r/PowerBI • u/Rare-Cattle606 • 4d ago
Question Scheduled excel export
Is it possible to schedule an excel export directly from powerBI ?
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u/puppyyawn 4d ago
Use Power Bi Report Builder to create the report, publish. Set up a subscription that exports in into Excel. Can have delivery by email or directly into a SharePoint folder.
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u/feignapathy 4d ago
I haven't had much success with it, but you can link an Excel file to a power bi data set. And set it up on a refresh schedule.
My issue in going down this path is the scheduled refresh didn't work. I had to manually refresh it myself.
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u/IamTDR0518 4d ago
Could you setup the file to refresh upon opening?
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u/feignapathy 4d ago
I think there was an option for a triggered refresh as well. I didn't try it.
I just showed my end users how to export a Power BI table at their own discretion.
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u/IamTDR0518 4d ago
I had luck connecting the model to an excel file and setting the model to refresh upon opening.
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u/mr_itchey 4d ago
I have a power automate flow that does this. Automated Dax query exports a table to csv. CSV is then saved to a share point.
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u/No_Smell_6712 4d ago
Dax query? In excel?
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u/mr_itchey 4d ago
Not in excel, but to get the data out of powerbi.
In power automate you use the Run a query against a dataset action. In the parameters you can define the query and the dataset to run against. Next action is to create a CSV table in the from field, add the first table rows action. Then decide where to create the file.
You could use the get data from power platform in excel to insert a connected table. After inserted, any changes to the query like added fields would need to be done through Dax in the table settings. So I guess, sort of using Dax in excel.
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u/Swandraga 4d ago
Power Automate can do this. Run a query against a dataset - (select the workspace and dataset/report) in power bi desktop you want to build the table, go to performance analyser, refresh the visuals, then copy the dax instructions and paste it into the box on power automate. Then next step, create CSV using first table rows from the previous step. Then finally if you want to email, send an email (v2). Obviously you need your dataset refreshed before this is scheduled to run.
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u/Temporary_Sky1340 20h ago
But many users are not happy with csv files
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u/Swandraga 13h ago
I’m not happy building a dashboard that gets ignored and only used to send out csv files. So it evens out ;)
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u/JCwhatimsayin 4d ago
In short, not directly from PowerBI. My path is: Semantic model in the service >> Paginated Report >> Power Automate >> Sharepoint Folder.
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u/Gullible_Discount977 1 4d ago
Couldn't you give someone permissions to connect to a semantic model via Excel? (There are a few permissions and settings that need to be set up.) We do this with really gung-ho stakeholders and they love it. Because there's not even a need to go through the download process at that point. Just refresh data in Excel. Boom. Same data that's in the report. Of course, I'm making some assumptions here—namely that your semantic model is in a good state for end users to spelunk.
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u/Dangerous_Cup3607 4d ago edited 4d ago
Excel -> Insert Pivot Table -> From PBI -> Insert Table.
- You can grant end-user PBI data level access, and they can refresh the data manually or automatically upon opening excel and providing credential.
- OR
Use of PowerAutomate to grab the PBI data into sharepoint and excel files.
Then from there trigger GraphAPI email and send as html with attachment.
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u/IssyDealmeida 2d ago
Easiest way to do this is with Claude, add the power automate skill, put the powerbi file in a pbip folder format, share that with Claude, explain what you want to export, it can also do the formatting so the email has a nice visual summary with an excel file attached
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u/Temporary_Sky1340 20h ago
Once I tried with Power automate but the result of the xls output was poor. No formatting, very basic file. Then I switch to paginated report, I was able to put many tables in separate and properly formatted sheets, which also I could name. In some cases I did conditional formating on cells etc. I'm sending them out via email because that was the request. Customers are very happy with the results.
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u/Remote-Factor-7388 4d ago
I can show u my flow . Its simple, used power automate for that. Now i am running 8 automation to be sent for the wanted audience
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u/BorisHorace 4 4d ago
Your main options are Power Automate or Paginated Reports. There are pros and cons to both.
If it’s a simple table export, you don’t need parameters, and you don’t care about formatting, making a paginated report using the web GUI and then setting up a subscription is probably the easiest path.