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Sylus vs Microsoft Copilot: which one fits your team?
Microsoft Copilot answers questions about data already in Power BI or Fabric. Sylus connects directly to all your business systems, Microsoft or not, with no Fabric project first.
How the two tools compare on the things that matter to teams who just want answers from their data.
Who it’s built for
Teams already running Power BI or Microsoft Fabric, with someone who builds and maintains the data models
Execs, managers and business teams who want answers without a data team in the middle
Where your data needs to be
In a Power BI semantic model, or in Fabric OneLake (lakehouse, warehouse, KQL database or mirrored database)
Where it already is. Sylus connects directly to your systems
Systems it covers
Anything you’ve brought into Power BI or Fabric. Copilot in Business Central covers Business Central data
Accounting, ERP, CRM, POS, e-commerce, ad platforms and databases, with 500+ one-click connectors, Microsoft systems included
Setup before the first answer
Build the semantic model or Fabric tables. Microsoft recommends “Prep data for AI” (AI data schema, verified answers, AI instructions) to improve Copilot’s answers
Connect your systems. Sylus reads your schema and metadata and builds its own semantic layer of your business
What you need to buy
A paid Fabric capacity (F2 or higher) or Power BI Premium (P1 or higher). Pro or Premium Per User licenses alone and trial capacities don’t include Copilot
Custom quote based on how many data sources you connect and what types they are, with unlimited users and a free 30-day proof of concept
Checking the answer
Answers come from DAX, SQL or KQL that Copilot generates
Every answer shows the SQL query behind it
Dashboards and reports
Copilot can create report pages and summaries inside Power BI
Generate an entire dashboard from one prompt, then schedule reports to email or Slack and get alerts when a metric moves
Security
Microsoft cloud with tenant governance, Purview policies, and row-level security on semantic models
SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, role-based permissions on every query, read-only connections, and self-hosted deployment in select cases
Microsoft, Copilot, Power BI and Fabric are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Comparison based on Microsoft’s public documentation as of October 2026; features and licensing may change. Last updated October 2026, reviewed by Huzaifa Hameed, Founder.
Sources (Microsoft Learn): Enable Copilot for Power BI · Fabric data agents · Prepare your data for AI · Chat with Copilot in Business Central
Where Sylus is the better fit than Microsoft Copilot
Your data isn’t all in Microsoft. Sylus connects directly to your ERP, CRM, accounting, POS, e-commerce and ad platforms, so you don’t have to pipe everything into Fabric first.
You don’t have a BI team to model the data. Copilot’s answers depend on a well-built semantic model. Sylus builds its own semantic layer of your business from your schema and metadata.
You want more than chat. Generate a full dashboard from one prompt, schedule it to email or Slack, and get alerts when a metric spikes or drops.
You want to check every number. Every Sylus answer shows the SQL behind it, so your finance or data team can verify how it was calculated.
Describe what you want to track and let Sylus generate a custom dashboard for you in minutes.
Both are good tools. They’re built for different people and different ways of working.
Choose Microsoft Copilot if
Microsoft Copilot
You’ve already invested in Power BI or Fabric, with well-modeled semantic models and a team to maintain them.
Your company runs on Microsoft 365, and you want answers inside Power BI, Teams and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
You’re already paying for Fabric or Power BI Premium capacity.
Everything you need is in one Microsoft system, like Business Central, whose built-in Copilot can find records and run quick analysis.
Choose Sylus if
Sylus
Your data lives across many tools, Microsoft and non-Microsoft.
Your execs and managers need answers without waiting on a data team.
You want dashboards, scheduled reports and alerts, not just chat.
You want to try it free on your own data for 30 days before you commit.
Can you use both? Yes. Sylus connects to Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Excel Online, so teams that keep Power BI for analyst-built reports can use Sylus for everyone else.
Your data is in safe hands
This includes state-of-the-art encryption, safe and reliable infrastructure partners, and independently verified security controls.
SOC 2 Type II compliant
Sylus has undergone a Service Organization Controls audit (SOC 2 Type II)
HIPAA compliant
Privacy & security measures to ensure that PHI is appropriately safeguarded.
Permissions & governance
Provision users, enforce permissions, & implement robust governance.
IP protection policy
Neither Sylus nor our model partners train models on customer data.
Self-hosted deployment
In select cases, deploy in your own air-gapped environment.
Secure connections
SSL and pass-through OAuth available.
