What Are Power BI Usage Metrics and How They Help You Track Report Activity

You’ve built reports in Power BI. Or maybe you’re managing a bunch of dashboards someone else made. Either way, at some point, you probably wonder—are people even using this?

Some reports get opened every day. Others sit there, untouched. And unless you’re checking, it’s easy to assume everything’s working fine.

Power BI has something for this, and it’s called Power BI usage metrics.

It tracks usage across reports and workspaces. You can see who’s looking at what, how often they’re opening it, and which reports aren’t getting any attention. That helps when you’re deciding what to keep, what to fix, or what’s just taking up space.

It also gives you a way to spot issues before they turn into complaints. Maybe a report loads too slowly. Maybe someone lost access. Or maybe there’s a dashboard that used to be helpful but now doesn’t show what the team needs.

So today, in this guide, we’ll walk you through what Power BI usage metrics show, how to find them, and how to use that data to make better reporting decisions.

If you’re trying to make your reports more useful and your setup more manageable, this is a good place to start.

Without further ado, let’s get to it

What Are Power BI Usage Metrics?

Power BI usage metrics are tracking features inside Power BI. They show you how people use your dashboards and reports.

You can check how many times something was opened, who viewed it, how often they came back, and whether the report was shared with others. This data helps you understand how your reporting setup is being used across your workspaces. 

You can see which reports are useful and which ones are being ignored.

For example, if a dashboard is opened every day by the sales team but never by operations, that might tell you something about how different teams are using the system.

It also helps you spot issues. Maybe a report loads slowly, or maybe someone stopped opening it because it no longer shows what they need. Usage metrics won’t tell you the full reason, but they help you know where to start.

The information includes things like view counts, names of viewers, share activity, and report load times. It’s a way to see if people are actually using the reports you’ve made and if those reports still support the work your teams are doing.

Types of Power BI Usage Metrics You Can Track

Power BI usage metrics shows you more than just how many times someone opens a report. It gives you several types of usage data, each showing something different about how people interact with your reports, pages, and workspaces. These numbers help you figure out which parts of your reporting setup are actually getting used, which are slowing down, and what might need a second look.

Let’s break them down.

Report Views and Unique Viewers

This is the most common thing people look at first.

Report views tell you how many times someone has opened a report. If one person opens the same report three times, it counts as three views.

Then there’s unique viewers. This tells you how many different people opened a report at least once during a time period. If two people open the report a few times each, you’ll still only see two unique viewers.

Both numbers matter. Views tell you how often the report is being used. Unique viewers help you understand how many different people are actually engaging with it.

Power BI also tracks report page views. This is useful if your report has multiple pages and you want to know which ones get the most attention. Page views go up each time someone moves from one page to another.

Report Sharing and Distribution Metrics

Power BI keeps track of how reports are shared and how people get access.

Some might open reports through an app. Others might use a direct link. Some people just have access because they’re part of the workspace.

These sharing paths help you see how your reports are reaching people.

For example, if most access comes from direct links, it might mean the report is being shared one-on-one. If it’s mostly through apps, your content might be part of a broader rollout.

You can also track how many times a dashboard has been shared and when those shares happened. This shows you who is helping spread the report around and how often that happens over time.

Engagement Frequency

It’s not just about who views the report. It’s also about how often they come back.

Power BI gives you metrics like views per day and viewers per day. These help you see if people check the report often or only once in a while. You can also look at trends over time to spot changes.

For example, if usage drops off in the second half of the month, that might mean the report is only useful during certain planning cycles. If usage keeps growing, it could mean more people are finding it useful.

Some teams also track active users over time. A higher percentage of daily or monthly active users usually means your reports are part of their regular work.

Workspace and Dataset Usage

Most of the usage data in Power BI focuses on reports.

But you can adjust the usage view to show activity across a whole workspace. This helps when you want to know which workspaces are active and which ones are not getting used anymore.

You can also connect Power BI Desktop to the usage metrics data model. That model updates every day and includes the raw numbers behind report activity. This lets you build your own reporting around usage if you need extra calculations or comparisons.

If you want to look at dataset usage specifically, Power BI does not track that the same way. You’ll need to use the activity log or audit log to see how datasets are being refreshed or queried.

Report Performance Metrics

Sometimes reports work fine, but they take too long to load. That can frustrate users and lead to people giving up on them altogether.

Power BI includes performance metrics that track how long it takes for a report to open. It also shows this data broken down by platform (web, mobile, or embedded) and by browser type.

You can check opening time trends to see if performance has improved or gotten worse over time. Daily and seven-day performance views also show how consistent the loading time is. If some users are waiting much longer than others, that will show up in the numbers.

This type of metric helps you fix issues before they become complaints. If you know a report loads slowly for mobile users, for example, you can focus on improving that experience first.

How to Access Power BI Usage Metrics Reports

If you want to check how your reports are being used in Power BI, you can open a usage metrics report directly from the workspace. The process is simple, but there are a few things you’ll need first.

