guide · datev & power bi

DATEV data in Power BI — connection, data model, dashboard

Getting DATEV data cleanly into Power BI is not a configuration step but data modelling — this page covers where it tends to get stuck in practice, plus three sample dashboards. Every figure on it is made up, not real client data.

Where it usually goes wrong in practice

Not the idea — the interfaces and the data model. DATEV delivers postings, chart of accounts and cost centres in its own logic; Power BI expects a clean, relational data model underneath. Let the two meet unfiltered, and you get a dashboard that looks arithmetically correct and is still wrong — because accounts get double-counted, periods get cut off in the wrong place, or cost centres don't line up properly. That's exactly where the craft is: build the data model right once, and everything after that runs on its own.

Connecting DATEV data

The starting point is always the DATEV data that already exists — postings, chart of accounts, cost centres, available through different export routes depending on which DATEV product is in use. That data gets prepared for Power BI and refreshed on a regular schedule, instead of being exported once and left to go stale. The result: numbers that already hold true the next morning, instead of being pieced together by hand at month end.

Power BI with any common ERP system

The same principle isn't limited to DATEV. Power BI can generally be connected to any common ERP system — through SQL databases, APIs, OData interfaces or structured exports. SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Sage are named here as examples of common systems, not as past client projects — the connection principle stays the same, only the details differ by system.

Three more sample dashboards

How a Power BI dashboard puts that into practice day to day is shown by three further examples — liquidity, sales and service. Same rule here: every figure is made up, not real business data.

sample · cash flow planning

Liquidity

sampleinflowsoutflowsaccount balance12 months

Made-up figures: inflows and outflows vary month to month, and the account balance runs through a low in February to €280k by year end — an example of what a cash flow plan can look like in Power BI, not actual figures from a real business.

sample · sales & order intake

Sales

sampleorder intakeprevious yearrolling 3-month average

Made-up figures: order intake in the (fictional) current year runs about 10% ahead of the previous year, and the rolling 3-month average sits at €181k in March, dips to €171k in September and peaks at €199k in November — exactly the kind of dip a monthly bar on its own hides. A sample layout, not real sales figures.

sample · service & ticket quality

Service

sampletickets per monthfirst-fix ratetarget 80%

Made-up ticket volume alongside a first-fix rate that climbs from 61% in January to 83% in December and crosses the 80% target line in autumn — again a sample layout, not a real service statistic.

How the connection actually runs

A DATEV connection follows the same rhythm as any other project here: a working first version after two weeks, then extended step by step rather than planned as a months-long project. What a live dashboard with actuals, plan and forecast looks like across a year is shown on the sample dashboard on the homepage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which DATEV programs can be connected to Power BI?

The common DATEV accounting programs, such as DATEV Kanzlei-Rechnungswesen or DATEV Mittelstand Faktura mit Rechnungswesen. The starting point is always the postings, chart of accounts and cost centres, available through different export routes depending on the program in use.

Do you need DATEVconnect or a special interface for this?

Not necessarily one fixed interface — what matters is which export route is available for the DATEV program in use, and how the data is then prepared for a relational model. That gets worked out in the first conversation, based on the actual DATEV setup.

How often does the data in the dashboard refresh?

Regularly rather than once — daily or weekly is typical, depending on how often new postings come in. What matters is that the refresh runs automatically, instead of numbers being pieced together by hand every month.

What does a DATEV-to-Power-BI connection cost?

That depends on the DATEV program in use and the number of data sources involved — a solid figure can only be given after a short first conversation. As with any other project here, the price is agreed before the work starts.

Does this work without DATEV, for example with SAP or Sage?

Yes — the connection principle stays the same, only the export routes differ by system. SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Sage can be connected to Power BI just like DATEV.

Digitalbucht is the sole proprietorship of Emil Deak, based in Wülfrath, Germany. No team, no agency, no layer in between — the reason for short paths, and equally the limit of what can run in parallel.

Next: How We Work & Pricing or Introducing AI in Your Business.

Last updated: august 2026

request a quote

One dashboard, one conversation.

DATEV integration or a different ERP system — two sentences about the systems involved are enough as a starting point. We usually reply within one working day.