Embedding Power BI reports into a Xamarin mobile application involves integrating Power BI Embedded or using REST APIs for the secure display of reports; the responsiveness and access control are still maintained.
1. Power BI Embedded (Preferred Method)
Power BI Embedded is being used within Microsoft Azure to generate secure and scalable report viewing experiences.
Steps:
Register an Azure AD App: Obtain a Client ID for authentication.
Generate an Embed Token – Power BI REST API is called to fetch a secure token for embedding.
Use Xamarin WebView: Load the embedded report inside a WebView component.
2. Power BI REST API for Direct Integration
Use Power BI REST API to access reports dynamically and, therefore, embed them into Xamarin.
This involves:
OAuth 2.0 is needed for secure access to Power BI reports.
API calls for fetching reports and dashboards.
3. Using iframes (Limited Functionality)
A simple iframe can be used inside a WebView to display Power BI reports.
This works for public reports; however, for secured content, you need to manage authentication separately.
Handling Authentication and Access Control
OAuth 2.0 and Azure AD Authentication – to securely authenticate users by Azure AD.
Row-Level Security (RLS) – to ensure that users only see the data that is relevant to them.
Token Expiry Management – with token refresh mechanisms to prevent session timeouts.
Optimizing for Mobile Responsiveness
- Use Mobile Layout in Power BI for a better UX.
- Enable Adaptive UI Design in Xamarin for seamless flow.
- Cache data locally for more performance in slow networks.