Before you start, make sure:

• You have a Power BI Pro or Premium Per User license
• You have edit access to the report or dashboard
• Your Power BI admin has turned on usage metrics in tenant settings
• You’re working inside a modern workspace (not “My Workspace”)

Once those are covered, here’s how you can open a usage metrics report:

• Step 1 – Go to your Power BI workspace: Log in at app.powerbi.com and open the workspace that holds the report you want to check.
• Step 2 – Find the report you want to track: Look through the content list and pick the report you want to analyse.
  • Option 1 – Use the menu next to the report: Click the three dots next to the report name. Then choose “View usage metrics report”.
  • Option 2 – Open the report first: If the report is already open, click the three dots in the top bar. Then choose “Open usage metrics”.
• Step 3 – Wait a moment if it’s your first time: If no one has opened usage metrics for this report before, Power BI will generate it now. This may take a few seconds.
• Step 4 – View the usage metrics: Once the report is ready, you’ll see a page with data from the last 30 days.
• Step 5 – Switch between old and new layout: If available, use the toggle in the top-right corner to move between the classic and updated versions of the usage metrics report.
• Step 6 – Save a copy if you want to edit it: Click “File” then “Save As” to make your own version. You can open this copy in Power BI Desktop to make changes.
• Step 7 – Remove filters to see full workspace activity: After saving, open the report in editing mode. Remove the filter that limits results to just one report. This shows usage across the whole workspace.

Power BI updates the usage metrics report once per day. If you want to keep checking trends over time, you can return to the same place again later.

Just one thing to note. Usage metrics reports won’t show up in your Recents, Favorites, or regular workspace lists.

You’ll always need to access them by starting from the report they’re based on.

How to Interpret Power BI Usage Metrics Data

Once you’ve opened a usage metrics report, the next step is making sense of what it shows. These numbers are only helpful if you know what you’re looking at and what it might mean.

Let’s go through the key things to focus on.

Look at Views and Viewer Patterns

Start with how often the report is being opened. If views are going up, people are using it more. If they’re going down, maybe the report no longer helps or users found something else.

Pay attention to the unique viewers count. This tells you how many different people opened the report. If only a few people are opening it a lot, that usually means it’s important for a small group. If many people open it once or twice, the report might be useful but not something they rely on every day.

You can also check the rank of the report. A lower number means the report is being opened more often compared to others in your organisation.

Ideally, you want a mix of broad reach across many users and regular use by key teams.

Understand How People Are Accessing the Report

Next, look at how people are getting to your report. Are they opening it from an app, through a direct link, or just because they have access in a workspace?

Each method tells you something different. Direct links usually mean someone shared it. Access through apps shows the report was published and packaged properly. Workspace-only access might mean not enough people know the report exists.

Then there’s platform usage. Some people open reports on their phones. Others use the browser. If most of your views come from mobile, keep the layout simple. If it’s mostly desktop, you can work with more space and detail.

Check Performance and Load Time

Reports need to load fast. If a report takes more than 10 seconds to open, users might stop using it.

The opening time metric shows how long it takes on average. Power BI also breaks this down by browser and device, so you can spot where things are slower. A report might work well in Edge but struggle in Chrome or on mobile.

Look at trends over time. If load times are getting worse, it could mean your data model is getting too heavy or the visuals are too complex.

Power BI also shows percentile ranges. If the 75th percentile is much higher than the 50th, some users are having a slower experience than others. That’s worth checking, especially if they’re in remote locations or using older devices.

Spot What Needs Your Attention

Some pages get more views than others. That’s normal. But if certain pages get almost no views, you might want to update or remove them. Fewer pages can make the report easier to use.

Usage metrics also show which reports aren’t being opened at all. If no one has touched a report in weeks or months, ask if it still needs to be there. Cleaning up unused content makes everything easier to manage.

You can also look at individual users. Some are highly engaged and check reports often. Others might visit once and never return. That tells you who is getting value from the report and who might be confused or not see the point.

If you’re not sure why someone stopped using a report, ask. That feedback can help you improve what’s already there without starting from scratch.

Advanced Tip: Building a Custom Usage Metrics Dashboard

The built-in usage metrics report in Power BI is a good starting point, but you can take it further. If you want more control or need to track data across multiple reports and workspaces, you can build your own custom usage metrics dashboard.

Here’s how many teams do it:

• Start by saving a copy of the usage metrics report
• Open it in Power BI Desktop
• Connect to the semantic model that Power BI creates behind the scenes
• Remove report-level filters so you can see usage across the whole workspace
• Add new measures or visuals based on your team’s needs

From here, you can track more than what the default report shows.

That said, this setup takes time. You need to understand how Power BI handles data models, filters, and relationships. You also need to be comfortable building reports from scratch. If that sounds a bit much, you’re not alone.

This is where it might make more sense to bring in help from partner, like Nexalab.

Nexalab offers Power BI report consulting Australia. We help businesses build custom usage dashboards, review existing setups, and sort out reporting issues that slow your team down. Whether you’re starting from scratch or trying to make sense of something half-built, we can step in and help you get it working.

We also offer marketing analytics consulting if you want to connect usage reporting with campaign performance or sales activity. That way, your Power BI setup reflects what’s happening across your marketing and business teams—not just report views in isolation.

If you’re ready to make Power BI more useful for your team, we’re here to help.

A Few Takeaways Before You Go

Power BI usage metrics are there to help you see what’s working and what’s not. They show you how people use your reports, how often they come back, and which pages they actually look at.

When you check these numbers regularly, it becomes easier to spot patterns. You might see that a report is popular with one team but ignored by another. You might notice slow load times that explain why people stopped using something. You might find reports that were useful once but are no longer needed.

These aren’t just nice-to-know stats. They help you make better decisions about what to fix, what to update, and what to let go of. They also give you something solid to work from when someone asks if your reports are still doing their job.

And if you want to go deeper, Power BI does give you the option to build a custom usage metrics dashboard. It takes more setup, but it can give you exactly the view you need.

If you’re thinking about building something custom and want to work with a partner, Nexalab can help.

Get a free consultation with Nexalab to explore Power BI custom usage metrics.

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