Dashboards vs reports in Power BI - Compared

Introduction

Dashboards and reports help you see your data clearly. Reports show detailed data and multiple pages. Dashboards give a quick view of key info on one page.

When you want to explore data deeply with many charts and tables, use a report.

When you need a quick summary of important numbers, use a dashboard.

When sharing insights with others who want to see many details, use a report.

When you want to monitor key metrics at a glance, use a dashboard.

When you want to combine visuals from different reports in one place, use a dashboard.

Steps

Step 1: Open

- Power BI Desktop

You see the report canvas where you can create detailed reports.

Step 2: Create

- Report canvas

Add multiple visuals like charts and tables on different pages.

Step 3: Publish

- Power BI Desktop, Home tab, click Publish

Your report is uploaded to the Power BI Service online.

Step 4: Go to

- Power BI Service, Workspace

You see your published reports and dashboards.

Step 5: Create

- Power BI Service, New > Dashboard

A blank dashboard page opens.

Step 6: Pin

- Report visual, click Pin icon

The visual appears on your dashboard.

Step 7: Arrange

- Dashboard page

You organize visuals to see key info at a glance.

Before vs After

Before

Report with multiple pages and detailed charts in Power BI Desktop; no dashboard created.

After

Dashboard in Power BI Service with key visuals pinned from reports, showing summary info on one page.

Settings Reference

Pin Visual

📍 Report visual toolbar in Power BI Service

Add report visuals to dashboards for quick access.

Default: Pin to existing dashboard

Dashboard Tiles

📍 Dashboard page in Power BI Service

Customize dashboard layout to highlight important data.

Default: Default size and position

Report Pages

📍 Report canvas in Power BI Desktop

Organize detailed data into multiple pages.

Default: One page

Common Mistakes

Trying to create dashboards in Power BI Desktop.

Dashboards can only be created in Power BI Service, not in Desktop.

Publish your report to Power BI Service, then create dashboards there by pinning visuals.

Expecting dashboards to have multiple pages like reports.

Dashboards are single pages designed for quick overview, not detailed multi-page analysis.

Use reports for detailed multi-page data exploration; use dashboards for summary views.

Summary

Reports show detailed data with multiple pages and visuals.

Dashboards show key visuals from reports on a single page for quick insights.

Create reports in Power BI Desktop and dashboards in Power BI Service by pinning visuals.

Practice

1. What is the main difference between a dashboard and a report in Power BI?

easy

A. Dashboards show key info on one page; reports have multiple pages with details.

B. Dashboards have multiple pages; reports show info on one page only.

C. Dashboards are only for printing; reports are interactive.

D. Dashboards contain raw data; reports contain only charts.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand dashboard purpose

   Dashboards provide a quick view of key information on a single page for fast understanding.

2. Step 2: Understand report purpose

   Reports contain multiple pages with detailed data and filters for deeper exploration.

3. Final Answer:

   Dashboards show key info on one page; reports have multiple pages with details. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Dashboard = summary, Report = detailed [OK]

Hint: Dashboards = one page summary, reports = detailed multi-page [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing dashboards as multi-page
• Thinking reports are only for printing
• Believing dashboards contain raw data

2. Which of the following is the correct way to create a dashboard in Power BI?

easy

A. Write DAX formulas to build a dashboard page.

B. Create a dashboard first, then add reports inside it.

C. Create a report and pin visuals to a dashboard.

D. Use Power Query to design the dashboard layout.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand dashboard creation process

   Dashboards are created by pinning visuals from reports to a single page.

2. Step 2: Eliminate incorrect options

   Dashboards are not created first, nor built with DAX or Power Query layouts.

3. Final Answer:

   Create a report and pin visuals to a dashboard. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Pin visuals from reports = dashboard creation [OK]

Hint: Pin report visuals to dashboard to create it [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to create dashboard before reports
• Using DAX or Power Query to build dashboard layout
• Confusing dashboard and report creation steps

3. You have a Power BI report with 5 pages and many filters. You pin 3 visuals from different pages to a dashboard. What will the dashboard show?

medium

A. Only the 3 pinned visuals on one page without filters.

B. All 5 pages with filters applied.

C. The entire report with interactive filters.

D. A summary table of all report data.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand dashboard content

   Dashboards show only pinned visuals on a single page, not full report pages or filters.

2. Step 2: Analyze filter behavior

   Filters on report pages do not carry over to dashboard visuals; dashboard visuals are snapshots.

3. Final Answer:

   Only the 3 pinned visuals on one page without filters. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Dashboard = pinned visuals only [OK]

Hint: Dashboard shows only pinned visuals, no full pages [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming dashboard shows all report pages
• Expecting filters to apply on dashboard visuals
• Thinking dashboard is interactive like report

4. You created a dashboard but notice some visuals do not update when report data changes. What is the likely cause?

medium

A. The report is not connected to any data source.

B. You forgot to refresh the Power BI Desktop file.

C. Dashboard visuals are snapshots and need to be repinned to update.

D. Dashboards cannot show visuals from reports.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand dashboard refresh behavior

   Dashboard visuals update automatically when the underlying report dataset refreshes in Power BI service.

2. Step 2: Identify likely cause

   If report data changed externally, you must refresh queries in Power BI Desktop before republishing to update the service dataset.

3. Final Answer:

   You forgot to refresh the Power BI Desktop file. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Refresh Desktop queries + republish [OK]

Hint: Refresh Power BI Desktop file and republish after data changes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Believing dashboard visuals need repinning for data updates
• Assuming report is disconnected from data source
• Believing dashboards cannot show report visuals

5. You want to share a summary of sales performance with executives who need quick insights, but also provide detailed data for analysts. How should you use dashboards and reports in Power BI?

hard

A. Create separate dashboards for executives and analysts with same visuals.

B. Create only a detailed report with all data for everyone.

C. Create only a dashboard with all data and filters for analysts.

D. Create a dashboard with key sales visuals for executives and a detailed report for analysts.

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify needs of executives

   Executives need quick insights, best served by a dashboard with key visuals on one page.

2. Step 2: Identify needs of analysts

   Analysts require detailed data and filters, best provided by a multi-page report.

3. Step 3: Combine solution

   Create a dashboard for executives and a detailed report for analysts to meet both needs.

4. Final Answer:

   Create a dashboard with key sales visuals for executives and a detailed report for analysts. -> Option D

5. Quick Check:

   Dashboard = summary, Report = detailed [OK]

Hint: Dashboard for quick view, report for deep dive [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using only reports for all users
• Using dashboards for detailed data
• Creating duplicate dashboards for different roles