Take A Step Towards Interactive Data Management

Take a step towards interactive data management and transform your Power BI reports with Power Apps Write-Back

"Can I edit my data directly in a Power BI report?"

"How can I comment my data and make notes instantly in my BI Tool?"

"Can I adjust budgets and financial plans live in a Power BI report?"

"Can I manage inventory results directly within my Power BI dashboard?"

If these are the kinds of questions you have been asking yourself recently, you’re in the right place.

In the dynamic world of Business Intelligence (BI), static reports are no longer sufficient for most managers, data analysts, and decision-makers. Being able to not only visualize and analyze data in Power BI, but also to directly interact with it, has moved BI to the next level, one which all companies should aspire to reach.

Currently, it is already possible to adjust the data we see in our Power BI reports through the process of Write-Back. By seamlessly integrating Power Apps with Power BI, we can transform reports into dynamic, interactive tools that enable real-time data management, enhance decision-making, and improve the effectiveness and usability of your Power BI reports.

Let’s explore how this integration changes the game for all users, from routine report users to BI professionals!

Use cases and scenarios

Practical scenarios of data Write-Back using Power Apps vary from the simplest tasks, such as deleting or flagging selected data rows in the dataset, to complex scenarios, such as creating a dynamic interactive comment section in your Power BI report based on filtered data. Common use cases include:

Budgeting and Forecasting: Financial analysts can modify forecasts and budgets directly within Power BI, enabling real-time scenario analysis.

Project Management: Project updates, issue logging, and resource management become streamlined with direct data entry and visualization.

Inventory Management: Operational teams can update stock levels and product details directly in the report, offering an at-a-glance inventory overview.

Users’ Notes and Comments: Power BI report users can save their own notes and comments on performance data to explain certain anomalies to others. This ensures that decision-makers gain the best insights into business performance.

Procurement and Supplier Management: Procurement teams can log and update supplier details, purchase orders, and delivery schedules directly within Power BI reports. This real-time data entry enhances the accuracy of procurement analytics and ensures that all stakeholders have the most recent information for decision-making.

Asset Management: Maintenance teams can log asset conditions, maintenance schedules, and repair updates directly into Power BI. This functionality provides a real-time view of asset health and maintenance activities, aiding in better asset lifecycle management and reducing downtime.

Key features and advantages that make a difference

• You'll experience a smooth and cohesive user interface as you embed Power Apps directly into your Power BI reports. This seamless integration ensures a unified experience that's both intuitive and efficient.
• With Power BI Write-Back using Power Apps, you can input and update data on the fly, ensuring your reports always reflect the most up-to-date information available, allowing decisions to be based on the most current data.
• A wide range of customization options tailored to your business needs makes data entry intuitive and efficient, streamlining your workflows and boosting productivity.
• Hand in hand with Power Automate, you can enhance your business processes by triggering workflows based on data entries and updates, reducing manual tasks and improving efficiency, so you can focus on what really matters.
• Implementing validation rules for data consistency and accuracy ensures that the information you rely on is precise and trustworthy.
• Enhanced user interactivity and engagement lead directly to greater user involvement and ownership of data. Additionally, the less time you spend on data handling, the more time you have for analysis and gaining actionable insights.
• A unified platform for data entry using Power BI Write-Back using Power Apps minimizes silo issues, fostering a cohesive data strategy.

How does this integration work?

To integrate Write-Back functionality in Power BI using Power Apps, start by adding the Power Apps visual to your Power BI report. Configure the Power Apps visual by dragging the necessary fields from your dataset to the visual, linking your Power BI data to the Power App. Next, click on the Power Apps visual and choose to create a new app.

You will be redirected to Power Apps Studio, where you can design the app to facilitate the required data entry or update processes, such as creating forms, setting up data connections, and configuring the necessary logic for data manipulation. The Power BI integration in the new Power App is created instantly.

Once your app is designed and connected to the necessary data sources, like SQL databases, Dataverse or SharePoint lists, save and publish it to make it available for embedding within Power BI. Users can then interact with the embedded Power App directly within the Power BI report, entering or updating data, which will be written back to the connected data sources. Ensure that Power BI visuals are set to refresh as needed so that changes made through the Power App are immediately reflected in the reports and dashboards.

Last but not least, make sure that the security is set up properly, so that only certain people will we able to use write back. This can be managed on multiple levels: by configuring Power BI roles, assigning Power Apps roles, securing data sources, utilizing secure authentication with Azure Active Directory, and managing environment permissions.

Additional Power Apps pricing and licensing

When you purchase Microsoft Office 365 licenses, you receive a nested license for Power Apps. You can use its features without purchasing a separate license if you need to connect only standard services like OneDrive, Outlook, or SharePoint and no premium connectors to build your applications, which is not our case.

Power Apps license pricing is based on a per-user or per-app subscription model, providing flexibility depending on your needs.

• The Power Apps Premium license (former Per user plan) starts at $20 per user per month, offering unlimited apps and portals, making it suitable for organizations with multiple apps and dynamic usage. The price drops to $12 per user per month for over 2,000 user licenses.
• Alternatively, the Power Apps Per App plan costs $5 (per app/user/month), ideal for scenarios where only a few specific apps are required.

When deciding on the most suitable plan, keep in mind key factors impacting the license cost: the number of users, the number of apps, and the level of functionality and integration needed. Additional costs could arise from premium connectors, additional storage, and advanced features or customizations. All prices are valid as of 1st December 2024.

Summary: Is it a must-have or should you skip it?

The integration of Power BI with Power Apps for Write-Back capabilities transforms traditional BI reporting by turning static data into dynamic, interactive tools, enhancing data management and decision-making. While challenges exist and the initial development steps can be difficult, the benefits and newfound capabilities are far greater, making this integration an important part of any progressive BI strategy. It's definitely worth a test for any company looking to stay ahead in the data-driven business landscape.

What are your thoughts and experiences? Are you ready to transform your Power BI reports into interactive data management tools? Dive into the world of Power Apps Write-Back today and start using its benefits to your advantage!