How to Create a Subscription in a Paginated Report (Power BI Report Server)
Paginated reports are a powerful tool in Power BI Report Server, especially when it comes to operational and detailed reporting. One of their best features is subscriptions, which automate the delivery of reports to recipients on a schedule.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
- What subscriptions are
- How to set them up in paginated reports
- Licensing requirements
- Best practices for setup and maintenance
What Is a Subscription in Paginated Reports?
A subscription in Power BI Report Server allows you to automatically deliver a paginated report to an email address or shared folder on a schedule, with predefined parameter values.
Two types of subscriptions:
- Standard Subscriptions: Created by users; static parameters and schedule.
- Data-Driven Subscriptions: Available in enterprise environments; fetch recipients and parameter values from a query.
Steps to Create a Dynamic Subscription (Actual Interface)
Below is the process shown in the Power BI Report Server interface when configuring a dynamic subscription. Each step builds your automated delivery logic using recipient data and report filters:
The process includes:
- Connect to recipient data – Define where the recipient list will come from (e.g., a database table or Excel file).
- Select and filter data – Apply filters on the recipient or report data (e.g., specific region or department).
- Email details – Customize the email subject, body, and delivery format (PDF, Excel, etc.).
- Parameters – Map each report parameter to a column or value (e.g., Date = Today).
- Schedule – Choose how frequently the report will be delivered (e.g., daily at 8:00 AM).
- Review and finish – Confirm your setup and save the subscription.
Each step allows configuration of specific aspects like dynamic email recipients, filtered datasets, custom email messages, runtime parameters, and time-based delivery.
Licensing Requirements
| Feature | Required License |
| Paginated Report Subscription | Power BI Premium with Report Server |
| Data-Driven Subscriptions | Power BI Premium with Enterprise setup |
- Power BI Report Server is available with Power BI Premium (P SKU)
- Pro users cannot create subscriptions in paginated reports hosted in the Power BI service
Best Practices
- Use distribution lists for group emails
- Always test a subscription first to yourself
- Monitor report server logs to troubleshoot failed deliveries
- Add filters or parameters to avoid large exports
Common Issues and Fixes
| Issue | Solution |
| Email not sent | Verify SMTP config and server firewall |
| File share delivery fails | Check folder permissions and file path |
| Parameters not applied | Ensure default or subscription-level values are provided |
| Report shows old data | Ensure data refresh is aligned with report delivery time |
Conclusion
Creating subscriptions in paginated reports helps deliver critical insights to stakeholders with zero manual effort. If you’re using Power BI Report Server, understanding the licensing and setup steps ensures smooth and effective report automation.
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We have successfully delivered Power BI for Manufacturing industry, with real-time Power BI manufacturing dashboards. Having successfully completed over 100 projects across industries such as financial services, banking, insurance, retail, sales, real estate, logistics, and healthcare. Whether you’re exploring Business Central implementation cost or seeking advanced data analytics, Addend Analytics is here to help.Get a free consultation now by emailing us at kamal.sharma@addendanalytics.com.
Rahul Prajapati
Sr. Data Analyst