Exporting Hyperlink URLS to Power Bi From Excel?

[telusive]

Hello all!
Thanks for your help. I am currently connecting to a 'webpage' of excel that is being used live by some employees. They have a hyperlink to folders on their own computers that just say like, "Click Here" and then the link directs you to the file location. Its like file://\\ some pc stuff
I want to make a table in Powerbi where they can click a similar link and access the same link. Just like they currently do in Excel. However, when I imported the data it is only the text that says, "Click Here" and nothing else. 

I have been googling this and the only solutions I have been able to find have used macros, which is not ideal bc then it's a macro enabled workbook and that confuses people when they open it. Is there another way and I'm just somehow blind when I google? 

Thanks!!

[Ritaf1983 · Accepted solution]

Hi @telusive 
To reach the goal you need to apply these steps :

1. In Excel you need the links will be text data type with the original link and not "saved there"
2. make sure that the hyperlinks are in the needed format :
Column1

file:///C:/Users/RitaFainshtein/Downloads/pedro.pbix

3. With Power BI desktop modify the column as a web URL:

4. You can let it look just with an icon :

Note that on the Power BI desktop, it will not open, just from the service.

5. To make it work from the service you need to add to Chrome the option of "enable local file links"

That's all 🙂 just publish.
For more information see this blog post:

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/power-bi-desktop-may-feature-summary/#urlTables

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