Power BI provides extensions and integrations in various forms. Some of the most notable include:
- Custom Visuals: These allow users to visualize their data in ways that aren’t available in the standard set of visuals provided by Power BI. Developers can create custom visuals using the Power BI developer tools and then share them with others or even submit them to Microsoft’s AppSource for others to use. There are many custom visuals available in the AppSource, covering a vast array of specialized visualization needs.
- Power BI Templates: These are pre-built report layouts, which can be shared and reused. A Power BI Template contains the layout and the queries but doesn’t contain the actual data. This allows users to apply the same report structure to different datasets.
- Connectors: These are extensions that allow Power BI to connect to different data sources. While Power BI comes with many built-in connectors (for databases, online services, and more), developers can also create custom connectors to suit specific needs.
- Power BI Service Apps: Once you’ve created a report in Power BI Desktop, you can publish it to the Power BI Service. From there, you can package related reports into a workspace and then publish that workspace as an app. Other users in your organization can then install and view the app, without needing to reconstruct complex reports or dashboards themselves.
- Integration with Other Tools: Power BI integrates with many other tools and platforms. For instance, there’s tight integration with Microsoft’s Power Platform, which includes Power Apps (for custom app creation), Power Automate (for workflows), and Power Virtual Agents (for chatbots). Additionally, there are integrations available for tools like Microsoft Excel, enabling users to pivot between deep analysis in Excel and visualization in Power BI.
- Power BI Embedded: This is a service in Azure that allows developers to embed Power BI reports and dashboards into custom applications, offering integrated analytics within a custom application or portal.
- Themes: These are JSON files that define the colors, font styles, and other visual elements of a report. By applying a theme, users can quickly change the look and feel of a report to match corporate branding or other stylistic preferences.
- R and Python Integration: For those looking to integrate advanced analytics or data processing, Power BI supports the integration of R and Python scripts, enabling a wide range of data manipulation and advanced visualizations.
When you’re looking to extend or customize Power BI’s capabilities, it’s essential to explore these areas. Remember, Power BI is constantly evolving, so Microsoft may introduce new extension and customization capabilities in the future. Always refer to the official Power BI documentation or community forums for the most up-to-date information.