How to Turn on Maps in YOUR Reports | Power BI Tutorial

   Have you ever tried to create a map in Power BI using location data like city, state, or latitude and longitude, only to be greeted by an annoying error message instead of your beautiful map? Don't worry, you're not alone. This happens to a lot of people. The good news is that Power BI does have a built-in map visual right in the visualizations pane, but sometimes getting those maps to work can be a bit tricky. In this tutorial, Emily Taylor explains why these maps are sometimes disabled and shows you how to fix that pesky error with just a few clicks inside your settings. If that doesn't do the trick, she also demonstrates how to adjust these settings as a Power BI admin to grant map access to all employees on your Power BI tenant.

Introduction

Emily Taylor begins by introducing herself and the topic of the tutorial. She explains the common issue of encountering error messages when trying to create maps in Power BI and assures viewers that they are not alone in facing this problem.

Fixing Map Errors in Power BI Desktop

Emily takes viewers to the Power BI Desktop, where she has a report with some visuals, including a map and a filled map. She shows that both maps are displaying errors and explains that these can be fixed with a simple change in the settings.

1. Click on File > Options and settings > Options.
2. In the Options menu, navigate to the Security settings.
3. Find the setting for Map and filled map visuals and enable it.
4. Click OK to apply the changes.

Emily explains that these maps are powered by Bing Services, a third party, and discusses the importance of considering data privacy and security when enabling this setting. She notes that if you are only using latitude and longitude data, nothing will be sent to Bing. However, any other location data, such as city or state, will be shared with Bing or TomTom.

Using Azure Maps as an Alternative

For those concerned about data privacy, Emily suggests using Azure Maps as an alternative. She recommends checking out Greg's YouTube video titled "Top Four Azure Map Secrets in Power BI" for tips on using Azure Maps. Additionally, she mentions the Advanced Power BI Boot Camp on their website for those interested in creating custom maps.

Adjusting Settings as a Power BI Admin

If enabling the map visuals in the settings does not resolve the issue, Emily advises involving the Power BI administrator. She demonstrates how to adjust the settings as an admin:

1. Open Power BI in a browser and sign in.
2. Click on the Cog icon in the top right and enter the Admin portal under Governance and insights.
3. Use the search bar to find the map settings.
4. Enable the Map and filled map visual setting for the entire organization.
5. Click Apply to save the changes.

Conclusion

Back in Power BI Desktop, Emily confirms that both the map and filled map visuals are now working. She encourages viewers to interact with the maps by dragging, zooming, and clicking on specific states. Emily concludes the tutorial by inviting viewers to share their experiences with maps in Power BI in the comments, like the video, and subscribe to the channel for more tutorials.

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