Quality issues rarely start with a major failure. It’s usually a series of small events—a test that fails, a late shipment due to a recheck, or a batch flagged for retesting. On their own, these seem minor. But over time, they cost time, money, and customer trust.
This post shows how to use the data you already collect in Business Central to uncover patterns, take action, and improve quality using tools like Excel and Power BI.
Why is quality data in Business Central underused?
Business Central can collect a lot of test-related data—from pass/fail grades and timestamps to supplier info and field values. But most teams review one record at a time or pull reports without clear trends. As a result, it’s hard to answer questions like:
- Why does a specific test fail repeatedly?
- Is one supplier more prone to quality issues?
- Do quality failures increase during certain shifts?
Without tools to organize and visualize this data, it’s easy to miss what’s really happening.
How can Excel and Power BI help spot quality problems?
Start by filtering your inspection results inside Business Central. Then export to Excel and build pivot tables that group failures by item, vendor, or test field. Apply conditional formatting to highlight patterns. If you prefer dashboards, Power BI can display trends over time, like failure rates or supplier performance.
Both tools turn raw inspection data into something you can act on.
What can you do once you identify the patterns?
Once you spot recurring problems, take the next step:
Update test templates to tighten tolerances
Review vendor performance based on test results
Add extra inspections at high-risk stages
Use grades to route failed items for rework or QA hold
Better decisions start with clearer visibility.
Can Business Central respond automatically to failed tests?
Yes. You can configure workflows to take specific actions when a test fails—like sending alerts, placing items on hold, or assigning tasks to QA. This reduces delays and ensures quality issues don’t fall through the cracks.
What about mobile testing?
Inspections don’t just happen at desks. With mobile access, test results can be recorded from the shop floor, receiving area, or warehouse—instantly and without paperwork. That means less delay and fewer errors when entering results.
You can read the full process in this blog post, which breaks down the steps and tools involved.
_Disclosure: This post summarizes content originally published to support Business Central users seeking better quality control.
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