If you want to export the data of a Power BI table, you have options such as copy and paste, or putting it in a visual and export it. However, there is an easier way available too. You can use Power BI Helper (free tool) to export the entire data of the table. The instruction below explains how it is possible.
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Power BI Helper; Download and install for FREE
If you haven’t done it already, download and install the Power BI Helper, it is a free application to use and you can use it for many useful things to do with the development of the Power BI reports as well as the export data. Here you can download it: https://powerbihelper.org/
Open Power BI Helper as an external tool
After the install, while you have the Power BI file open in the Power BI Desktop, go to the External tools tab and click on Power BI Helper to open it (Alternatively you can open it from the Start and programs on your windows machine);
Connect to Model
Once the Power BI Helper is open, click on Connect to Model (Make sure that the Power BI file is already open in the Power BI Desktop).
This option will detect all the instances of Power BI files open in the desktop, and will list them in a dropdown. you can choose the one you want to document.
If you have only one Power BI file open, the dropdown will just show that one. The rest of the page shows information about the model. Information such as all the tables, the columns, and the measures with their expressions and expression trees.
Export Data
In the same Model Analysis tab, select any table you want from the list of tables, and then click on Export the data.
This will export the data as a CSV file into the location you want.
Here is an example of the CSV output:
Any size, any table type
No hassle of copy and paste, all just very simple and easy to export. the size of the data in the table doesn’t matter (it will take longer of course for bigger tables), It export data at any sizes, and works also for DAX calculated tables or Power Query generated tables, or even automatically generated hidden tables by Power BI such as the default date table. You can export them all.
Consider Analyze in Excel
Before I leave you to use this feature; I want to mention something. If the purpose of exporting the data, is to analyze it further in Excel, Then I strongly suggest use Analyze in Excel instead of Export. Read my article here to learn more about it;
Checkout Power BI Helper for other useful things
Power BI Helper can also help you to document the entire objects in the Power BI service and Power BI file and report. Power BI Helper also helps you to performance tune, and reduce the size of your Power BI file, clean up your model, export metadata of the Power BI. In general, it helps you to have a better Power BI development experience. Check out more about what you can do with this tool. below is just an example:
Reza is author of more than 14 books on Microsoft Business Intelligence, most of these books are published under Power BI category. Among these are books such as Power BI DAX Simplified, Pro Power BI Architecture, Power BI from Rookie to Rock Star, Power Query books series, Row-Level Security in Power BI and etc.
He is an International Speaker in Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft Business Applications Summit, Data Insight Summit, PASS Summit, SQL Saturday and SQL user groups. And He is a Microsoft Certified Trainer.
Reza’s passion is to help you find the best data solution, he is Data enthusiast.
His articles on different aspects of technologies, especially on MS BI, can be found on his blog: https://radacad.com/blog.