Automating the export of Power BI dashboards can significantly enhance your reporting capabilities. Microsoft Power Automate, previously known as Microsoft Flow, is designed to facilitate this by linking different applications and platforms. This versatile tool enables users to create workflows quickly, utilizing both pre-built templates and custom settings, thus allowing for the effortless export of dashboards or reports in various formats such as PDF, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Within organizations, Power BI reports are distributed via the Power BI service (Cloud environment), requiring all recipients to hold the necessary licenses to view the shared content. Through Power Automate, these exported reports can be conveniently delivered to both internal and external users on a scheduled basis and in different formats.
What is Power BI
Power BI is a robust tool that enables the creation of high-level analytical dashboards in real-time, offering an enhanced data modeling experience compared to Excel. Its capabilities include efficient handling of large datasets, ETL processes, logical functions, and a diverse array of visuals all while providing a superior user interface. Power BI leverages advanced compression algorithms to import and store data, enabling analysis and visualization of extensive datasets that are cumbersome to handle in Microsoft Excel. Unlike Excel, which is limited in scale, Power BI allows detailed and summary reports to co-exist within a single file without the need for downsizing datasets.
One of Power BI's standout features is its ability to integrate various data sources. You can import data from multiple origins, performing all ETL operations and data modeling directly within Power BI via Power Query. This simplifies the modeling process, eliminating the need for preliminary integrations in native systems.
What is Power Automate
Power Automate is an automation platform created by Microsoft that empowers users to streamline everyday tasks through automation. It caters to various professionals across departments like IT, Marketing, Finance, and HR, allowing them to leverage automation easily. This tool enables everyone to build automated workflows using simple drag-and-drop functionalities along with an extensive selection of pre-built connectors that can automate repetitive tasks seamlessly. It enhances operational efficiency by visualizing processes and offering data-driven suggestions for crafting automated workflows.
For instance, with Power Automate, you can set up a flow to dispatch alert emails whenever a new row appears in a SharePoint list, which might be linked to a ticketing system generating entries for new tickets. Additionally, you can save all email attachments into cloud storage using this tool, showcasing its limitless capabilities.
Power Automate Connectors
Power Automate features hundreds of pre-built connectors, frequently updated to introduce new ones.
Features of Power Automate
Automation tool requiring little to no coding
Secure cloud-based solution
Extensive library of pre-built connectors
Access to ready-to-use template flows
Peek Code functionality
Expressions for dynamic content
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) capabilities
AI Builder integration
Now, let's dive into the practical steps for exporting Power BI reports to various recipients via email.
How to Export Power BI Dashboards using Power Automate
Step 1: Start by designing your report in Power BI Desktop and add the Power Automate visual to the page.
Step 2: Click on the ellipses of the Power Automate visual to modify its settings.
Step 3: Select "New" in the top left to initiate an instant cloud flow.
Step 4: Search for the Power BI connector, then select "Power BI button clicked" as your trigger.
Step 5: In the next step, search for the Power BI connector again and select "Export to file for Power BI reports" as your action.
Step 6: Complete the required details in the actions: - Workspace - where the report is hosted in the service - Report - Name of the report - Export Format - PDF
Step 7: Add a new step, search for Gmail or Outlook, and select "Send email" to set up your action.
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Click "Advanced options" and add attachments using dynamic content.
Finally, save the flow and test it. Arrange the visual as desired and run the flow to trigger the action, resulting in an email being sent to designated users.
Licenses Required
This functionality requires Power BI PPU.
Conclusion
We have illustrated how to export and share Power BI reports with internal and external users (who do not need Active Directory accounts) using Power Automate activated by a button. Additionally, this process can be automated by scheduling the flow. By incorporating more steps, you can customize your flow to better align with your business objectives.
