How to publish a Power BI report and embed it on a website

Introduction

Power BI is a data visualization and business intelligence tool developed by Microsoft. It allows users to connect to different sources of data, analyze information, and create interactive reports and dashboards. Power BI reports can be published online and, depending on the type of embedding used, displayed on a website so that users can view the information in an interactive way.

Publishing a report makes it available through the Power BI service, while embedding allows the report to appear within another website or application.

1. Creating a Workspace

A workspace is an area in Power BI where reports, dashboards, and related data are stored and managed. Creating a workspace is an important first step before publishing a report.

Steps:

1. Sign in to Power BI.
2. Open the Workspaces section.
3. Select New workspace.
4. Enter a suitable name for the workspace.
5. Select Create or Apply.
6. The new workspace will now be available for storing and managing reports.

Summary: A workspace provides a central place where Power BI reports and other related content can be stored and managed.

2. Uploading and Publishing a Report

A report can be created using Power BI Desktop and then published to the Power BI service. Publishing transfers the report and its data model to the selected workspace.

Steps:

1. Open Power BI Desktop.
2. Create or open the report you want to publish.
3. Check that the charts, tables, and data are correct.
4. Select Publish from the Home ribbon.
5. Sign in to your Power BI account if required.
6. Select the workspace where you want to publish the report.
7. Select Publish or Select.
8. Wait for the publishing process to finish.
9. Open the report in the Power BI service to confirm that it has been published successfully.

Summary: Publishing moves the report from Power BI Desktop into an online Power BI workspace where it can be accessed and shared.

3. Steps to Publishing a Report

After publishing, it is important to check and prepare the report before sharing it with other users.

Steps:

1. Open the published report in the Power BI service.
2. Check that all visuals and pages are displaying correctly.
3. Confirm that the data is accurate and up to date.
4. Check the report's sharing and access permissions.
5. Make any necessary changes to the report.
6. Save or republish the report if changes are made.
7. Decide how the report will be shared, such as through a Power BI app or an appropriate embedding method.

Summary: After publishing, the report should be checked for accuracy, appearance, permissions, and accessibility before it is shared.

4. Embedding the Report on a Website

Embedding means displaying a Power BI report inside a website. There are different methods depending on whether the report contains public or private information.

For a public report, Power BI's Publish to web feature can generate an embed code that can be placed in a website using HTML or an iframe. However, Microsoft warns that Publish to web makes the report publicly accessible without authentication, so it should only be used for information that is safe to make public.

Steps for a Public Embed:

1. Open the report in the Power BI service.
2. Select File → Embed report → Publish to web.
3. Review the warning about public access.
4. Select Create embed code.
5. Confirm that the report is suitable for public viewing.
6. Select Publish.
7. Copy the HTML embed code provided by Power BI.
8. Open the website's HTML editor.
9. Paste the embed code into the appropriate section of the webpage.
10. Save and preview the website to make sure the report appears correctly.

Summary: Embedding allows an interactive Power BI report to appear directly on a webpage. Public embedding should only be used when the report and its data are appropriate for public access.

For private or organizational reports, a secure embedding method should be used instead of Publish to web. Microsoft provides options such as Embed for your organization and Power BI Embedded, which can enforce authentication and permissions.

Conclusion

Publishing and embedding a Power BI report makes it easier to share data and present information in an interactive format. The general process involves creating a workspace, creating and publishing the report, checking the published report, and choosing an appropriate method for embedding it on a website. For public information, Publish to web can provide an easy way to embed a report, while private information requires a secure embedding method. By following these steps, users can effectively share Power BI reports and make data easier to access and understand.