6 Simple and Secure Ways to Share Power BI Reports

Microsoft Power BI is the go-to Business Intelligence tool for transforming raw data into actionable insights through visually immersive and interactive reports.

By connecting disparate data sources—ranging from Excel spreadsheets and cloud-based databases to on-premises hybrid data warehouses—Power BI enables organizations to create coherent data models, uncover key insights, and foster collaboration through seamless sharing of reports and dashboards.

In this article, we’ll focus on how to share Power BI reports effectively, leveraging its features to drive collaboration and informed decision-making within your organization.

Share Within Power BI: Native Collaboration

How It Works

Power BI makes it simple to share reports directly from your dashboard. Using the “Share” feature, you can email links to colleagues or set permissions for accessing reports.

Steps to Share

1. Log in to your Power BI account.

2. Open the desired report and click the “Share” button.

3. Enter recipients’ email addresses and adjust permissions (e.g., allow sharing or editing).

4. Send the link.

Benefits

• Keeps data secure within Power BI.

• Easy for team members to access data in one central location.

• Allows detailed control over Zuser permissions.

Limitations

• Requires all participants to have a Power BI Pro license or access via Premium workspaces.

• Limited to 1,000 sharing links per report.

• Reports from Power BI Report Server cannot be shared using this method.

Integrate Power BI with Microsoft Teams

How It Works

If your organization uses Microsoft Teams, you can add Power BI tabs directly into your channels for easy sharing and collaboration.

Steps to Share

1.Open Microsoft Teams and click the “+” icon in your desired channel.

2.Add a Power BI tab and paste the link to the report, app, or scorecard.

3.Save the settings to make the content accessible to your team.

Benefits

• Enables real-time discussions around shared data.

• Consolidates tools by integrating Power BI directly into your communication platform.

Limitations

• Only works for users with proper licensing.

• Dashboards cannot be shared in Teams, only reports, apps, and scorecards.

• Users must manually locate reports within Teams.

Publish Power BI Apps

How It Works

Power BI apps allow you to package multiple reports, dashboards, and datasets for easy sharing with larger audiences.

Steps to Share

1. Create a shared workspace in Power BI and upload your content.

2. Click “Create App” in the workspace and customize it with a name, logo, and theme.

3. Define audiences and permissions for each user group.

4. Publish the app and share the link.

Benefits

• Enables targeted access by setting permissions for specific user groups.

• Ideal for large teams and organizations.

• Centralized access to multiple reports and dashboards.

Limitations

• Requires Pro licenses for all users or Premium capacity for the workspace.

• Users need to download and install the app on their devices, which may reduce adoption.

Embed Power BI Reports in Websites, Portals, or SharePoint

How It Works

Embedding Power BI reports allows you to integrate them into external tools like SharePoint, Jira, or websites.

Steps to Share

1. Open your report in Power BI Service.

2. Navigate to File > Embed report > Website or portal.

3. Copy the embed link or HTML code and paste it into your target platform.

Benefits

• Streamlines access by embedding reports in platforms your team already uses.

• Allows interactive data sharing with external audiences.

Limitations

• Public embedding lacks data security unless used with proper access controls.

• Some platforms may have limited integration capabilities.

Export Reports to Static Formats

How It Works

For users who don’t need interactive features, you can export Power BI reports as PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, or Excel files.

Steps to Share

1. In Power BI Service, click Export and select your preferred format (e.g., PDF, PowerPoint).

2. Share the exported file via email or cloud storage.

Benefits

• Does not require recipients to have a Power BI license.

• Ideal for one-time sharing of static insights.

Limitations

• Loses interactivity and live data updates.

• Not suitable for real-time decision-making.

Displaying Power BI Reports on Digital Signage with Pickcel

As seen in the methods discussed above, sharing Power BI reports can be a cumbersome process. By integrating Power BI reports into digital signage, you can streamline real-time data visibility across multiple locations without concerns about licenses or other challenges.

Pickcel’s digital signage software offers seamless integration with Power BI, enabling you to display interactive and up-to-date reports on your digital screens.

Steps to Integrate Power BI with Pickcel:

1. Connect Power BI to Pickcel:

In the Pickcel dashboard, go to Apps and select Power BI and click on Create App. Sign in to your Power BI account to link it securely.

2. Choose Your Report:

Select a Group and Power-Bi report:

Choose the group where your reports are organized and then select the specific report you want to display.

3. Decide how you want your Power BI report to be displayed:

Single Page Display → Default Page:

Choose one specific page from the dropdown.

Note: You can manually switch between pages by clicking on the page names in the Power BI navigation menu at the bottom of the screen later.

or

Multiple Page Display → Slideshow Mode:

Enable slideshow mode to automatically cycle through all pages and set the display duration in seconds.

Create & Deploy:

• Create App:

Click “Create App” to save your Power BI app settings in Pickcel.

• Assign to Screens:

Select the screens to display your Power BI report.

Here is a step-by-step guide that walks you through how to use the Power BI app with Pickcel?.

Bonus: Utilize Pickcel’s layout designer to craft visually engaging displays. Seamlessly integrate your Power BI reports with images, videos, and text for an enhanced viewer experience.

Benefits of Using Pickcel for Power BI Reports:

1. Real-Time Data Display:

Showcase live data feeds from Power BI digital signage, ensuring that your audience has access to the most current information.

2. Enhanced Visual Communication:

Transform complex data into engaging visuals, making it easier for viewers to comprehend insights.

3. Secure and Reliable:

Pickcel ensures secure data connections with encryption and regular security audits, maintaining the integrity of your information.

By leveraging the various sharing methods available in Power BI, organizations can effectively distribute their data insights while maintaining security and control. Whether through native collaboration features, Microsoft Teams integration, or digital signage solutions like Pickcel, there’s a sharing approach suitable for every business need and audience. The key is to select the method that best aligns with your organization’s requirements for accessibility, interactivity, and data security.