Check Out The NEW Power BI Controller for PowerPoint!

Do you embed Power BI report pages into PowerPoint and struggle with updating each slide when reports change? Microsoft has introduced a game-changing solution—the Power BI Controller Add-in for PowerPoint. This new feature centralizes management of embedded report pages, saving time and effort for data-driven presentations. 
Author: Allison Gonzalez

What is the Power BI Controller Add-in?

The Power BI Controller is a task pane add-in that acts as a command center for all embedded Power BI report pages in your presentation. Instead of updating slides individually, you can perform bulk operations from one pane.

Key Features and Benefits

• Bulk Updates: Refresh all embedded report pages at once.
• Reconnect Pages: Fix authentication issues quickly.
• Apply Configuration Changes: Update settings across all embedded reports.
• Centralized Maintenance: Manage multiple reports without navigating slide by slide.

Enable the Add-in

Before using the controller, ensure your organization has enabled the Power BI add-in for PowerPoint:

1. Go to your Admin Portal.
2. Navigate to Tenant Settings under Export and Sharing.
3. Enable Power BI add-in for PowerPoint. If disabled, contact your IT team.

Embedding Power BI Reports

To embed reports:

1. Open your report in Power BI Service.
2. Select Export → PowerPoint or copy the link for live data embedding.
3. In PowerPoint, add the standard Power BI add-in from the Add-ins section.
4. Paste the report link and choose whether to grant automatic access to viewers.

You can resize embedded reports, add multiple pages, and maintain interactivity with live filters and visuals.

Introducing the Controller Pane

Once you’ve added multiple reports, the controller add-in becomes essential. Here’s what it offers:

• Discover Embedded Reports: Automatically finds all Power BI content in your deck.
• Sync and Refresh: Ensure data is up-to-date with Power BI service.
• Apply Settings: Restore initial configurations or sync with current views.

This feature is currently in preview (released October) and is expected to evolve with more capabilities.

Why You Need This Add-in

If you frequently embed Power BI reports in PowerPoint, the controller add-in is non-negotiable. It simplifies updates, reduces manual work, and ensures your presentations stay accurate and dynamic.

Final Thoughts

Explore the Power BI Controller today and streamline your reporting workflow. For more Power BI tips, tutorials, and advanced features like DAX, Power Query, and Microsoft Fabric, check out the

Explore the Power BI Controller today and streamline your reporting workflow. For more Power BI tips, tutorials, and advanced features like DAX, Power Query, and Microsoft Fabric, check out the Pragmatic Works YouTube channel.

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