Sharing Reports and Distributing Content Through Apps

Direct Report Sharing

Direct sharing allows a report owner or authorized user to give other people access to a report.

A typical process is:

1. Open the report in the Power BI Service.
2. Select the available Share option.
3. Enter the intended recipients.
4. Review the access options.
5. Grant only the required permissions.
6. Send the invitation or share the report.

The available sharing options depend on the user's permissions, licensing, and organizational settings.

Be careful when granting permission to reshare content or build new reports from an existing semantic model.

What Is a Power BI App?

A Power BI app is a packaged collection of content distributed to an audience. It provides a more controlled way to deliver reports and dashboards to business users.

For example, a sales analytics app might contain:

• A sales performance report.
• A regional analysis report.
• A revenue dashboard.
• A product performance report.

Instead of asking users to navigate a workspace containing development content, an organization can distribute selected content through an app.

Publishing an App

A typical app distribution workflow is:

1. Open the relevant workspace in the Power BI Service.
2. Organize the reports and dashboards intended for consumers.
3. Select the option to create or update the app.
4. Configure the app name, description, and navigation.
5. Define the intended audience and access settings.
6. Publish or update the app.
7. Provide access to the intended users.

The exact interface and available settings may vary as Power BI evolves.

Choosing the Right Distribution Method

Use the following general guidance:

• Workspace access: Suitable for teams that collaborate on developing and managing content.
• Direct sharing: Useful when specific users need access to an individual report.
• Power BI apps: Useful when a broader audience needs a curated collection of published content.

Choose the method based on the audience, security requirements, maintenance process, and licensing arrangements.