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. 

Download out our ebook to learn more.

6. How to schedule, broadcast and burst reports in Power BI 

In this chapter, we guide you through the steps to effectively schedule, broadcast, and burst reports in Power BI using Inforiver. Learn how to automate report delivery and distribute customized content to the right recipients. 

Creating a New Subscription 

This section covers how to create a new report subscription, focusing on key configuration options. You'll define report details, delivery timing, and where the report should be sent. Follow these easy steps to create a new subscription. 

1. Go to the Inforiver Toolbar: 

• In your Inforiver report, click on Export from the toolbar at the top. 

2. Click on New Subscription: 

• From the available options, click on New Subscription. 

3. Automatic redirect to the Inforiver Console: 

• Clicking New Subscription will redirect you to the Inforiver console. You can also open the console by clicking on Inforiver console from the sign-in menu. 

4. View the Console Layout: 

• Once the console loads, the interface is divided into three simple parts: 
• The What: Report options 
• The When: Frequency customization 
• The Where: Destination selection 

5. Edit Schedule Name: 

• You can edit the name of your schedule directly from the console.  

7. The What – Report options 

The first tab of the Inforiver scheduler console shows report options. In this step, you'll choose the report and set any required filters or parameters. This ensures that only relevant data is included in the subscription. 
 
Choose Workspace and Report: 

• Once you're in the subscription options, the workspace and report are already selected for you. You can change them using the dropdown if needed. 

Choose Report Tabs: 

• For the report pages, you can either select all pages or specific tabs (in any combination) from your report. This allows you to customize which pages are included in the scheduled report.  

Row-Level Security (RLS) Option: 

• Enable RLS: If you want to apply row-level security (RLS) to your report, simply check the RLS checkbox. This feature enforces the permissions applied in Power BI that allows different users to have varying permissions and access levels for viewing the report. 
• Disable RLS: If you don’t want RLS applied, you can easily uncheck the RLS checkbox. 

Refresh Dataset Before Run: 

• Enable Dataset Refresh: To ensure that the dataset is refreshed before each scheduled run, check the box to refresh the dataset. This feature is done with the permission of the dataset owner. 
• Add Dataset Owner’s Email: You can add the dataset owner's email ID to authorize the refresh. 

Export settings: 

• Appendix Details: When enabled, the appendix will be included in the generated PDF report. The appendix contains valuable details such as: 
• Report and Tab Name: The specific report and tab being exported. 
• Dataset Owner: The name of the person or team responsible for the dataset. 
• Export Date: The date when the report is generated and exported. 
• Filters Applied: A list of filters that were applied to the report during the export, providing transparency on how the data was filtered. 

Notifications for Report Failures: 

• Enable Notifications: If you want to receive notifications in case the report fails to deliver, you can add the email addresses of those who should be notified. This ensures that any issues with the report delivery are promptly communicated. 

Include Hidden Pages: 

• Show Hidden Pages: If you want to include hidden pages (those not visible in Power BI), you can enable this option. This ensures that all relevant content is included, even if it's hidden in the report. 

Report Plus Layout: 

• Enable Report Plus Layout: The report plus layout provides a master detailed view along with KPI cards. This layout allows you to filter recipients by category, offering more control over report delivery and customization. 

8. The When – Frequency options 

Once you have finished selecting your report customization options, click Next to move to the frequency options tab. Here, you’ll select the frequency for report delivery (e.g., daily, weekly). This automates the timing of report delivery to avoid manual intervention. 

Choose Delivery Frequency: 

• You can pick how often reports should be sent: 
• Hourly (for self-hosted users) 
• Daily 
• Weekly 
• Monthly 
• Once (only one-time delivery) 

Start and End Dates: 

• Choose a start date and end date for the report schedule. 
• Pick a time of day and the time zone for delivery.  

Day Delivery Settings: 

• Choose to send reports at set frequencies, such as once every two days.
• Specify the exact time for delivery to match your reporting needs. 

Weekly Delivery settings: 

• You can choose specific days for delivery, for example, every two weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 
• You can also skip delivery on holidays by selecting holiday lists from the dropdown. 

Monthly Delivery Settings: 

• Choose a specific day of the month for delivery. 
• You can choose to send reports on the last day of the month or on a specific weekday, like the third Thursday. 
• Holiday skips also apply to monthly schedules. 

One-Time Delivery: 

• The Once option allows reports to be sent only one time. 

