use a list as an input parameter for a power bi report or paginated report

[doug_sheehan]

Sorry if I am 'over-posting'. I couldn't find this anywhere either.

I have a user, who wants to copy a list of workorders from an excel spreadsheet, and somehow 'paste' into a power bi report (or something)

once the data is in, iterate through the list and check the status of the workorder, and use that for reporting.

the user does not want to paste into notepad, replace <cr/lf> with commas, and then copy/paste that.

I am thinking that maybe Power BI and Paginated Reports might not be able to accept a list as an input parameter? 
Is there a way to do it in Power BI? or should I be looking for a different application experience?

[Poojara_D12]

Hi @doug_sheehan 

Power BI does not natively support pasting a list as an input parameter, but there are several workarounds depending on the desired user experience. One option is to use Power Apps embedded within a Power BI report, allowing users to paste work order numbers into a text box, which then saves the data to a source like Dataverse or SharePoint, enabling Power BI to fetch the latest statuses. Another approach is to store the list in an Excel file on OneDrive or SharePoint, where Power BI can automatically retrieve and refresh the data without requiring manual copy-pasting. If the organization has a Power BI Premium license, Paginated Reports could be used, allowing users to enter multiple work order numbers as a parameter, which is then processed through a SQL query to display the relevant statuses. Alternatively, a database-driven approach using DirectQuery can be set up, where users paste their work order list into a web-based input form (such as a Power App or a Microsoft Forms submission), storing the data in SQL or another live database that Power BI queries dynamically. The best approach depends on the workflow requirements—if a real-time, interactive experience is needed, Power Apps combined with Power BI is ideal, while an Excel-based approach is simpler for users comfortable with file-based input. If Power BI Premium is available, Paginated Reports can provide precise filtering using multi-value parameters. Ultimately, the right solution depends on user preference, system architecture, and licensing constraints.