Question

How do I create a paginated report with nested sub-tables while maintaining performance?
I need to design a paginated report in Power BI that includes nested sub-tables for detailed data representation. However, the report's performance is affected due to multiple levels of grouping and calculations. What is the best approach to structure the report efficiently while ensuring fast rendering and accurate data presentation?

Answer 1

The following best practices are relevant for the optimization of paginated reports with nested sub-tables from the perspective of performance in Power BI Report Builder:

Optimize Data Retrieval: Reduce the size of the dataset by filtering unwanted data at the source using SQL queries and stored procedures or by using Power BI datasets with optimized DAX queries. Avoid retrieving unnecessary columns and rows into the report.

Minimize Data Processing for Nested Data: Use options like drill-through reports or lookup functions instead of multiple sub-reports to retrieve related data as and when necessary. The data should be grouped efficientlyrce with aggregation that minimizes real-time calculations. For sub-tables, pre-aggregation of summaries should be implemented to reduce the actual work needed for computations.

Optimize Report Layout and Rendering: Avoid needless expressions for visibility settings and duplicate calculations in text boxes. Use a table/matrix structure with parent-child grouping versus nested tables. Properly manage pagination with respect to row counts per page and batch processing for report processing instead of rendering all at once.