New PowerPoint Power BI add-in not updating on slideshow file open

[fpdean]

I really like the new Power BI add-in for PowerPoint. I can see lots of uses for it --- one that I'm working on is setting up a PC as a kiosk to show an informational slideshow that includes Power BI reports that are refreshed daily.

I've been testing the new Power BI add-in for PowerPoint. The idea is to have the PC restart early in the morning, after Power BI reports are refreshed in the service, and then launch the PowerPoint slideshow that contains the Power BI reports embedded with the add-in.

What I'm finding is that the PowerPoint slides refresh pretty consistently when I open the slideshow but not at all when the slideshow is opened using the command line PowerPoint "/S" switch. The slides with Power BI reports render as blank pages.

The slideshow has the "Keep slides updated" box checked.

Is there another way to force PowerPoint to refresh / update the slides? Is this a defect in the add-in?

Thanks,

Frank

[v-xiaoyan-msft]

Hi @fpdean ,

Sorry I didn't reproduce your question, it works fine with me, I see you mentioned "when the slideshow is opened using the command line PowerPoint "/S" switch. ", does it work fine with you if you don't open it in the command way?

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ Caitlyn

[fpdean]

Hi @v-xiaoyan-msft ,

The slideshow does refresh when I open it in PowerPoint (File | Open) or from the command line without the "/S" switch.

The issue is that it does not refresh when I open it, from the command line, with the "/S" (start slideshow) switch. The intent is to have the PowerPoint and the slideshow launch from a batch file, using the "/S" switch, refresh the slides and start the show. The goal is make it unattended --- the PC running the show will be powering a wall-mounted monitor / display. Some of the slides will utilize content embedded from Power BI (which should be the latest content, refreshed on launch) and other slides will be updated on an irregular basis. We are planning to run this show on multiple monitors so it's important that the show can start and refresh the content in an automated way without anyone directly opening the file.

BTW, I was able to create a temporary workaround --- using the "/M" switch I can have the slideshow open and run a macro. The macro refreshes the slides and then starts the show displaying. This isn't ideal --- since macros create potential security concerns --- but it does achieve the result I'm looking for. It would be great if the add in was able to refresh the slides upon loading when PowerPoint is launched with the "/S" switch.

Thanks,

Frank

[v-xiaoyan-msft]

Hi @fpdean ,

Since this is a newly developed feature, the command line PowerPoint "/S" switch is not yet supported.

If you would like to suggest some feature improvements, you may also vote the idea and comment here  to improve this feature. It is a place for customers provide feedback about Microsoft Office products . What’s more, if a feedback is high voted there by other customers, it will be promising that Microsoft Product Team will take it into consideration when designing the next version in the future.

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ Caitlyn

[fpdean]

@v-xiaoyan-msft,

Thanks for letting me know this is not yet supported. 

I checked the idea list you referenced and didn't see a general one for feedback on the Power BI add-in for PowerPoint. Should I create this as a new idea?

Thanks,

Frank