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Exporting Data

End User

While viewing reports in DataCentral is the primary way to consume analytics, you may occasionally need to extract the raw data for further analysis in tools like Excel, or save a static copy of a report for a presentation.

DataCentral provides several ways to export data, depending on the report type and what your administrator has enabled.

1. Exporting Data from a Visual (Power BI Reports)​

The most common export task in a Power BI report is downloading the numbers behind a specific chart or table. Note that not all visuals support data export — it depends on the visual type or report/organization settings.

  1. Hover your mouse cursor over the visual (chart, graph, or table) you want to export data from.
  2. Look for the More options icon (usually three horizontal dots ...) in the top right or bottom right corner of the visual. Click it.
  3. Select Export data from the menu that appears.
  4. A dialog box will appear asking you to choose the export format.

Export Formats​

  • Data with current layout (.xlsx): This is often the preferred option for tables and matrixes. It exports the data to an Excel file, attempting to maintain the grouping and formatting you see on the screen.
  • Summarized data (.xlsx or .csv): This option exports the data that is currently visible in the visual, taking into account any filters or slicers you have applied. If you have filtered a chart to only show "2023", the export will only contain 2023 data.
  • Underlying data (.xlsx): This option exports the detailed rows of data that make up the visual. For example, if a bar chart shows total sales by region, "Underlying data" will export every individual sales transaction for those regions. Note: This option is often disabled by administrators for security or performance reasons.

2. Exporting Paginated Reports​

Paginated reports are designed for pixel-perfect, print-ready output and offer a much richer set of export formats than standard Power BI reports. You can export an entire paginated report at once using the Export button in the report toolbar.

Supported Export Formats​

The main supported formats are Excel (.xlsx), PDF (.pdf), and CSV (.csv). Several other formats are also supported, depending on your organization's configuration.

3. Exporting Report Pages (Admin Permissions Required)​

If you have administrator permissions to create item links, you can export a selection of pages from a report. This functionality allows you to:

  • Select specific report pages to export
  • Generate secure, shareable links to exported content
  • Control access and expiration for exported reports

This feature is particularly useful for sharing static snapshots of reports with stakeholders or creating scheduled exports.

For detailed instructions on how to create item links and export report pages, see the Report Keys and Links administrator guide.

4. Limitations and Security​

  • Row-Level Security (RLS): When you export data, the export is still governed by your RLS permissions. You cannot export data that you are not authorized to see on the screen.
  • Data Limits: There are limits to how much data can be exported at once (typically 30,000 rows for CSV and 150,000 rows for Excel). If your visual contains more data than this limit, the export will be truncated.
  • Administrator Controls: Your Tenant Administrator can disable the ability to export data, print, or download underlying data. If you do not see these options, it is because they have been restricted by your organization's security policies.