Centralized Power BI Dashboard Template for Multiple Clients

[jude_w]

I have multiple clients, and each client's data is stored in their respective SharePoint folders with the same folder structure and file format. Here's the structure:

Client Folder
│
└── Reports
├── Sales
│ ├── sales.xlsx
│ ├── sales1.xlsx
│ └── ...
├── Inventory
│ ├── inventory.csv
│ ├── inventory1.csv
│ └── ...
├── Purchase
│ ├── purchase.xlsx
│ ├── purchase1.xlsx
│ └── ...
└── Payments
├── pay.csv
├── pay1.csv
└── ...
we upload report on daily basis to each folder with new data.

I want to create separate dashboards for each client using their respective data while maintaining the same dashboard structure (e.g., same visuals and measures).

To streamline the process:

1. I want to use a central template in Power BI that pulls data dynamically based on the client's folder.
2. If I make changes to a measure or visual in this central template, those changes should automatically apply to all client dashboards.

Could someone guide me on:

1. How to set up a central template in Power BI?
2. How to configure the template to dynamically connect to the specific client’s folder in SharePoint?
3. The best practices for managing such a setup to ensure scalability and ease of updates?

Any suggestions, tips, or resources would be greatly appreciated!

[Shubham_rai955]

Create a Power BI template (.pbit) with Power Query parameters for dynamic SharePoint paths.​

Setup Steps

• In Power BI Desktop, create parameters: ClientSite (SharePoint site URL), ClientFolder (e.g., "/sites/site/ClientName/Reports"), DataType (e.g., "Sales").​

• Connect via SharePoint.Files with dynamic path: = SharePoint.Files(ClientSite, [ApiVersion=15]) then filter Folder Path contains ClientFolder/DataType and combine files.​​

• Build measures/visuals on combined tables, save as .pbit template; for each client, open template, input their paths, save as new .pbix, publish.​

Best Practices

• Use one semantic model per client (incremental refresh on date column) with Row-Level Security if combining clients; update template centrally and re-save client files.​

• Automate refreshes via gateway or Fabric; test parameters before templating; version control PBIX in Git/SharePoint.

[Aryna]

Hi @jude_w ! You might want to take a look at these free Power BI templates: https://vidi-corp.com/free-power-bi-templates/

They come with professionally designed layouts that you can fully customize to suit your needs. Instead of building everything from scratch, you can simply use these ready-made solutions and adjust them as needed.

[DoriFussmann]

This is not a complete solution, but did you check www.craftedbi.com? has easy to use templates in Power BI, and kind of makes the entire design a simple plug-and-play. Check it out.

It's not free, but not expensive at all and you actually get 9 pages at the minimum. Will save you weeks if not months of work..

You can basically use this template and apply to each one of your clients easily.

[v-veshwara-msft]

Hi @jude_w 
Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Fabric Forum Community,
Unfortunately, Power BI doesn't support a centralized template where updates automatically propagate to all dependent reports.
 However, there are some strategies you can use to streamline the process as mentioned by @danextian 
Common Semantic Model: Create a master semantic model that contains all your measures and data structures. When you update the model, all reports connected to it will reflect the changes.
Single report: Maintaining a single report connected to multiple data sources or semantic models and using RLS to limit the user’s access is another approach which can work for your case.

Please reach out if you need assistance in the above mentioned approaches.
Or if the solution has met your requirements please accept whichever solution met your needs to help others find it easily.

Thank you.

[danextian · Accepted solution]

Hi @jude_w 

There is no such thing as a centralized template in Power BI. There are semantic models you can connect to and build reports on top of. Changes to these semantic models themselves (new, deleted, modified measures) will flow 100% via live connetion or partly via direct query (as you can select indivdual tables) to the reports that are referencing them but these individual reports/dashboards are independent from each other. The look and feel of the published reports that hold the semantic models are independent from any other reports even from those that are referencing them.

For maintainability I would maintain a single report (that can be connected to mulitple semantic models or  other data sources) and use row level security to limit what a user has access to.