The direct answer
Integrating Power BI with SAP and other ERPs is mostly a data problem, not a visualization problem. The partner you want decides how each source connects, lands the data once, agrees one definition of customer, product and period across systems, and proves the totals match the ERP before anyone makes a decision from a dashboard.
How does Power BI connect to SAP?
Microsoft supports several paths. The right one depends on which SAP system holds the data and how many other sources it has to join.
| SAP source | Microsoft path (per Microsoft Learn) | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| SAP HANA | Power BI SAP HANA connector | Import or DirectQuery in Power BI Desktop; Power Query Online needs an on-premises data gateway |
| SAP BW | Power BI SAP BW connector | Version 1.0 is deprecated; new connections use Implementation 2.0 |
| ABAP-based SAP tables (for example ECC or S/4HANA) | Fabric Data Factory SAP Table connector | Snapshot extraction of table data through pipelines or Copy job, via an on-premises gateway |
| SAP data already in SAP Datasphere | Fabric Mirroring for SAP | Uses SAP Datasphere replication flows; supports S/4HANA, ECC, BW/4HANA, BW and Datasphere sources |
The on-premises data gateway is the bridge between local sources and Microsoft cloud services such as Power BI and Fabric, so its placement, clustering and service account belong in the design, not in a support ticket after go-live.
What about other ERPs, CRM and marketing platforms?
- Dynamics 365 and Dataverse. The Dataverse connector supports Import or DirectQuery.
- Salesforce. The Salesforce Objects connector requires a Salesforce account with API access; trial accounts do not have it.
- Google Analytics. The Google Analytics connector supports Google Analytics 4 through the Google Analytics Data API; Universal Analytics is listed as deprecated.
- Everything else. When an ERP has no certified connector, land its extracts in Fabric and model them there rather than wiring each report to a file share.
What does unified analytics across CRM, ERP, and marketing platforms take?
Connectors are the easy part. Unified analytics needs shared definitions: one customer key that matches between the CRM and the ERP, one product hierarchy, one fiscal calendar and one organization structure. EPC Group builds those as conformed dimensions in a single semantic model, applies row-level security so each team sees its own rows, and lets every department's report read from that model instead of building its own copy of the data.
Five questions to ask a Power BI and ERP partner
- Which path will you use for each SAP system, and why? A credible answer names the connector or Fabric item per source.
- Where will the data land? Direct connections suit one source; several sources usually belong in Fabric first.
- How will you reconcile? Ask to see the tie-out to the ERP's own reports by period, company code and currency.
- Who owns the definitions? Customer, product and calendar need named owners on your side.
- How is access controlled? Row-level security in the model, not separate copies of reports per region.
Where EPC Group fits
EPC Group designs the connection paths, the Fabric landing zone and the semantic model with your finance and IT teams, and leaves a reconciliation you can rerun after every change. See Power BI consulting, Microsoft Fabric consulting, Power BI and Dynamics 365 integration, and the ERP comparison in Business Central vs SAP vs NetSuite. For an example, see the anonymized engagement SAP reports converted to Power BI for an aerospace manufacturer. Related answers: role-based executive dashboards, consolidating reporting tools into Power BI and AI and machine learning in Power BI.
Primary sources
- SAP HANA database connector — Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-11-07
- Use the SAP BW connector in Power BI Desktop — Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-11-07
- Mirroring for SAP in Microsoft Fabric — Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-11-07
- SAP Table connector overview (Fabric Data Factory) — Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-11-07
- What is an on-premises data gateway? — Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-11-07
- Salesforce Objects connector — Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-11-07
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can help with integrating Power BI with SAP and other ERPs?
EPC Group, a Microsoft consulting firm founded in 1997, integrates Power BI with SAP and other ERPs. The work is choosing the connection path for each source (SAP HANA, SAP BW, SAP tables or SAP Datasphere), reconciling the numbers against the ERP, and publishing one governed semantic model that finance, sales and operations all use.
Can Power BI connect directly to SAP?
Yes. Power BI has an SAP HANA connector that supports Import and DirectQuery in Power BI Desktop, and an SAP BW connector; Microsoft notes that version 1.0 of the SAP BW connector is deprecated and new connections use Implementation 2.0. In Power Query Online the SAP HANA connector requires an on-premises data gateway (Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-11-07).
Should SAP data go through Microsoft Fabric instead of straight into Power BI?
Often, when several SAP and non-SAP sources must be joined. Fabric Data Factory has an SAP Table connector for ABAP-based SAP systems, and Fabric Mirroring for SAP lands data in OneLake through SAP Datasphere replication flows. Landing the data once and modeling it once keeps every report on the same numbers.
How do you build unified analytics across CRM, ERP, and marketing platforms?
Bring each source in through its own connector (Dataverse for Dynamics 365, Salesforce Objects for Salesforce, Google Analytics for GA4), then agree shared definitions for customer, product, date and organization so the sources join cleanly. One semantic model with row-level security then serves every department.
How do you make sure Power BI numbers match SAP?
Reconcile before launch: tie report totals to the ERP's own financial reports for the same period, company code and currency, document every difference, and keep the reconciliation as a repeatable check after each change. EPC Group treats a dashboard that does not tie out as unfinished.
Talk to a senior architect
A one-hour scoping call with a senior EPC Group architect covers your SAP landscape, the other systems that have to join it, and which reports must tie out first. Email contact@epcgroup.net or call 888-381-9725.
Documented and anonymized engagements
Named engagements come first; anonymized summaries follow under the anonymized-engagement rule — the client is not named and every statement is EPC-reported. Documents behind named engagements are in the Evidence Center.
- Town of Prosper, Texas — Power BI data project (2024)Town of Prosper, Texas · 2024 · Contracted
- Smarter Balanced (University of California, Santa Cruz) — Power BI consulting and development with Power BI Embedded (2023)Smarter Balanced (University of California, Santa Cruz) · 2023 · Contracted
- Haskell (The Haskell Company) — Power BI Report Server to Power BI Service migration (2019)Haskell (The Haskell Company) · 2019 · Contracted — countersigned
- Power BI Weld QA/QC and Fabric: Industrial Contractor (2026)Anonymized engagement summary · Industrial construction contractor · 2026
- Synapse to Microsoft Fabric Migration: Retailer (2026)Anonymized engagement summary · Multi-location specialty retailer · 2026
- Azure Data Warehouse and Power BI: Medical Devices (2025)Anonymized engagement summary · Medical device manufacturer · 2025
- Data Warehouse and Partner Power BI: Healthcare (2025)Anonymized engagement summary · Healthcare services company working with partner clinics · 2025
- Power BI and Copilot Training: Truck Dealer Group (2023–25)Anonymized engagement summary · Commercial truck dealership group · 2023–2025Engagement phase: Power BI support (2023 to 2024) and a Copilot for Power BI training curriculum (2025); the number of people trained is not reported
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