Power BI Search tool

[Zayme]

Hi all, I'm new to Power BI and I would like to ask if it's possible to create a search tool that can be used to search through reports in the power bi service and return reports that have matching views or content to the search term? If this is possible then how can it be achieved?

thank you

[christinepayton]

Beyond the out-of-box search feature, you can potentially pull Power BI admin API data into a report that people can browse. I did this at one point to create somewhat of a report catalog in Power BI.

The admin API has data on # views, reports, dashboards, semantic models, etc - and can pull the description fields for reports. What we did was have a process by which people would actually fill in their report description with relevant keywords, then use the filter pane advanced filter to search on that. Obviously this requires people to be diligent about actually filling that out, which won't happen unless you push it as a part of a process, but on top of that the admin API also has measures and columns metadata so you can potentially search those also. 

Gettin data out of that API is more of a data engineer task that not everyone will want to go to, but it does work. 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply from DataNinja777,please allow me to provide another insight:

Hi, @Zayme 
Thanks for reaching out to the Microsoft fabric community forum.

I think DataNinja777's idea is very detailed and perfect. If his response has been helpful to you, you might consider accepting it as the solution, which would greatly benefit the community.

To add to his idea:

1. Visual Object Retrieval: Currently, there is no direct and effective solution for this. However, you can try using bookmarks as an alternative, combining them with buttons to show or hide visual objects.

For further details, please refer to:

Create report bookmarks in Power BI - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

2. AppSource Visual Objects: There are some visual objects in AppSource that can implement search box functionality, but they are more limited to filtering data. This might help you explore other ideas:

For further details, please refer to:
Main sources for acquiring Power BI custom visuals - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
 

3. Built-in Search Box: The built-in search box in the service is currently the most effective solution. You may need to note that:

For further details, please refer to:

Search and find your content using global search - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Of course, if you have any new discoveries or questions, please feel free to get in touch with us.
 

Best Regards,

Leroy Lu

[DataNinja777]

Hi @Zayme ,

Welcome to the Power BI community! Unfortunately, the Power BI Service does not provide a built-in feature to search through the content or views within reports based on specific terms. However, it is possible to create a custom solution or use certain tools to achieve similar functionality. Below are a few approaches you can consider.

One option is to create a searchable tool by leveraging Power BI metadata. You can use the Power BI REST API or tools like PowerShell scripts to extract metadata about reports, datasets, and dashboards in your workspaces. This metadata could include report names, column names, measure definitions, or descriptions. Once you have this metadata, you can import it into a Power BI report and create a table or matrix visual that displays this information. By adding slicers or a search box, you can make it easy for users to filter and search for relevant reports. Finally, you can publish this report to the Power BI Service, allowing your team to use it as a centralized search tool.

Alternatively, the Power BI Service includes a search bar at the top of the interface, which can help you find reports, dashboards, and apps by name or tags. While this is useful, it does not allow you to search through the actual content of the reports. To enhance this built-in functionality, you can ensure your reports and datasets have meaningful names, descriptions, and tags. Standardizing naming conventions across your organization can also make it easier to find content.

For a more advanced approach, you can integrate a data cataloging tool such as Azure Purview or Microsoft Information Protection (MIP). These tools enable you to tag and classify reports based on their content. You can then link the catalog with a Power BI report where users can search for specific keywords and identify which reports match their search criteria. This approach provides a robust and scalable way to enhance report discoverability.

If your organization uses SharePoint or similar tools, you could store Power BI reports along with their descriptions or summaries in SharePoint. SharePoint's search functionality can then be used to find reports based on keywords or tags. This method leverages your existing infrastructure and provides a familiar interface for users.

For organizations looking to implement an AI-driven solution, Azure Cognitive Search can be used to index metadata, text, and data from Power BI reports. You can then create a front-end interface where users input search terms, and the tool fetches matching reports. Additionally, there are third-party tools like Power BI Report Builder that may provide enhanced search and reporting features.

While these methods vary in complexity, it is important to consider factors such as data sensitivity, performance, and user access control when implementing a solution. If you’d like more detailed guidance on any of these approaches, feel free to ask! 😊

Best regards,