Power Apps for Power BI Visuals

[bbAD]

Is there a way to export data from a Power Apps for PBI visual? I would like to export the data that I can see the app displaying in my Power BI report. Currently, when attempting to export using the ellipses and Export data, it exports nothing to Excel or exports the filters in place for the app via a CSV file.

[lbendlin · Accepted solution]

You can export the data that is in the Values columns of that visual at that moment in time.  You cannot export data from inside the PowerApp visual.

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

[Anonymous]

Yes, this is totally possible. I currently use a dataflow in one of my reports to accomplish this. The data displayed in my PowerApp is filtered by the visuals in Power BI and then I can export the data using a dataflow in Power Automate. I initiate the dataflow using an export button in the Power App. If you want to then import data, you can import the data into a datasource using another dataflow and that data can be accessed in Power BI if you set that datasource as a source in Power BI.

I used Shane Young's (PowerApps 911) video to get the gist of how to do it. This explanation did not all work for me, but it pointed me in the right direction to figure things out.
https://youtu.be/H9yYzPg0LwM

[lbendlin]

The PowerApps visual can only receive data from the Power BI semantic model. It cannot filter the model, and cannot return data to it.

[bbAD]

I don't want to filter the model or have it return data to the model; I just want the Power Apps for Power BI visual to export data like a table visual in Power BI would export data via an Excel file or CSV file. Is that possible?

[lbendlin · Accepted solution]

You can export the data that is in the Values columns of that visual at that moment in time.  You cannot export data from inside the PowerApp visual.

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

[Anonymous]

@lbendlin @bbAD That is not true. You can absolutely export data from inside the PowerApp visual. The PowerApp visual is a PowerApp and therefore you have all the same capabilities as any other Power App. You could have a Power App that is completely unrelated to the other visuals in Power BI runninging in a PowerApps visual in Power BI.

The Power Apps visual gives you many possibilities to work with the data that you have displayed in your visuals in Power BI. As I stated in my reply, you need to set up a simple dataflow and you will be able to export whatever data you want from your Power App and in whatever format you need.

[lbendlin]

sure, you could also sow a button to your cheek (don't do that! - just a figure of speech)

The OP was looking for the standard Power BI Visual Export functionality via the ellipsis.

Your approach is possible but I would not call it "simple"  and certainly not consistent with the general Power BI UX.

[bbAD]

@Anonymous and @lbendlin , I saw the youtube video you mentioned and I understand how he sets up his e-mail button, which I am guessing is what you are referring to in your original message. However, he does that with the data source connector available to him and I didn't see any power automate flows created or used. How would I go about adding a button that exports the data, taking into account the active filters in the report (one filter is a single choice filter that changes constantly depending on the user), using Power Automate? 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Step 1 is to connect connect your Power BI visual to a Power App. That can be done either by creating a new one or by connecting to an existing one. The link I shared for Shane Young tells you how to do that. Once that is done you can see up your Power App however you need to in order to visual your data. If your intent is to see the data as it is filtered in a table like format, I would use a gallery.

For steps 2 and 3 you can look here for a good tutorial.

Power Apps Export To Excel As A CSV File – Matthew Devaney

Step 2 is to prepare your data for export. This is done by using the OnSelect attribute of your button. The best format to do this is JSON. Here is an example set.

Set(
   varJson,
   JSON(
      ForAll(
         Gallery1.AllItems,
         {
            json attribute 1: gallery value 1,
            json attribute 2: gallery value 2,
            json attribute 3: gallery value 3,
            and so forth
         }
      ),
      JSONFORM.Compact
   )
);
   

Step 3. Prepare your dataflow. See link above.

Step 4. Launch your dataflow using your button with 

Launch(Export2CSV.Run(varJSON).link)

The link attribute at the end there runs your data flow and gives you the link to the file. If it all works correctly a dialogue box will pop up with the link to the file you just created in your SharePoint.

Please let me know if you have any issues with this and I will try to help you through the process more. The two links I gave you should give you all the information you need though.

[bbAD]

Awesome, thank you for all of the information. I appreciate your help!