Create a power bi report that retrieves data from the sharepoint on which it is placed

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I was wondering, I think the answer is no, but is it possible to create a power bi report that directly retrieves a sharepoint list on which it is placed?
Since I would like to place a report on all the work I have, each containing a sharepoint list with the same name and the same columns, only the content inside changes, but as I have several hundred, if there was a way to automate everything that would suit me. 😅
Thank you in advance for your reply

[Shivu-2000 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

You are correct, Power BI cannot directly retrieve data from the SharePoint list it's embedded in. 
But still you can use these as an option:

1. Import Data & Refresh Schedules:

   • Use Power BI Desktop to connect to each SharePoint list individually (using the SharePoint Online List connector). Clean and transform the data as needed in Power Query Editor.
   • Schedule automatic refreshes for each dataset in the Power BI Service. This ensures the reports stay up-to-date with the latest SharePoint list data.
   • Create a report on a SharePoint List in Power BI Desktop: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/desktop-sharepoint-online-list

2. Data Gateway & Shared Dataset:

   • Set up a Power BI Gateway to connect to your SharePoint Online site.
   • Create a single, shared dataset in Power BI Desktop that retrieves data using the SharePoint Online List connector and referencing the Gateway connection.
   • In your Power BI reports, connect to this shared dataset instead of individual lists. This approach simplifies report creation but requires managing the Gateway.
   • Power BI Gateway: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-gateway-onprem

3. Azure Logic Apps (Advanced):

   • Develop Azure Logic Apps that trigger on SharePoint list updates.
   • Logic Apps can extract data, format it, and push it to a centralized data storage like Azure SQL Database.
   • Connect Power BI to the centralized data storage for report creation. This offers more automation but requires coding expertise.
   • Azure Logic Apps: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/logic-apps/
     
     

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Happy to help!

[Anonymous]

Hi @Shivu-2000 

Thank you for the answer, I'll take a look at what you told me.