Automatically share excel file in OneDrive while sharing Power BI App or PowerApp

[narain337]

Hello All,

I have an excel file in onedrive which is use as a backend to build a PowerApp. I want to expose the PowerApp via PowerBI using PowerApps custom visual. So I sourced the same excel file in PowerBI and embedded the powerApp using custom visual. The app will show the data in Excel and the user can update the data if needed.

Everything works fine in this setup but things are getting complicated while sharing with other people. It looks like I have to share the backend excel file in OneDrive while adding a user to PowerBI and PowerApp. This has become a three step process now. Is there a way to automatically share the excel file when the power bi or power app is shared with an user?

Another problem: if I grant access to users in a distribution list, everyone can see the excel file in the "Shared with me" section after they login to their onedrive account. If any one opens that file it gets locked and the app cannot update it. How can we avoid this issue?

[v-yuezhe-msft]

@narain337,

Do you want to share the Power BI report containing PowerApps custom visual to other users? If so, what method do you use to share the report, and what error message do you get if don't share the Excel file?

On Power BI side, it is not possible to share the original Excel file when sharing report, however, you can share the dataset by adding users as Power BI app wprkspace members.

In addition, what do you mean "the app cannot update it"? Do you refer  to PowerApp or Power BI app?

Regards,
Lydia

[narain337]

Correct, I want to share PowerBI report with a PowerApp custom Visual to other users. The PowerApp sources data from an Excel file stored in OneDrive for business.

I shared the PowerBI report to users from the "Access" tab while updating the app workspace, and I do the same while sharing the PowerApp. If I don't share the excel file, the users see "Unable to load.." error.  

By "the app cannot update it", I refer to the PowerApp.