Create and distribute paginated reports in Power BI Report Builder

To begin, you need to install Power BI Report Builder, which is a standalone tool for authoring paginated reports. It can be downloaded from the Microsoft website and installed on your local machine. Once installed, you can launch the Report Builder application.

Creating a paginated report

In Report Builder, you can start creating a paginated report by connecting to a data source. You have various options to choose from, such as SQL Server, Oracle, ODBC, OLE DB, or even Power BI datasets. Select the appropriate data source and provide the necessary connection details to establish a connection.

After connecting to the data source, you can design the report layout by adding tables, matrices, charts, and other data regions. These elements can be formatted, grouped, and sorted based on your requirements. You can also apply various styles and themes to enhance the visual appearance of the report.

Adding parameters and expressions

Paginated reports allow you to add parameters that provide interactivity and flexibility to your reports. Parameters can be used to filter data, control visibility, and dynamically change report behavior. To add a parameter, go to the Report Data pane and right-click on the Parameters folder. Specify the parameter properties, such as name, data type, and available values.

Expressions play a crucial role in paginated reports. They enable you to perform calculations, manipulate data, and customize report visuals. Expressions can be added to data regions, text boxes, and properties to dynamically control their behavior. You can use various functions and operators to construct expressions.

Pagination and printing options

One of the key features of paginated reports is their ability to handle large datasets efficiently. The report layout is automatically divided into pages based on size, orientation, and other settings. You can control page breaks, headers, footers, and margins to ensure the report content is displayed appropriately.

To enable printing and exporting options, you need to specify device information settings. These settings dictate the output format, rendering extensions, and paper size for the report. Common formats include PDF, Excel, CSV, and XML. You can also define subscription options to automate report delivery via email or to a network share.

Distributing paginated reports

Once you have designed and tested the paginated report, you can distribute it to end users. Power BI provides multiple options to share and consume paginated reports. These options include:

1. Power BI service: You can publish the paginated report to the Power BI service, making it accessible to users via the Power BI web portal. Users can view, interact, and export the report directly from the service.
2. Power BI Report Server: If your organization uses Power BI Report Server, you can deploy the paginated report to the on-premises report server. This allows secure and controlled access to the report within your organization’s network.
3. Embedding: Power BI also allows you to embed paginated reports into other applications or websites using the Power BI embedded service. This enables seamless integration of reports into existing portals or applications.

Summary

Paginated reports in Power BI Report Builder offer a comprehensive solution for creating and distributing enterprise-scale analytics solutions. By leveraging the capabilities of Report Builder, you can design highly formatted reports, add interactivity, control pagination, and distribute reports through various channels. With these features, you can meet the reporting requirements of your organization and enable users to consume and analyze data effectively.