Using Power Automate to export the Usage Metrics Report and email it to PBI report owner

Hey gilmore_staci  , 

Why it’s not straightforward

In Microsoft Power BI, the Usage Metrics Report is:

• An automatically generated report
• Built on a Microsoft-managed dataset
• Not treated like a normal report you own
• Not directly selectable in the standard Export to File for Power BI Reports Power Automate action

So there’s no native “Export Usage Metrics” connector action.

✅ Option 1 (Recommended): Rebuild Usage Metrics Using Audit Logs

This is the most scalable and enterprise-friendly approach.

Instead of trying to export the built-in usage report, you:

1. Pull usage data from:
   • Microsoft 365 Audit Logs
   • Power BI Activity Events (via REST API)
2. Store it in:
   • A dataset
   • Dataflow
   • SQL / SharePoint / etc.
3. Build your own “Usage Metrics” report
4. Use Power Automate to export and email it

You can retrieve activity events using the Power BI REST API:

• Get Activity Events

Then use Power Automate to:

• Export your custom report as PDF or PPT
• Email it to the report owner automatically

This gives you:
✔ Full control
✔ Custom KPIs
✔ Scheduled delivery
✔ No dependency on the hidden usage dataset

✅ Option 2: Export the Underlying Usage Metrics Dataset (Advanced)

Each Usage Metrics Report is built on a hidden dataset in the workspace.

If you:

1. Enable “Allow XMLA endpoints and Analyze in Excel”
2. Connect via:

• DAX Studio
• SSMS
• XMLA endpoint

You may be able to query the underlying model and extract data.

However:

• This depends on tenant settings
• It’s not officially designed for automation
• It can break if Microsoft changes internals

Not ideal for production automation.

If your goal is to automatically send it to the report owner:

You can use the Power BI REST API:

• Get Report
• Get Users in Workspace

Then:

• Filter for owner
• Send email dynamically

If this solved your issue, please mark it as the solution so others can find it easily.

If it helped, a quick 👍 Kudos is always appreciated it helps highlight useful answers for the community.

Thanks for being part of the discussion !!!

Hello gilmore_staci, 
You can’t directly export the built-in Usage Metrics report via Power Automate, because it’s generated dynamically in the service.

To automate emailing usage metrics, you need to either:

1. Use the underlying Usage Metrics dataset: Build a report (PBIX or Excel) from it, then use Power Automate’s Export To File action to send it.
2. Use the Power BI REST API: Pull activity events for the report, format them, and email via Power Automate.

The built-in Export button can’t be automated; you must replicate the metrics using the dataset or API.

Microsoft Docs – Usage Metrics
Microsoft Docs – Export Power BI reports via API