Hourly Option for On-Prem Users: 

• On-premises users can also set reports to be delivered hourly. 

9. The Where – Destination 

The third section of the Inforiver console allows you to specify destination options (email, shared folder, etc.) including bulk upload of filters or bookmarks for your schedule. You can select multiple destinations simultaneously as well as any of the file formats offered to ensure the report reaches the correct audience in the right format. We will explore both standard as well as dynamic subscriptions below. 

Destination Options 
In the scheduler, you can select between two primary types of destinations: 

• Email 
• Shared destinations such as OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint, or Google Drive. 

Adding Recipients + Filters/Bookmarks 
When selecting email as a destination, you can add individual recipients (e.g., your email address) and personalize the report view for each user. 

• You can apply filters (e.g., by customer segment) or use bookmarks (e.g., for specific regions) to customize the report view.

Bulk Upload Recipients + Filters 
Instead of adding recipients one by one, you can upload a CSV file containing both the recipients' email addresses and the filters they need. This is ideal when you have a large number of recipients. 

Subject, Body, and File Name 
You can customize the subject and body of the email. 

• You can use dynamic placeholders to include details such as the quarter or month in the subject, body, and file name, making the emails more personalized. 

Report Format and Quality 
You can choose from several formats for the report, such as PDF, Excel, or PowerPoint. 

• You can select whether to send multiple PDFs or Excel files or a merged PDF or Excel files (multiple report tabs in one document). 
• You can set low or high quality for PDF files. 
• Preview images including KPI cards are included in the email body for quick viewing, particularly useful for busy executives viewing on mobile devices. 

Dynamic Subscriptions - Implicitly select recipients 

Dynamic subscriptions allow you to implicitly send reports to users based on their email addresses detected in the system. This is powered by a semantic model or through a CSV file. 

Dynamic Subscription Configuration Options 

• Choose whether you want to use a semantic model or a CSV file for the subscriptions. 
• Select the workspace, semantic model, and table you wish to target. 
• Specify the column for email IDs and add a filter for the selected table to select only the relevant email addresses (e.g. employees from a specific department only). 

Dynamic Subscription – Report Filter Option 
In addition, you can also apply a filter to the report within the dynamic subscription, ensuring that recipients only receive reports relevant to them (e.g., by region or customer segment). 

10. Managing Subscriptions 

Subscription Overview 

• Once a subscription is created, you can review the subscription details such as its status, recipient(s), and the destination (e.g., email, OneDrive) using the Manage Subscriptions button from the Inforiver toolbar, which will redirect you to the My Subscriptions page. 
• Subscriptions can be managed from a subscriptions page that lists all active and past subscriptions.

Subscription Actions 

From the subscriptions page, you have several management options: 

• Edit: Modify the details of an existing subscription. 
• Run Now: Manually trigger the report to run at that moment. 
• Pause: Temporarily stop the subscription without deleting it. 
• Test Email: Send a test email to check if everything is set up correctly. 
• Duplicate: Create a copy of an existing subscription for similar reports. 
• Delete: Remove a subscription entirely. 

Job Status Tracking 

• After running a subscription, you can track its job status to see when the process starts and finishes. 
• The status will show in real-time to keep you informed about the job's progress at each milestone. 
• If the subscription fails, you can also click on the relevant milestone to check the error that has occurred. 

Administration Features 

Editing Holiday Lists 
Administrators can manage holiday lists to ensure reports are not scheduled on holidays. This helps in avoiding the sending of reports during non-working days. You can add a new list of holidays using the Add New List button. Your holiday lists will be available under the Skip holidays dropdown from the frequency options of the scheduler, allowing you to configure flexible frequencies. 

11. Conclusion  

By understanding and utilizing scheduling, broadcasting, and bursting methods, users can optimize report delivery, ensure timely access to critical data, and enhance decision-making processes across their organizations. Embracing these strategies enables businesses to automate report distribution, improve data accessibility, and foster a more streamlined, data-driven culture. 

By leveraging Inforiver's advanced features for scheduling, bursting and broadcasting, organizations can improve efficiency, accuracy, and the timeliness of their report deliveries. Whether it's for personalized, secure reports, detailed paginated outputs, or fully formatted exports to PDF and Excel, Inforiver ensures that every report meets the specific needs of the user, while providing flexibility and ease of use. 

Explore our webinar, to learn more about ‘Power BI Report Delivery: Scheduling, Broadcasting, and Bursting Explained’ webinar here.