Use SharePoint to Keep Your Power BI Reports Up-to-Date! | SharePoint From Folder in Power BI

    In this tutorial, Allison Gonzalez, a Microsoft certified trainer from Pragmatic Works, demonstrates how to integrate SharePoint with Power BI to streamline the process of keeping reports up-to-date automatically.

Introduction

Power BI allows users to create powerful reports and dashboards, but keeping those reports updated can be a time-consuming task if done manually. In this video, Alice shows how connecting SharePoint directly to Power BI can eliminate the need for manual file uploads, making the process automatic and hassle-free.

Step-by-Step Guide to Integrating SharePoint with Power BI

1. Start by accessing Power BI Desktop
   Alice begins by opening Power BI Desktop, where she demonstrates the process of bringing in files that are saved on a SharePoint site. This is part of her ongoing series about the folder connector in Power BI Desktop.
2. Gather the SharePoint Site URL
   The key to connecting Power BI with SharePoint is using the correct SharePoint site URL. Alice explains that users need only the root URL (i.e., the main site URL), not the entire file path or long URL, to access the necessary data.
3. Choose SharePoint Folder as Your Data Source
   In Power BI, Alice navigates to the Get Data dropdown and selects SharePoint Folder after searching for “folder” in the search bar. This option connects Power BI directly to SharePoint without the need for additional configuration like a gateway.
4. Authenticate Your SharePoint Account
   If you haven't connected to SharePoint before, Power BI will prompt you to log in with your Microsoft credentials (the same ones you use for Office 365). After successful authentication, the data from your SharePoint folder will be available in Power BI.
5. Filter Data by Folder Path
   Once inside the Power Query editor, Alice explains how to filter and sort the data based on the folder path. This allows users to narrow down their focus to just the files they need, such as sales data in this case.
6. Combine Files from SharePoint
   Alice demonstrates the process of combining multiple files from SharePoint. By clicking on the down arrow in the content column, users can merge files from the folder into a single dataset that will automatically update when new files are added to the folder.
7. Test the Process by Adding New Data
   To test if the setup works correctly, Alice adds a new file to the SharePoint folder and refreshes Power BI. She verifies that the newly added file’s data is incorporated into the report, confirming that the automatic refresh feature is functioning.

Key Benefits of Using SharePoint for Power BI Reports

• Automatic Updates: Reports will update automatically every time new data is added to the SharePoint folder, saving time and reducing manual work.
• No Need for a Gateway: Since SharePoint is a cloud-based solution, there is no need for an on-premises data gateway to connect the files to Power BI.
• Scalability: As your data grows, you can easily scale by adding more files to the SharePoint folder, and the setup will continue to work without additional effort.
• Simplified Data Management: Users can combine data from multiple files stored in SharePoint, keeping everything organized and centralized.

Conclusion

By following Alice’s steps, you can set up an automatic data refresh for your Power BI reports using SharePoint, making report management more efficient. Whether you're dealing with daily, weekly, or monthly reports, once this process is set up, you won’t need to manually upload files again. For more advanced Power BI training, Alice recommends checking out Pragmatic Works’ on-demand learning platform, which offers in-depth classes on Power BI and SharePoint integration.

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