Below are the steps to configure report exports in Power BI:
- Navigate to the Power BI report you wish to configure for export.
- At the top-right corner of the report, find and click the “Export” button. A drop-down menu will appear with options to export to PDF, PowerPoint or Excel (data format).
- Before choosing an export format, optimize your report layout for exporting. Understand that the view designed for interactive on-screen viewing may not render optimally in static presentation or data formats.
- Make sure all visuals in the report fit within the report canvas. Anything going outside the designed canvas will get cut off in the exported file.
- Remember to choose an export format that could support your data structure. While PowerPoint and PDF exports will give image-of-page views of your report pages, Excel format exports the raw data underlying your visuals.
- Once satisfied with your report layout, return to the “Export” button, select your export format.
PowerBI initiates the export process and the exported file is ready for download within a few seconds to minutes, depending on the complexity and size of the report.
Performing an Export in Power BI
Exporting a report in Power BI is quite straightforward. Follow these steps to perform an export:
- Open the Power BI report you’d like to export.
- Click the “File” tab located on the upper left corner.
- From the drop-down menu, select “Export Report”.
- A sidebar menu will appear with two options – “Export to PDF” and “Export to PowerPoint”. PDF exports the report in a document format while PowerPoint exports the report in a presentation format.
- Choose the desired export format and a dialogue box will appear asking to confirm your choice.
- Confirm your selection and the export process begins. Once the export is complete, the exported file will automatically download to your system.
Remember, these exported files are static data presentations, meaning interactive features from the original report like filters or drill-through will not be available in these formats.
In Summary
In the course of your role as a data analyst using Power BI, you’ll often need to grant access to your reports outside the Power BI platform. Configuring export settings and performing exports allows you to share your reports in user-friendly formats for a non-techie audience, ensuring seamless data-driven decision processes.
While sharing an entire workspace can overload users with too much information, configuring your reports for optimal export and sharing only necessary data helps keep all stakeholders focused on the key insights drawn from your analysis. The PL-300 Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst exam requires an understanding of these necessary skills, which proves your ability to share valuable insights with others effectively.
Practice Test
True or False: You can only export report content to Excel in Power BI.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Report content can be exported to multiple formats including PDF, PowerPoint, and CSV files, not just Excel.
Which of the following are steps to exporting a report in Power BI?
- A. Clicking on the File menu
- B. Clicking on Export
- C. Choosing the format to export in
- D. Renaming the report
Answer: A, B, C
Explanation: The steps to export a report in Power BI involves going to the File menu, then the Export option, then choosing the desired format. Renaming the report is not a necessary step in exporting a report.
True or False: You can not export underlying data in Power BI.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Power BI does allow the users to export underlying data.
Which of the following can be used to automate report exports in Power BI?
- A. Power BI API
- B. Power Shell
- C. Power Automate
- D. Power Query
Answer: A, B, C
Explanation: All Power BI API, Power Shell, and Power Automate can be used to automate report exports in Power BI. Power Query is a data connection technology and does not deal with exporting of data.
Which of the following file formats is not supported for report export in Power BI?
- A. PDF
- B. CSV
- C. PowerPoint
- D. Word
Answer: D.Word
Explanation: Currently, Power BI does not support export to Word. It supports export to PDF, CSV, and PowerPoint.
True or False: Power BI report exports include visualizations, data tables, and metadata.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: When exporting Power BI reports all elements, including visualizations, data tables, and metadata are included.
Is it possible to schedule the export of a report in Power BI?
- A. Yes
- B. No
Answer: A. Yes
Explanation: Using Power Automate, you can create a flow to schedule the export of a report.
True or False: Power BI does not allow exporting of reports in a non-editable format.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Power BI allows exporting reports in non-editable (PDF, PowerPoint) as well as editable formats (CSV, Excel).
Power BI limits data export based on what?
- A. The complexity of the report
- B. The number of columns in the report
- C. The number of rows in the report
- D. The overall size of the report
Answer: C. The number of rows in the report
Explanation: Power BI has a certain threshold limit for rows (usually 30,000 for Excel and 150k for CSV) above which it will not export data.
True or False: Exporting a report and exporting data from a report are the same thing in Power BI.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Exporting a report typically involves exporting the visualisations, tables, etc., while exporting data from a report seeks to only export the underlying row-level data.
Can you configure the export settings in Power BI to control what users can export?
- A. Yes
- B. No
Answer: A. Yes
Explanation: Power BI allows you to configure export settings to control data that users can export, helping to increase data security.
Which membership is required for a user to export a Power BI report?
- A. Power BI Free
- B. Power BI Premium
- C. Power BI Pro
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: As long as a user has an active Power BI membership (Free, Premium or Pro), they have the ability to export reports.
True or False: Embedded Power BI reports can be exported by users.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: When a Power BI report is embedded in another application, like Teams or SharePoint, users can still export the report if they have the necessary permissions.
Which one is not a way to automate report exports in Power BI?
- A. Power BI API
- B. Power Query
- C. Power Automate
- D. PowerShell
Answer: B. Power Query
Explanation: Power Query is a data connection technology and does not deal with exporting of data.
True or False: You can batch export multiple reports simultaneously in Power BI.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Currently, Power BI does not support batch export of multiple reports at the same time. Each report needs to be exported individually.
Interview Questions
What is the primary tool used for exporting a Power BI report?
The main tool used for exporting a Power BI report is the Power BI service.
How can a user perform an export in Power BI?
The user can perform an export in Power BI by selecting the “File” menu and then clicking on “Export to” before choosing the desired export format.
What are the different formats available for exporting data in Power BI?
The various formats available for exporting data in Power BI include PDF, PowerPoint, CSV, Excel, and more.
What is the main difference between ‘Export to PDF’ and ‘Print’ functions in Power BI?
While ‘Print’ function allows you to print the report directly, ‘Export to PDF’ allows you to save the report as a PDF file that can be shared, printed, or stored for later use.
Is there a data limit related to exporting report content in Power BI?
Yes, there is a data limit to exporting report content in Power BI. As of the moment, you can export up to 150,000 cells to a CSV file or 30,000 rows to an Excel file.
Can the data refresh be configured before exporting report content in Power BI?
Yes, data refresh can be configured before exporting the report content in the Power BI settings.
What is one way to refine export configuration in Power BI?
One way to refine export configuration in Power BI is by specifying the data range.
What does the ‘Export to PowerPoint’ function in Power BI do?
The ‘Export to PowerPoint’ function in Power BI generates a PowerPoint presentation that contains images of report pages and welcome pages for each section.
How can a user perform a detailed export of a Power BI report?
A user can perform a detailed report export in Power BI using the ‘Summarize’ tab, which allows for the selection of specific data attributes to be included in the export.
What happens when you export more data than the set limit in Power BI?
When attempting to export more data than the set limit in Power BI, the system will produce an error message and the action will fail.
Can visual-level filters be applied when exporting data from Power BI?
Yes, visual-level filters can be applied when exporting data from Power BI. The data exported will conform to the filters applied in the report.
Can exported Power BI reports be edited upon exportation?
Power BI exports cannot be edited by default. However, some formats such as Excel allow for the modification of the data after export.
Can non-Power BI users access exported Power BI reports?
Yes, non-Power BI users can access and view exported Power BI reports, as long as they have the necessary permissions to view the file format it was exported as.
Can users schedule export on Power BI?
As of now, there is no direct functionality to schedule export of reports in Power BI, although third-party services or Power Automate can be used to automate the process.
How many report pages can be exported at once in Power BI?
With the Power BI’s export feature, you can export all report pages at once.
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