Allowing front end user to submit their own data ? Is this possible?

[imraan_aj]

I am looking for a solution where the front end user can submit their own data according to a specified format within an excel / csv / notepad file (any way really) and once they submit the data, they will be able to visualise it with already developed visuals. 

Is this possible? please help if there is any method such as using power apps / external applications etc. 

Thank you guys in advance!

[daXtreme]

In real time? No. Unless you've got some kind of streaming enabled and the user can submit data to this stream. Scheduled or on demand - yes.

[imraan_aj]

Thank you for the quick response, any way would work as long as the user submits the data somehow - please elobarate on the steps if it's not real time?

[Saap]

Hi @imraan_aj 

If I understand correctly you can do something like this:
1. Create Excel file where users can input their data.
2. Share the file on Teams or Sharepoint for example.
3. Connect to the file via Powier BI.
4. Create report using the data.
5. Publish the report to service.
6. Setup the scheduled refresh to refresh the report every hour.

[imraan_aj]

Thank you! That's a really good suggestion but the person using the report will not be in the org (I'd day the users would be something like a client) and there's no submission web or way to upload data that's why I was wondering if there was a way through power bi to populate a excel file / sql server via the front end?

[Saap · Accepted solution]

@imraan_aj 

Power BI can only be used to work on already existing data, there is no direct way to feed it with new data. You can try to do some workaround. The first thing that come to my mind:
1. Ask your client to send you an email with specific title with attached file.
2. Use Outlook to automatically save the attachement in a folder (https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/outlook/3747-outlook-auto-download-save-attachments-to-folder...)
3. Use your SQL Database to automatically import the files from the folder into the database (https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/2c9d6d80-b898-42bd-b3ac-7a3c52c02763/automa...).
4. Create the report in Power BI using Direct Query mode.