PowerApps access in Mobile PowerBI (QR code scanner)

[Cinkov]

Hi!
I prepared a tool in PowerApp which allows you to scan QR codes and display content. The app work in PowerApp, but after implementation inside PowerBI report - the app is displaying but I don't cannot use a QR scanner (camera in phone). I got a warning that control of QR code scanner is not accepted in web viewer - try to use Power Apps for Mobile Phones.

If I go through this problem - also I am looking for a clue on how to filter PowerBI dashboard - using this scanned value.

[v-stephen-msft]

Hi @Cinkov ,

Did you want to create a QR code for a report?

Please refer to

Create a QR code for a report to use in Power BI mobile apps - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

If you want to scan a QR code, refer to

Scan a Power BI QR code from your mobile device - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Best Regards,

Stephen Tao

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

[Cinkov]

@v-stephen-msft 

Thank you for your answer.

I know mentioned solution, but I am looking for possibilities to read QR codes in the same way that scanning barcodes (which are default scanner for PowerBi mobile). This is possible using PowerApp, but I don't know how to join it with PowerBi dashboard.

@lbendlin 

Thank you! I will check it.

[mshenhav]

Hey @lbendlin ,

Can you explain your scenario with more details please?

Are you looking to filter a report using QR code, with query params? we added support to filter report using query params in the QR code recently...

thanks, Maya

[lbendlin]

@mshenhav Maya, yes, that's what I am looking for. How can a user choice in the PowerApps visual impact the Power BI data model? Very curious!

[mshenhav]

Not sure about PowerApp, but if you have a QR generated from a Power BI report URL, that has query param (this QR can be generated by any QR generator that accepts valid URL) then scanning that QR from Power BI mobile app will load the report and will filter the data using the query params.

Maya

[Cinkov]

Could you explain it in more details?

I am not sure how to add this Query param to my project.

[mshenhav · Accepted solution]

Hey @Cinkov ,

1) Build a report URL that has query params that will used to filter the report (explained  here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/collaborate-share/service-url-filters) 

2) Generate a QR code from this URL using any QR code generator.

3) Scan that QR code from Power BI Mobile app. The app will open the report and filter its data based on the query params you set.

Good luck,

Maya

[Cinkov]

To sum up.

I used the way you described and it works pretty well! I had a problem with the names of tables/fields - so I changed them inside PowerBI to avoid special characters and spaces (I tried to use special string codes but I couldn't handle it). 

Also, I wasn't able to generate new QR codes (I had to work on existing ones, but they contain data that could be connected with my PowerBI report), so I used PowerApps to create QR code scanner which concatenate powerBI URL and formula for filter by value of QR code. It works very well, but I am curious, why PowerBi allows scanning only BarCodes and to QR codes needs big workaround.

[Cinkov]

It looks very encouraging. I've been stocked with filtering URL link. I checked it many times but I have no idea where is a mistake:

This is the end of URL Link (where I add filter). After paste, I got 'page can't be found' warning.

Also, How should I properly copy link - I took them from web link or using shared method (and they are different).

And second question - is it possible to filter not whole page but chosen visualization?

[lbendlin]

You need to encode all the spaces in your table name.

Filter a report using query string parameters in the URL - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

[lbendlin]

Don't want to hijack this thread, but I don't really care about the mobile app.  I am curious how to implement this on the desktop and in the service.

[lbendlin]

If I go through this problem - also I am looking for a clue on how to filter PowerBI dashboard - using this scanned value.

Power BI cannot get anything back from the PowerApps visual (at the moment).  So for now you need to record your PowerApps result in a third place (for example a SQL Server table) and then use that as a data source in Power BI (preferably in Direct Query mode, but it still won't be a seemless data round trip user experience).

If this is important to you please consider voting for an existing idea or raising a new one at https://ideas.powerbi.com