total records directly in the browser without exporting to Excel. It is useful when you need a quick breakdown of posted transactions, customer balances, or inventory data and do not want to set up a full report.

Analysis Mode is available on most major list pages in Business Central, including General Ledger Entries, Customer Ledger Entries, Vendor Ledger Entries, Item Ledger Entries, Sales Lines, and several others.

Activate Analysis Mode

  1. Open a supported list page. For example, search for General Ledger Entries using Alt + Q.
  2. In the top-right area of the page, select the Analyze toggle (shown as a chart icon or labeled Analyze). The page switches to Analysis Mode.

The list now shows a pivot-style layout with a column area at the top, a row grouping panel on the left, and the data grid in the center.

Add and Arrange Columns

By default, Analysis Mode shows a subset of available fields. You can add any field from the underlying table.

  1. Select Add Columns (or the + button in the column area).
  2. Search for and select the fields you want to display (e.g. Posting Date, G/L Account No., Amount, Document Type).
  3. Drag column headers to reorder them.
  4. To remove a column, select the column header and choose Remove.

Group Rows by Field Values

Grouping collapses rows into summary rows based on a shared field value, similar to a pivot table.

  1. Drag a field from the column area into the Row Groups section on the left panel. For example, drag G/L Account No. to group entries by account.
  2. Add a second grouping field below the first to create nested groups (e.g. group by G/L Account No., then by Document Type).
  3. Expand or collapse group rows using the arrow icons in the grid.

Apply Filters

You can filter the data shown in Analysis Mode without affecting the underlying list.

  1. Select Add Filter in the filter panel above the grid.
  2. Choose a field and enter the filter value or range (e.g. Posting Date from 01.01.2026 to 31.01.2026).
  3. Add multiple filters to narrow the data further.

Filters in Analysis Mode are independent from the list page filters you may have set before activating Analyze.

Add Totals and Summaries

For numeric columns, you can display totals at the bottom or within group rows.

  1. Select a numeric column header (e.g. Amount).
  2. Choose Sum, Average, Min, or Max from the column menu.
  3. The total appears at the bottom of the grid and within each group row when grouping is active.

Practical Examples

Sales by customer and month:

  1. Open Customer Ledger Entries.
  2. Activate Analyze.
  3. Add columns: Customer No., Customer Name, Posting Date, Amount.
  4. Group by Customer No., then by Posting Date (set the date grouping to Month if available).
  5. Add a Sum on Amount.

G/L entries by posting group:

  1. Open General Ledger Entries.
  2. Activate Analyze.
  3. Add columns: Gen. Posting Type, Gen. Bus. Posting Group, Gen. Prod. Posting Group, Amount.
  4. Group by Gen. Bus. Posting Group and Gen. Prod. Posting Group.
  5. Filter to a specific date range.
  6. Sum the Amount column.

Save Analysis Views as Named Tabs

You can save an analysis configuration so you can return to it without rebuilding it.

  1. Once your columns, groupings, and filters are set, select the + button next to the tab bar at the top of the analysis area.
  2. Enter a name for the tab (e.g. “Jan 2026 by Account”).
  3. The saved tab appears in the tab bar and persists for your user session. Saved tabs remain available each time you open the same list page.

To delete a saved tab, right-click it and select Delete.

Share or Reuse Saved Analyses

Analysis tabs are saved per user and per page. They are not shared automatically with other users. If a colleague needs the same view, they can replicate the setup manually, or you can guide them through the same column and grouping configuration on their own session.

For more structured reporting across periods, the Export to Excel option on list pages provides a one-time data extract. Analysis Mode is better suited for ad-hoc exploration where you want to stay in Business Central.

For a structured way to export and work with Business Central data outside the system, see How to Export Data to Excel from Business Central.