Deployment Rule for a Paginated Report : Microsoft Fabric is a cloud-based platform that enables you to create, share, and consume business intelligence (BI) content. It offers a variety of tools and features to help you analyze data, create reports and dashboards, and collaborate with others. One of the most powerful features of Microsoft Fabric is deployment pipelines, a tool that allows you to manage the lifecycle of your BI content in a production environment.
Deployment pipelines enable you to develop and test your content in different stages before it reaches the end users. You can also automate the deployment process using APIs and DevOps. However, when you deploy content between pipeline stages, you may need to configure deployment rules to change the content while keeping some settings intact. For example, if you want a paginated report in a production stage to point to a different Fabric dataset than the one in the test stage, you can define a rule for this.
In this blog post, I will show you how to create a deployment rule for a paginated report with a Fabric dataset in Microsoft Fabric.
What is a paginated report and a Fabric dataset?
A paginated report is a type of report that displays data in a fixed layout and format. It is similar to the reports that you can create using SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). You can use paginated reports to create invoices, statements, forms, or other documents that require precise control over page layout and formatting.
A Fabric dataset is a type of dataset that contains data from one or more sources, such as files, databases, web services, or other datasets. You can use Fabric datasets to model, transform, and enrich your data using Power Query. You can also use Fabric datasets to create reports and dashboards using Power BI Desktop or the Fabric service.
How to create a deployment rule for a paginated report with a Fabric dataset?
To create a deployment rule for a paginated report with a Fabric dataset, you need to have a capacity license (PPU, P, A, or EM) and be an admin of a workspace that is assigned to a capacity. You also need to have access to at least two workspaces: one for the source stage and one for the target stage. You can use the following steps to create a deployment rule for your paginated report:
- In the pipeline stage you want to create a deployment rule for, select Deployment rules.
- To find the paginated report you want to set a rule for, use the search functionality or filter functionalities.
- Select the paginated report you want to create a rule for.
- Select Data source rules.
- From the data source list, select the data source name that points to the Fabric dataset.
- Use one of the following methods to select the value of the Fabric dataset that you want to replace the one from the source stage:
- Select from list: Select an existing dataset from the list of available datasets in your workspace.
- Enter manually: Enter the name of the dataset that you want to use. The name must match exactly with an existing dataset in your workspace.
- Select Save.
After you create all the deployment rules you need, deploy the paginated report with the newly created rules from the source stage to the target stage where the rules were created. Your rules won’t apply until you deploy the paginated report from the source to the target stage.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about creating deployment rules for paginated reports with Fabric datasets:
Q: What are the benefits of using deployment rules for paginated reports with Fabric datasets?
A: Deployment rules for paginated reports with Fabric datasets help you:
- Manage your BI content in a structured and organized way
- Ensure quality and consistency of your BI content across different stages
- Automate your deployment process using APIs and DevOps
Q: What types of data sources can I use for deployment rules for paginated reports?
A: You can use any type of data source that is supported by paginated reports, such as SQL Server, Oracle, Azure SQL Database, OData feed, etc. However, if you are using a Fabric dataset as your data source, you need to specify both the server and the database names in your deployment rule.
Q: How do I delete or edit my deployment rules for paginated reports?
A: You can delete or edit your deployment rules for paginated reports by following these steps:
- In the pipeline stage where you created your deployment rule, select Deployment rules.
- To find the paginated report that has the rule you want to delete or edit, use the search functionality or filter functionalities.
- Select the paginated report that has the rule you want to delete or edit.
- Select Data source rules.
- From the data source list, select the data source name that has the rule you want to delete or edit.
- To delete the rule, select Delete rule. To edit the rule, select a different value for the data source from the list or enter it manually.
- Select Save.
Conclusion
Deployment rules are a great way to manage the lifecycle of your BI content in Microsoft Fabric. They help you develop, test, and deploy your content in a production environment with ease and efficiency. You can also use deployment rules for paginated reports with Fabric datasets to change the data sources of your reports while keeping the layout and format intact.