Power BI Report Delivery: Scheduling, Broadcasting and Bursting Explained 

1. Introduction and Motivation

Effective report delivery is crucial for ensuring that data insights reach stakeholders promptly, enabling informed decision-making. From dashboards for executives to detailed operational reports, delivery methods align data with business goals.

The most familiar method of report delivery is publishing a report to a designated portal or service. In this approach, the report is accessible online, and intended recipients, such as team members or stakeholders, can log in to view it. This centralized access point ensures that everyone views the same, up-to-date version of the report at their convenience.

2. Alternative Methods of Report Delivery 

In addition to portal publishing, other methods are also commonly used for report distribution. Each method has unique advantages and is suited to specific business needs. Some of these include: 

• Printed Reports: Often prepared for executives, printed reports are physically distributed. However, this method can carry security risks due to sensitive information on paper. 
• Presentations: For important discussions, reports may be compiled into presentations for in-person or virtual meetings. While effective for direct communication, this format limits the distribution to attendees only. 
• Email or report links: In some cases, reports or links to reports are shared via email to facilitate collaboration. While this approach is convenient, it may lead to issues with mobile or print accessibility, impacting how recipients interact with the report. 

3. The Need for Automated Report Delivery 

Automated report delivery offers significant advantages that streamline the reporting process, making it more accessible, efficient, and scalable. Here are four primary benefits of automating report delivery: 

1. Convenience 
   Automation enables reports to be delivered directly to recipients' inboxes, ensuring that busy executives can review key metrics without needing to log into a portal. For example, receiving a report at 8:00 AM every Monday allows decision-makers to view essential data on their mobile devices immediately, without extra steps. 
2. Improved Efficiency 
   By automating the delivery of reports, employees can focus on tasks that require critical thinking, freeing up time previously spent on manual distribution activities. This shift enhances productivity across the organization, as teams can allocate their resources to more strategic work. 
3. Consistency and Reliability 
   Automated delivery allows for consistent application of permission checks, filters, and bookmarks. This ensures that only authorized individuals access the report, and each recipient receives the information relevant to their role. This consistency improves data security and helps maintain data integrity. 
4. Scalability 
   Automated delivery systems can scale to meet the needs of large organizations, where reports may need to be sent to hundreds or even thousands of recipients. Automation allows these recipients to receive tailored views based on dynamic filters, enabling personalized insights without additional effort. This scalability is essential for organizations with large, diverse teams requiring timely and relevant data. 

Automated report delivery thus transforms reporting by accommodating a wide range of organizational needs. 

4. Scheduling, Broadcasting, Bursting: A Comparison 

Three key techniques used for automating report delivery are scheduling, broadcasting, and bursting. While these terms are often used interchangeably, each approach offers distinct advantages and serves unique use cases. 

Scheduling 

Scheduling is the simplest of the three. With scheduling, a report is delivered at a pre-set time in the future. This can be a one-time delivery or a recurring schedule, depending on business needs. For example, a weekly sales report might be scheduled to be sent to the VP of Sales every Monday at 8:00 AM. 

Broadcasting 

Broadcasting involves sending a single report to multiple recipients simultaneously. It allows for easy scalability as one report reaches many stakeholders at once. Unlike scheduling, broadcasting can happen immediately or be set for a later time. An example of broadcasting might be a quarterly financial report that needs to reach hundreds of stakeholders and investors. 

To summarize and compare these three techniques: 

1. Timeframe:
   • Scheduling: Reports are sent at a predetermined, later time. 
   • Broadcasting and Bursting: Can be set for immediate delivery or scheduled for a later time. 
2. Audience Size:
   • Scheduling: Can target either a single recipient or multiple recipients. 
   • Broadcasting and Bursting: Always intended for multiple recipients. 
3. Report View:
   • Scheduling and Broadcasting: Deliver the entire report as-is to recipients. 
   • Bursting: Filters the report per recipient, providing personalized views specific to each recipient's needs. 

5. Scheduling, Bursting, and Broadcasting Reports in Power BI

In this chapter, we will explore how Power BI implements scheduling, broadcasting, and bursting through its native scheduling capabilities. These methods help deliver reports to stakeholders automatically, based on predefined schedules or user needs. 

Power BI’s Native Scheduling Capabilities 

1. Subscription Options: Power BI offers both standard and dynamic subscriptions, providing flexibility in how reports are delivered. 
2. Frequency Options: Various delivery frequencies can be set based on specific reporting requirements.  
3. File Formats: File Formats: Reports can be exported in formats like PDF, PowerPoint (PPT), and image files for both standard and paginated reports. 
4. Delivery Destinations: Reports can be directed to multiple destinations, allowing users to choose the most appropriate distribution method. 

Standard vs. Dynamic Subscriptions 

• Standard Subscriptions: Send the same report view to all recipients. 
• Dynamic Subscriptions: Enable personalized, per-recipient views (bursting) by configuring settings with a semantic model. This approach tailors the content to the specific needs of each recipient, allowing a more customized experience. 

API-Driven Scheduling 

Power BI also supports API-driven schedules triggered by Power Automate workflows. This feature enhances flexibility, allowing both standard and dynamic subscriptions for paginated reports with additional options for file formats and delivery destinations, making it easier to meet diverse reporting requirements. 

Native Power BI scheduler vs. Inforiver’s scheduler 

Let us now compare the features of the native Power BI scheduler with the Inforiver scheduler across a few key aspects. 

In this chapter, we explore the Inforiver Scheduler, designed to automate Power BI report delivery with features like personalized schedules, multiple export formats, and advanced filtering. These capabilities ensure accurate and timely distribution, simplifying report management and improving efficiency. 

Self-service and No-code: Designed for Business Users 

The Inforiver Scheduler is designed to be self-service and low-code, with a user-friendly interface tailored for casual business users. It allows users to create, manage, and administer schedules with just a few clicks, minimizing or even eliminating dependency on IT support. 

Create One-Time and Flexible Recurring Schedules 

The Inforiver Scheduler allows you to create both one-time and flexible recurring schedules. For recurring schedules, you have flexible options such as skipping holidays and scheduling on specific days of the week, giving you greater control over the timing of your reports. 

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