In a recent video, Angelica Choo Quan from Pragmatic Works walks viewers through one of the latest enhancements in Power BI: the ability to create custom messages for app access requests. This feature allows Power BI app creators to provide tailored instructions to users who request access, improving communication and streamlining the approval process.
What Are Power BI Apps?
Power BI apps are a way to package and distribute content from a workspace to a broader audience. Formerly known as content packs, these apps allow for controlled sharing of reports, dashboards, and workbooks.
Licensing Requirements
- To create a Power BI app, a Power BI Pro license is required.
- If the app is not in a Premium capacity, all users must have a Pro or Premium Per User (PPU) license.
- If the app is in a Premium capacity (F64 or higher), users without Pro or PPU licenses can still view the content, but cannot copy or build reports from it.
Steps to Create a Power BI App
- Open a workspace in the Power BI service.
- Select Create App and provide a name, description, and optional logo.
- Customize the app theme and contact information.
- Configure advanced settings such as:
- Navigation pane behavior
- Automatic installation for users
- Permissions to copy reports
- Support site link
- Add content (reports, dashboards, workbooks, or website links).
Managing Audiences
Power BI apps support up to 10 different audiences per app. Each audience can be assigned specific content visibility:
- Content hidden from an audience will not appear in their published app view.
- Dashboard tiles linked to hidden reports will not function properly.
- Drill-through reports will fail if the destination report is hidden from the user.
Angelica demonstrates how to create multiple audiences and assign different reports to each. For example:
- Audience 1: Access to all reports
- Audience 2: Access to only the Van Aral Market Analysis report
- Audience 3: Access to the Pragmatic Works Gaming report
- Audience 4: Access to the Adventure Works Alerts report
Publishing and Sharing the App
Once the app is published, users can access it via a direct link or from the app section in their Power BI tenant. This centralized approach simplifies permission management across multiple reports and user groups.
Custom Access Request Messaging
After publishing, app creators can manage permissions and customize the message users see when requesting access:
- Navigate to the app settings and select Manage Permissions.
- Customize the default message to include:
- A greeting or explanation
- Instructions for gaining access (e.g., links to forms or approval workflows)
- Apply the changes to update the message shown to users.
Important Notes
- Custom access messages are not currently supported on the Power BI mobile app for iOS or Android.
- Users will receive email notifications when their access request is approved or denied.
This update enhances the user experience by providing clarity and direction during the access request process, making it easier for organizations to manage Power BI app distribution effectively.
Don't forget to check out the Pragmatic Works' on-demand learning platform for more insightful content and training sessions on Power BI and other Microsoft applications. Be sure to subscribe to the Pragmatic Works YouTube channel to stay up-to-date on the latest tips and tricks.