Power BI Desktop to Power BI Web

[sing_ideas]

Hi,

I use both power BI Desktop and Web. I learned that power BI desktop has more features than the web. Fine, I construct my first power BI reports and dashboards by importing the excel file data to power BI data. Is there a way to take this file power BI Desktop .pbix file to the Power BI Web. I couldn't find any options in desktop application nor import .pbix option on the web. Is there any connector tool?

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

The correct workflow is to first create a report in Power BI Desktop (as you said you've done).  Then "publish" the report to the Service (powerbi.com).  You do that by selecting HOME -- PUBLISH in Desktop and then selecting a "Workspace" in the service after you've logged in to powerbi.com.   Then you'll find the report in that workspace when you log into the Service.

I am assuming you have a service account already set up and a gateway.  If you haven't you'll need to do that.  The gateway is critical as that's the way that the Service talks to the database that you've established in your report.

Hope this helps.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

The correct workflow is to first create a report in Power BI Desktop (as you said you've done).  Then "publish" the report to the Service (powerbi.com).  You do that by selecting HOME -- PUBLISH in Desktop and then selecting a "Workspace" in the service after you've logged in to powerbi.com.   Then you'll find the report in that workspace when you log into the Service.

I am assuming you have a service account already set up and a gateway.  If you haven't you'll need to do that.  The gateway is critical as that's the way that the Service talks to the database that you've established in your report.

Hope this helps.

[sing_ideas]

Hi,

Thanks for the update and I followed the steps and I am able to see the report created in desktop in my Power BI Web.

1. Power BI Service = Hope you meant the Office 365 license, I use O365 Enterprise E3

2. Power BI Gateway = I downloaded this gateway https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/gateway/ (didn't install it) but the report is available in the web. Am I missing anything by not installing this gateway. Does only the report goes to web not the data set.

Also, I stopped installing the gateway because, it said while installing - it works better in a PC that is always on - but I use a laptop.

3. Updates - What will happen If I make changes to the desktop reports and publish it again?

4. If I change the reports online does it update the desktop? Like the using word documents edited in browser or desktop, they sync both the ways.

Note : Earlier I never wanted to click the publish button as I thought it would make the data public. Thanks for the inputs.

Can you clarify the above points?

regards,

Singaravelu S, CFP

[Eric_Zhang · Accepted solution]

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@sing_ideas wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for the update and I followed the steps and I am able to see the report created in desktop in my Power BI Web.

1. Power BI Service = Hope you meant the Office 365 license, I use O365 Enterprise E3

2. Power BI Gateway = I downloaded this gateway https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/gateway/ (didn't install it) but the report is available in the web. Am I missing anything by not installing this gateway. Does only the report goes to web not the data set.

Also, I stopped installing the gateway because, it said while installing - it works better in a PC that is always on - but I use a laptop.

3. Updates - What will happen If I make changes to the desktop reports and publish it again?

4. If I change the reports online does it update the desktop? Like the using word documents edited in browser or desktop, they sync both the ways.

Note : Earlier I never wanted to click the publish button as I thought it would make the data public. Thanks for the inputs.

Can you clarify the above points?

regards,

Singaravelu S, CFP

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@sing_ideas

1. It is O365 license.

2. Gateway is used to refresh data. You report can surely be avaiable without installing gateway. However if you'd like the published reports synced when then data in your excel file changes, install the Gateway.

3. You'll have a option to publish a new report or replace the old one. Replacing usually makes sense when the tiles from the old report are pinned to some dashboard and you don't want to pin the tiles again.

4. No. If you'd like to save the changes in an individual pbix file, you can export a report to pbix.

[Anonymous]

Here are the answers as best as I know...

1. I do not have information on this.  All I know is that you need a Power BI Pro license in order to have sharing functionality.

2. The gateway needs to be on a server that is accessible to all of the datasources that you are using.  It should not be on your PC as it needs to be visible to all users that will access Power BI over the web.  

3. The process for updating reports on the web is to first update the report in desktop and then to republish.  THat process overwrites the content on the web and immediately updates the version of the report that is visible to all so it's what you want to do.

4.  NO!  Changing reports in the Web does NOT update the desktop file.  Your update process should always start in Desktop.  Update the report(s) there, and then republish them to the web to update what users have access to.