8.3 Export Settings and Automatic Page Refresh
Key Takeaways
- Export settings control whether users can export data from visuals to CSV, Excel, PDF, or PowerPoint.
- Automatic page refresh keeps visuals updated at set intervals — essential for real-time or near-real-time dashboards.
- Change detection refresh only reloads visuals when the underlying data has actually changed, reducing unnecessary refreshes.
- Export restrictions interact with sensitivity labels — Confidential content may block certain export formats.
- Minimum auto-refresh interval depends on capacity type: 1 second for DirectQuery on Premium, 30 minutes for Import.
Export Settings and Automatic Page Refresh
Quick Answer: Control exports via File → Options → Report Settings. Automatic page refresh (Page Settings → Page Refresh) auto-updates visuals at set intervals. DirectQuery models can refresh as often as every second on Premium. Change detection mode only refreshes when the source data actually changes, reducing unnecessary load.
Export Settings
Configuring Export Permissions
File → Options → Report Settings → Export Data
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Allow export of underlying data | Users can export the detail rows behind a visual |
| Allow export of summarized data | Users can export the aggregated data shown in a visual |
| Allow export to PDF | Report can be exported as a PDF document |
| Allow export to PowerPoint | Report can be exported as a .pptx file |
| Allow export to image | Individual visuals can be saved as images |
Export Interactions with Sensitivity Labels
When a sensitivity label is applied:
- Confidential labels may encrypt exported PDFs and Office documents
- Highly Confidential labels may block all exports
- Labels travel with the exported content
- Watermarks may be applied to exports
Automatic Page Refresh
Configuration
Page Settings → Page Refresh → Toggle On
→ Auto page refresh type: Fixed interval or Change detection
→ Set interval or detection measure
Fixed Interval Refresh
| Capacity | Minimum Interval (DirectQuery) | Minimum Interval (Import) |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | 30 minutes | Not available |
| Premium/Fabric | 1 second | 30 minutes |
Change Detection Refresh
Instead of refreshing on a fixed schedule, change detection only refreshes when data changes:
- Create a change detection measure that returns a value indicating data freshness:
Last Update = MAX(Sales[ModifiedDate])
- Set the measure as the change detection source
- Power BI polls the measure at the configured interval
- Visuals refresh only when the measure value changes
Benefits:
- Reduced unnecessary refreshes
- Lower source database load
- Better user experience (no flicker when data hasn't changed)
On the Exam
The PL-300 frequently tests:
- Configuring export restrictions for reports
- Setting up automatic page refresh for real-time dashboards
- Understanding minimum refresh intervals by capacity type
- Using change detection for efficient refresh
A real-time operations dashboard needs to update every 5 seconds using DirectQuery. What capacity is required?
What is the advantage of "Change detection" automatic page refresh over "Fixed interval" refresh?
A report with a "Confidential" sensitivity label is exported to PDF. What happens to the label?