Power Platform Community Forum Thread Details

Hi everyone,

I’d like to embed a Canvas App directly into a Power BI report to create an interactive interface. The goal is to allow users to view data in Power BI and simultaneously enter or update information via input fields from the embedded app.

Is this integration possible, and if so, what are the steps to achieve it? Are there any limitations I should be aware of regarding data sources, permissions, or refresh behavior?

Any guidance or examples would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,

Abdul

Categories:

Building Power Apps

Hi @BK-02091156-0, yes, you can embed a Canvas App into a Power BI report to enable interactive data entry. This integration allows users to view analytics and update data in real time, but it comes with specific setup steps and limitations around data refresh and permissions.

How to Embed a Canvas App into Power BI

Step 1: Build Your Canvas App

• Create the app in Power Apps using the data source you want to update (e.g., Dataverse, SharePoint, SQL).
• Design the app with input fields, buttons, and logic for data entry.

Step 2: Add the Power Apps Visual in Power BI

• Open your Power BI report in Power BI Desktop.
• Insert the Power Apps visual from the Visualizations pane.
• Select the fields you want to pass to the app (e.g., record ID, context).
• Click “Create new” or “Choose app” to link your Canvas App.

Step 3: Configure Data Context

• Use the PowerBIIntegration.Data object inside your app to access the data passed from Power BI.
• This enables context-aware updates (e.g., editing the selected row).

Step 4: Publish and Test

• Save and publish both the Power BI report and the Canvas App.
• Test the integration in Power BI Service to ensure users can view and update data.

Limitations to Be Aware Of

• Data Refresh Behavior:
⁠◦ If your report uses Import mode, updates made via the app won’t reflect until the next refresh.
⁠◦ With DirectQuery, changes appear immediately.
• Permissions:
⁠◦ Users must have access to both the Power BI report and the Canvas App.
⁠◦ Ensure the app is shared with the same audience as the report.
• Data Sources:
⁠◦ The app can connect to any supported Power Apps data source, but Power BI can only pass context—not write back to the report’s dataset.
• Performance:
⁠◦ Embedding may slow report load times if the app is complex or uses heavy logic.

Helpful resources:

How to create a canvas app with Power BI visual

Power Apps in Power BI: Step-by-Step Integration Guide

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