Export Power BI to Excel

How to Export Power BI to Excel

Power BI offers several methods to export data to Excel, each with its own use cases and limitations. Here’s a comprehensive guide on the different export options available.

Method 1: Export from Power BI Service

1. Open your report in Power BI Service
2. Click on the three dots (…) in the top-right corner of any visual
3. Select “Export data”
4. Choose “Export to Excel”

This method works for:

• Individual visuals
• Tables and matrices
• Filtered views of your data

Method 2: Export from Power BI Desktop

1. Right-click on any visual
2. Select “Export data”
3. Choose between:
   • Summarized data
   • Underlying data

Note: The export limit in Power BI Desktop is 30,000 rows.

Method 3: Analyze in Excel

For more advanced Excel integration:

1. Click “File” > “Export to Excel”
2. Select “Analyze in Excel”
3. Open the generated .ODC file

This creates a live connection between Power BI and Excel.

Export Limitations in Power BI

• Row limits vary by method:
  • Basic export: 30,000 rows
  • Underlying data: 150,000 rows
  • Premium capacity: Up to 1 million rows
• Some visual types don’t support export
• Formatting may not be preserved
• Custom visuals may have limited export capabilities

Alternative: Evidence’s Export Functionality

Evidence offers more streamlined export capabilities. In Evidence:

1. Every data component (tables, charts, query results) comes with built-in export functionality
2. Hover over any component to see the “Download Data” button
3. Click to instantly export to CSV
4. Open the CSV file in Excel

Benefits of Evidence’s approach:

• No row limits on exports
• Available on all components by default
• No premium licensing required
• Consistent experience across all data visualizations
• Works in both development and production environments

Example Evidence Export

```sql customers
select 
    customer_name,
    total_sales,
    region
from orders
```

<DataTable 
    data={customers} 
    link=link 
/>

The above DataTable component automatically includes export functionality - no additional configuration needed.

It’s easy for any user to get the data they need, without needing to learn how to export it themselves. Also they dont need a Power BI license to do it - all they need is a browser.

Which Tool Export Method Should You Use?

Choose Power BI Export When:

• You need to maintain live connections to the data
• You require the “Analyze in Excel” feature
• You’re working within the Microsoft ecosystem
• You need to preserve specific Power BI formatting

Choose Evidence Export When:

• You want simple, one-click exports for your users
• You need to export large datasets
• You prefer built-in functionality without configuration
• You want consistent export behavior across all components
• You need to avoid premium licensing costs

See Evidence’s Export Documentation for more information.