Strategic partnership
Analytics for LS Central, delivered by Hopton.
BC4 builds Analytics for LS Central - a purpose-built reporting and analytics layer for retailers running LS Central on Business Central. Hopton Analytics implements, configures and supports it for retailers across the UK as BC4s strategic partner.
Talk to us about LS Central analyticsAre you getting the most out of your LS Central data?
Most retailers on LS Central have more data than they are using. Sales by store, by category, by hour. Stock levels, supplier performance, loyalty activity. It is all there, but getting it into a usable report usually means exporting to Excel, waiting for IT, or working with a generic Power BI setup that was never built for retail.
Analytics for LS Central changes that. It connects directly to your LS Central data and gives you pre-built retail dashboards that are ready to use from day one, with the flexibility to extend them as your needs grow.
Why we partnered
Purpose-built retail analytics, not adapted from something else.
Most analytics projects for retailers start with a blank canvas - a data warehouse to design, pipelines to build, reports to spec out. That works, but it takes time and money, and the first version rarely gets retail right out of the box. BC4 solved that problem by building Analytics for LS Central from the ground up, specifically for the data model that LS Central produces.
We partnered with BC4 because the product is the right answer for a specific, common problem - and because it fits the way we like to work. We implement it properly, we train your team to use it, and we are there when you need to extend it.
About BC4
Who is BC4?
BC4 is a software company specialising in analytics and reporting for Microsoft Business Central and LS Central. Their flagship product, Analytics for LS Central, is used by retailers across Europe to get store-level, category-level and operational reporting directly from their LS Central data.
Hopton Analytics is BC4s strategic partner in the UK, responsible for sales, implementation, configuration, training and ongoing support for UK retailers adopting the product.
Who it is for
Built for retailers on LS Central.
Multi-site retailers
You run more than one store and need to compare performance across locations without pulling data from different places.
Retail finance and operations teams
You need accurate, timely reporting on sales, margin, stock and waste without relying on IT to export it for you.
Businesses moving off spreadsheets
Your Monday morning trading meeting still runs on an Excel file someone built three years ago. It is time to replace it.
LS Central users wanting more from their data
You have the data in LS Central. You are just not getting it out in a way that helps you make decisions faster.
See the kind of reporting Analytics for LS Central makes possible:
What we do
What Hopton delivers as BC4s strategic partner.
We handle everything from initial scoping through to go-live and beyond. You get one team responsible for the full outcome.
Implementation and configuration
We connect Analytics for LS Central to your data, configure the dashboards for your business, and make sure everything is accurate before anyone signs off on it.
Training and enablement
We train your finance, ops and trading teams to use the dashboards confidently - not just how to click around, but how to get answers to the questions that matter.
Custom extensions
When the standard dashboards need to go further - more dimensions, bespoke KPIs, integration with other data sources - we build it.
Ongoing support
We are there when something changes - a new store, a restructured chart of accounts, a question about a number. You have a team who knows your setup.
How it works
From scoping to live reporting in weeks.
Discovery and scoping
We spend time understanding your business, your reporting needs, and what good looks like for your team. We confirm what Analytics for LS Central covers out of the box and where we need to extend it.
Connection and configuration
We connect the product to your LS Central environment, configure the data model for your structure, and set up the dashboards with your dimensions, store hierarchy and KPI definitions.
Validation
We check the numbers against your source system and sign them off with your finance team before anything goes live. If it does not match, we find out why.
Training and handover
We train your team on the dashboards and hand over documentation. You leave knowing how to use it, how to maintain it, and who to call if you need help.
Ongoing support
We stay involved. New stores, structural changes, additional reporting needs - we handle them as part of a continuing relationship, not a new project each time.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a separate Power BI licence to use Analytics for LS Central?
You will need Power BI licences for the people who use the dashboards. The product sits on top of Power BI, so standard Pro or Premium per user licences apply. We can advise on the most cost-effective licensing approach for your team size.
How long does implementation take?
A standard implementation typically takes four to six weeks from kickoff to live reporting. More complex configurations - multiple retail formats, bespoke extensions, large store counts - take longer. We will give you a realistic timeline after the discovery session.
We already have some Power BI reporting. Can Analytics for LS Central sit alongside it?
Yes. The product does not replace your existing Power BI estate - it adds a pre-built, LS Central-specific layer. We can integrate it with existing reports and semantic models where it makes sense to do so.
Is this only for large retailers?
No. The product works well for retailers with a handful of stores through to larger multi-site operations. If you are running LS Central and want better reporting, it is worth a conversation regardless of size.
Also explore
Related resources
Business Central Analytics
Reporting and analytics for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central across finance, operations and supply chain.
DemoRetail analytics dashboard
See an example of the kind of store-level reporting Analytics for LS Central makes possible.
PartnersHopton Alliance
How we work with technology partners and ERP consultancies to deliver analytics alongside wider programmes.
Get started
Want better reporting from LS Central?
Tell us about your current setup and what you need to report on. We will tell you what Analytics for LS Central covers, what we would need to configure, and what a realistic timeline looks like.
Last reviewed September 2026