April 30, 2024

April 2024: Top Power BI Updates with Soheil, Microsoft MVP

By

Soheil Bakhshi | Microsoft Data Platform MVP | Principal Consultant in Data & Insights | Author | Blogger

Theta

Unsure how to navigate Microsoft’s monthly Power BI updates? Principal Consultant at Theta and Microsoft MVP Soheil Bakhshi shares his top picks for the most impactful updates that organisations should know.

Dynamic per recipient subscriptions for reports (Preview)

The new Dynamic per recipient subscriptions feature in Power BI can revolutionise how organisations use reports. It ensures that each team member receives clear, personalised delivery of reports to ensure that every team member has immediate access to trustworthy and relevant data without the need to determine the correct person or department to contact.

Employees no longer have to navigate through a sea of reports or request specific parts of reports from developers; the necessary information is automatically curated and sent directly to them based on predefined criteria. This level of automation in data delivery speeds up the decision-making process and reduces the risk of human error in data handling.

Benefits

  • Reduces the risk of human error in data handling.
  • Enables quicker response to market changes and internal dynamics.
  • Decrease the often-nerve-wracking confusion surrounding data access within large organisations.
  • Boost productivity and decision accuracy.
  • Save on time and effort typically spent on finding and using data.
  • Streamlines communication by eliminating irrelevant data for recipients.
  • Nurtures responsiveness across teams.
  • Direct and efficient flow of information provides a more organised and less stressful work environment, which can lead to increased job satisfaction.

For a more technical definition and extended summary, visit the offcial Microsoft’s announcement here.

Fabric metadata scanning sample app

This one is for your Fabric Administrators. The new Fabric metadata scanning sample app (available on GitHub) is designed to harness the capabilities of Fabric’s metadata scanning APIs. It simplifies the process of cataloguing and reporting on the metadata of all Fabric items within the organisation, offering a robust tool for admins to improve data oversight and compliance.

Benefits

  • Automates the complex processes involved with running the Power BI Scanner API.
  • Ensures that metadata is regularly and efficiently updated without overloading the system, which is crucial for maintaining system performance and data accuracy.
  • Enhanced monitoring and governance to help with efficient data sovereignty and management.
  • Enhanced visibility into the data landscape and improved compliance with data governance policies for business owners.
  • This tool empowers the administrators to set up the organisation to be more reliable in data handling and better in making informed and timely decisions.

For a more technical definition and extended summary, visit the official update here.

Copilot pane in Power BI Desktop

In the March 2024 update, we looked at the Copilot availability in the DAX Query pane. This month, the Copilot feature is now available in Power BI Desktop when the Report View pane is active. This integration allows developers to harness generative AI to swiftly create report pages directly within the Power BI Desktop.

Benefits

  • Significantly accelerates Power BI report development process.
  • Enables developers to generate complex reports in seconds, a task that previously might have taken much longer.
  • Boosts productivity while also transforming the way data is visualised and reported.
  • Faster and more efficient report creation means you can respond faster to changes in data and market conditions.
  • New found efficiency frees up valuable time for teams to focus on analysis and strategic decision-making rather than spending excessive time on report development.

The following short video showcases Copilot on Power BI Desktop in generating multiple report pages in seconds:

For a more technical definition and extended summary, visit the official update here.

Power BI team training