Track report or dashboard usage
Organizations often need to distribute reports and dashboards effectively to ensure that critical insights reach the right audience at the right time.
Note
To access usage metrics for a report or dashboard, you need:
- A Power BI Pro or Premium Per User (PPU) license
- At least Contributor role in the workspace (Viewer permissions aren't sufficient)
- Usage metrics enabled by your Fabric administrator in the admin portal
For example, a retail company might use subscriptions to send sales performance dashboards to store managers daily, while also monitoring usage metrics to identify which reports are most valuable to their teams.
Subscribe to a report or dashboard
Subscribing to a report or dashboard in Power BI allows users to stay informed about critical data and insights without needing to manually check for updates. By setting up subscriptions, users can receive regular email updates containing snapshots or attachments of reports or dashboards, ensuring they remain up-to-date with the latest information.
The subscription process is straightforward and highly customizable. In Power BI service, navigate to the report or dashboard and select the Subscribe option from the menu bar. Users can define the frequency of updates, such as hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly, and specify the time of delivery. Additionally, subscriptions can include a preview image, a link to the report or dashboard, and even attachments in formats like PDF or PowerPoint for reports hosted in Premium capacity workspaces. This flexibility ensures that users receive the information in a format and schedule that best suits their needs.
Track usage metrics and performance
Monitoring and tracking usage metrics and performance in Power BI is essential for understanding how your reports and dashboards are being utilized across your organization. By analyzing usage data, you can identify which reports are driving the most engagement and which may require updates or additional promotion. This insight allows you to prioritize your efforts and focus on creating content that delivers the most value.
Usage metrics reports provide detailed information about report views, unique viewers, and performance trends. For example, you can track how often a report is accessed, the number of unique users interacting with it, and the typical time it takes to load. These metrics help you identify high-performing reports and pinpoint potential bottlenecks or areas for improvement. Additionally, slicing the data by distribution method or platform can reveal how users are accessing your content, whether through the Power BI service, mobile devices, or embedded applications.
Performance metrics are equally important, as they highlight the user experience when interacting with your reports. By analyzing opening times and performance trends, you can detect issues such as slow load times or browser-specific challenges. Addressing these issues ensures a smoother experience for your users, which can lead to increased adoption and satisfaction.