10.3 Dashboards and Advanced Distribution
Key Takeaways
- Dashboards are created exclusively in the Power BI Service by pinning tiles from reports, Q&A, Excel, and streaming data.
- Dashboard tiles link back to their source report — clicking a tile navigates to the original report page with filter context.
- Q&A natural language on dashboards lets users type questions and get instant visual answers.
- Featured dashboards appear as the default landing page for workspace viewers.
- Data classification tags (High Impact, Medium Impact, Low Impact) help users identify dashboard sensitivity.
Dashboards and Advanced Distribution
Quick Answer: Dashboards are single-page canvases in the Power BI Service that pin tiles from multiple reports. They provide at-a-glance monitoring with data alerts and Q&A. Featured dashboards serve as landing pages. Distribute content through apps (broad), sharing (targeted), subscriptions (automated), or embed (external).
Dashboard Design
Best Practices for Dashboard Layout
- Lead with KPIs — Place the most important metrics at the top
- Limit tile count — 5-10 tiles for focused monitoring
- Use consistent sizing — Align tiles for visual harmony
- Add text tiles — Section headers improve navigation
- Link tiles — Set custom links to drill into detail reports
Dashboard Tile Types
| Tile Type | Source | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Report visual | Pinned from a report | Most common — any visual type |
| Live report page | Entire report page pinned | Full interactivity in a tile |
| Q&A | Natural language query result | Quick ad-hoc answers |
| Web content | Custom HTML/iframe | Embed external dashboards or videos |
| Image | Uploaded image | Logos, icons, decorative elements |
| Text box | Rich text | Section headers, instructions |
| Video | Video URL | Training or informational videos |
| Streaming data | Real-time data source | IoT sensors, live metrics |
Featured Dashboard
Set a workspace's default landing dashboard:
Dashboard → More options (...) → Feature on Home
This dashboard appears first when workspace viewers navigate to the workspace.
Dashboard Q&A
Dashboards include a built-in Q&A box at the top:
- Users type natural language questions
- Power BI generates visual answers from the underlying datasets
- Questions can be pinned as new dashboard tiles
- Synonyms improve Q&A accuracy
Advanced Distribution Patterns
Embed in SharePoint or Teams
Embed Power BI reports directly in collaboration tools:
SharePoint:
Report → File → Embed → SharePoint Online
→ Copy the embed URL → Add Power BI web part to SharePoint page
Microsoft Teams:
Teams → Tab → Power BI → Select report from workspace
Publish to Web (Public)
Creates a public URL accessible without authentication:
Report → File → Embed → Publish to web (public)
→ Generate embed code → Copy URL
Warning: Publish to Web creates a publicly accessible URL. Anyone with the link can view the data. Never use for sensitive, confidential, or internal data. Admin must enable this feature.
Power BI REST API
Automate distribution and management:
- Trigger refreshes programmatically
- Export reports to file formats
- Manage workspace permissions
- Create automated deployment workflows
On the Exam
The PL-300 frequently tests:
- Knowing the difference between dashboards and reports
- Understanding dashboard-only features (alerts, Q&A, featured)
- Choosing the appropriate distribution method for a scenario
- Knowing the security implications of Publish to Web
Which of the following features is available ONLY on dashboards, NOT on reports?
A dashboard tile shows revenue from a pinned bar chart. When a user clicks the tile, what happens?
Your company wants to embed a Power BI report on a public-facing website for non-authenticated visitors. What security consideration is most important?
How many times per day can a Power BI Pro dataset be refreshed via scheduled refresh?