Power Apps visual in Desktop - How to share with users?

[bkyhydro]

Hi all,

I created a Power BI report in desktop, and added in the Power App visual so that my users can enter in a few values into a form. The app works great and my visuals in Power BI desktop update based on the values entered. Its data source is an Excel file I have saved in OneDrive.

When I tried to share the Power BI report with others in my org, I first gave them permission in Power Apps and shared the underlying OneDrive Excel file with them. However, while the Power App visual works for them (they can enter data and it updates to the Excel file on my OneDrive), the Power BI report does not refresh the data from the Excel file for them. It works on my desktop and in my service, but not on theirs. I've never shared a Power BI report before, so I might just be going about this wrong.  Basically, how do you share a Power BI report with someone so that the Power Apps visual also works for them? Do I need to use a different data source than my OneDrive?

Thanks for your help!

[lbendlin]

You aren't doing anything wrong.  Power BI does not have automatic data write back and dataset update features at the moment. Power BI has no idea that your users have updated the Excel data via the PowerApps visual.  

One way to work around that is to replace the Excel file with a SQL server table, and to access that table via direct Query in Power BI. BUT not only does this require additional licenses (Premium connector for PowerApps), it still will not update the dataset automatically. Your users will have to refresh the browser page each time after they made a data entry.

Qlik has introduced CDC a while back which makes that whole process a bit more seemless (although with a large serving of smoke and mirrors). There is hope that Microsoft will implement something similar in the future.