While it is possible to configure PPM Express Power BI Report Packs in Power BI Desktop, we strongly recommend configuring them in the Power BI Service whenever possible.
The recommended configuration process is:
- Download the required Power BI Report Pack from PPM Express.
- Open the Help Center article for that specific Report Pack.
- Follow the instructions to configure the report in the Power BI Service.
Configuring report packs in the Power BI Service is the standard and recommended approach because it provides the simplest deployment experience and aligns with the intended setup process for PPM Express reports.
If your organization cannot use Power BI Service, for example, due to corporate security policies, network restrictions, or other organizational requirements, you can configure the report pack in Power BI Desktop instead.
The process described in this article is used to configure any PPM Express Power BI Report Pack in Power BI Desktop. However, two exceptions require additional configuration: Resource Workload and Benefits Registry Report Packs. These report packs rely on the semantic models of the Executive and Financial report packs. It is required to configure and publish the Executive and/or Financial Report Packs first in the Power BI Service, then configure the dependent Report Packs in Desktop.
Prerequisites:
Before you begin, make sure that:
- Power BI Desktop is installed on your computer (we recommend using one of the latest versions of Power BI Desktop).
Recommended hardware: at least 16 GB of RAM. For better performance, especially with larger datasets, 24-32 GB or more is recommended. - You have downloaded the required PPM Express Power BI Report Pack file (PPM Express -> Reporting page).
Configuring PPM Express Power BI Report Pack in Power BI Desktop
Before updating the data source in the report pack, we recommend setting up the PPM Express OData connection separately. This preliminary setup helps verify that the OData URL and credentials are valid before Power BI starts refreshing all queries in the report pack, saving time during configuration.
To set up the PPM Express OData connection in Power BI Desktop, perform the following:
1. Open PPM Express -> Reporting (from the gear button in the top right corner). Copy the OData feed URL.
2. Open the Power BI Desktop application -> Blank Report. Click Get data -> OData feed.
3. In the dialog that opens, paste the OData feed URL copied previously from PPM Express. Click OK.
Set the authentication method to Basic.
4. Open the PPM Express Reporting Settings page again, and click Create access token. Generate a token and copy it.
5. Go back to Power BI Desktop.
Under the Basic authentication menu, type in the user name, and paste the PPM Express token into the Password field. Make sure the full OData URL is selected from the drop-down.
Click Connect.
6. If the Navigator window appears as shown below, the connection to your PPM Express OData URL has been established successfully. Close the Navigator window and Power BI Desktop.
The initial Power BI configuration described above (steps 1-6) only needs to be completed once to connect Power BI Desktop to your PPM Express tenant. Power BI remembers your OData connection settings, so if you're configuring multiple Report Packs, you don't need to repeat these steps. Repeat the initial configuration only if the Power BI cache or saved credentials are cleared.
After the initial setup, simply open the required Report Pack and follow the instructions below (starting with step 7) to refresh the data.
7. Open the .PBIX file of the previously downloaded PPM Express report pack in Power BI Desktop. The Executive Report Pack is used as an example.
Click Transform data -> Edit parameters.
8. In the Edit Parameters dialog, update the existing OData URL with the one copied from the PPM Express -> Reporting Settings page. Other parameters are optional. Click OK.
9. The Web source is used to retrieve the report pack version information.
To update credentials for this source, go to Transform Data -> Data Source Settings.
10. Locate the Web URL and click it. The URL may be found under the 'Data source in current file' or 'Global permissions'. Click Edit Permissions.
11. Click Edit.
12. Set the authentication method to Anonymous. Click Save.
13. Set the privacy level to Organizational. Click OK.
Close the Data Source Settings window.
14. After updating credentials, click Apply Changes in the notification bar and wait for Power BI Desktop to finish refreshing the dataset.
After the refresh is complete, save the report. Your Power BI Report is now configured and ready for use.