# How to connect Power BI to ECI JobBOSS2

> Source: https://netray.co/integrations/jobboss-power-bi
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Integrations

## Short answer

Connect Power BI to JobBOSS2 by pointing it at read-only SQL Server views, ideally on a reporting copy, using the on-premises data gateway for scheduled refresh. Build dashboards for on-time delivery, WIP, work center load and job profitability, then layer natural-language Q&A on top.

## System

ECI JobBOSS2

## Capability

power-bi

## Intro

JobBOSS2 ships with standard reports, and many shops add Crystal or SSRS reports on top. These answer fixed questions well. Power BI is what people reach for when the owner wants to slice on-time delivery by customer and process, or the scheduler wants to see load by work center for the next eight weeks in one view.

Because the data sits in SQL Server, the connection is generally simple. The hard part is the model: turning operational tables into a clean star schema with the dates, flags and measures that make numbers trustworthy.

This page covers the connection patterns, the dashboards worth building first, and what to add once the basics are stable.

## Use Cases

### On-time delivery by customer and process

**Description:** Compare promised and actual ship dates from delivery records, with drill-down to the late jobs and the operation that held them.

### WIP and backlog

**Description:** Open job value and remaining hours by work center and week, to see where the queue is building.

### Estimate versus actual

**Description:** Hours and material by operation on closed jobs, highlighting where quotes are consistently off.

### Quote funnel

**Description:** Quotes issued, won and lost by customer, material and size, with turnaround time.

### Purchasing performance

**Description:** Vendor on-time rate, open PO value and lead time drift by vendor.

### Utilisation and scrap

**Description:** Booked hours against capacity by work center, plus rework and scrap time where captured.

## System Surface

- SQL Server is the main path. Power BI's SQL Server connector can use Import or DirectQuery against views over tables like Job, Job_Operation, Delivery, Material_Req and PO_Header (names vary by version).
- On-premises data gateway: required for scheduled refresh from a database that is not reachable from the Power BI service. Install it on a server that can see SQL Server.
- A reporting replica or nightly copy of the database protects the production system from heavy queries and lets you build a cleaner model.
- JobBOSS2 exports to Excel or CSV can feed small dashboards, but they are manual and error-prone for anything recurring.
- If a cloud edition limits direct database access, ask ECI about supported data access or reporting feeds.

## How It Works

### Choose the data path

**Detail:** Prefer a reporting database refreshed nightly or hourly. If you must read production, use a read-only login and schedule refreshes outside shift hours.

### Build views for facts and dimensions

**Detail:** Create fact views for jobs, operations, deliveries and POs, and dimension views for customers, work centers, parts and calendar.

### Install the gateway

**Detail:** Set up the on-premises data gateway in standard mode, register the data source and configure refresh credentials.

### Model in Power BI

**Detail:** Define relationships, a date table, and measures for on-time percentage, hours variance and WIP. Keep the logic in DAX measures with clear names.

### Build three dashboards first

**Detail:** On-time delivery, WIP by work center and estimate versus actual. Validate each against known JobBOSS2 reports before sharing.

### Set row-level security

**Detail:** Limit sales people to their customers and keep cost and margin visible only to leadership.

### Add natural-language Q&A

**Detail:** Use Power BI's Q&A or Copilot features where licensed, and add a model with synonyms. For on-prem needs, a private assistant can query the same views.

## Example Flows

### Weekly capacity review

**Trigger:** Monday planning meeting.

**Steps:**

- Dashboard refreshes overnight through the gateway.
- Planner opens the work center load page for the next eight weeks.
- Overloaded cells are highlighted against available hours.
- Planner drills into the jobs driving the overload and decides on overtime or outsourcing.

**Result:** Decisions come from one shared view rather than separate spreadsheets.

### Customer on-time scorecard

**Trigger:** A customer questions delivery performance.

**Steps:**

- Open the on-time report filtered to that customer.
- Review the last 12 months by month and process.
- Export the late jobs with reasons recorded.

**Result:** A factual conversation backed by delivery records.

## On Prem

Power BI Desktop and the on-premises gateway let you keep the database inside your network while publishing reports to the Power BI service, which does store the imported data in the cloud. If that is not acceptable, Power BI Report Server is an on-premises option that keeps datasets and reports on your own servers, though it has fewer features than the service. For natural-language questions without cloud processing, a private model can query the same reporting views on a local server and answer in a chat window, leaving Power BI for the standard dashboards.

## Security

- Use a read-only SQL login for the gateway data source, limited to reporting views.
- Apply row-level security in the semantic model, and test it with 'view as role'.
- Hide cost, margin and rate columns from roles that should not see them.
- Control workspace access by group, and avoid sharing by link for sensitive dashboards.
- Review whether imported data in the Power BI service is acceptable for any controlled technical or customer-restricted information.

## Options

### Direct SQL views to Power BI

**Fit:** Fine for small shops with a single database and basic reporting needs.

**Effort:** 1 to 2 weeks for first dashboards

### Reporting database or warehouse

**Fit:** Better for larger data, multi-site shops and consistent definitions. Protects production performance.

**Effort:** 3 to 6 weeks

### Partner such as Netray or a JobBOSS2 reporting consultant

**Fit:** Helps when you want the model built correctly and a private natural-language layer added alongside.

**Effort:** A few weeks for a scoped build

## Pitfalls

- Pointing DirectQuery at production at 8 AM and slowing the shop floor.
- Using raw tables with inconsistent status flags, so WIP and open job counts disagree with JobBOSS2.
- Not defining on-time precisely: promised date, customer date or revised date.
- Skipping the date table, leaving time intelligence broken.
- Publishing cost data in a workspace that sales staff can open.

## Faq

### Do I need a data gateway for JobBOSS2 and Power BI?

**Answer:** If SQL Server is on your network and you want scheduled refresh in the Power BI service, yes. The gateway runs on a server that can reach the database. Desktop-only use does not need it, but cannot refresh on a schedule.

### Import or DirectQuery?

**Answer:** Import is usually better for job shops: faster visuals and no load on production during use. DirectQuery gives fresher data but can strain the database. A reporting replica with Import and frequent refresh balances both.

### Can I connect Power BI to the JobBOSS2 cloud edition?

**Answer:** That depends on what ECI exposes for your subscription, such as reporting access or an API. Ask ECI what data access is supported before designing around direct SQL.

### Can we ask questions in plain English?

**Answer:** Power BI has a Q&A feature and Copilot in some licences, which work best on a clean model with good naming. For an on-prem option, a private assistant over the same views can answer questions without sending data to a cloud service.

### Why do Power BI numbers differ from JobBOSS2 reports?

**Answer:** Usually due to different status filters, date definitions or how closed and partially shipped jobs are treated. Reconcile each measure against a known report and document the definition.

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