From Desktop to Web: A Guide to Publishing and Embedding Power BI Reports

Source: Dev.to

Create a Workspace in Power BI Service

1. Sign in to the Power BI Service.
2. In the left‑hand navigation pane, click Workspaces.
3. Select Create a workspace (usually at the bottom).
4. Provide a unique name (e.g., Sales Analytics 2026) and an optional description, then click Save.
   You now have a dedicated “folder” in the cloud for your project.

Publish the Report from Power BI Desktop

1. Open your report in Power BI Desktop.
2. On the Home tab, click Publish (far right of the ribbon).
3. In the dialog that appears, choose the workspace you created above and click Select.
4. Power BI uploads the file and its data model. When the Success! message appears, click the link to open the report in the Power BI Service.

Generate an Embed Code (Publish to Web)

Note: Publish to Web creates a publicly accessible link. Use it only for data that can be shared openly.

1. In the Power BI Service, open the published report.
2. Click the File menu (top left) → Embed report → Publish to web (Public).
3. Click Create embed code, then Publish to confirm.
4. A dialog shows two items: a shareable URL and an HTML snippet. Copy the code.

Embed the Report on a Website

1. Open the HTML editor of your site (e.g., WordPress, Wix, or a custom .html file).
2. Navigate to the page or section where the report should appear.
3. Paste the copied “ snippet.
4. Save and refresh the page; the interactive Power BI report should now be visible.

Key Insights

• Security First: Publish to Web is for public data only. For sensitive information, use the Website or Portal embed option and control access via Power BI permissions.
• Data Freshness: Publishing is a one‑time action. To keep the embedded report up‑to‑date, configure a Scheduled Refresh in the Power BI Service settings.
• Mobile Optimization: If the site will be viewed on mobile devices, create a Mobile Layout in Power BI Desktop before publishing so charts resize correctly.