Power BI: General Troubleshooting

Overview

This article covers common issues you may encounter when accessing or viewing Power BI reports, along with steps to resolve them. If your issue is not listed here or the steps below do not resolve it, please contact the ITS Service Desk.

I can't access Power BI or the page won't load

Step 1: Verify you're signing in through the SLU Okta portal

1. Go to auth.slu.edu and sign in with your SLU credentials
2. Locate and click the Microsoft Office 365 Power BI tile

Step 2: Check your browser

Power BI works best with modern, up-to-date browsers. Supported browsers include:

• Microsoft Edge (version 120 or newer)
• Google Chrome (latest version)
• Mozilla Firefox (latest version)
• Safari (Mac, latest version)

If you are experiencing slow performance or display issues, try switching to Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge for the best results. Make sure your browser is updated to the latest version.

Step 3: Clear your browser cache and cookies

1. In your browser, open Settings
2. Navigate to Privacy or Clear browsing data
3. Select Cached images and files and Cookies
4. Clear the data, close your browser completely, then reopen and try again

Step 4: Enable third-party cookies

Power BI requires third-party cookies to function properly. If you have third-party cookies blocked, Power BI may fail to load or display errors.

• Edge: Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies — ensure “Block third-party cookies” is turned off, or add app.powerbi.com to your allowed sites
• Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies — add app.powerbi.com to “Sites allowed to use third-party cookies”
• Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Manage Exceptions — add app.powerbi.com

I see “You don't have access” or “Permission required”

This means you have not been granted access to the specific report or workspace. To resolve this:

1. Click the Request access button if one is available on the page — this sends a notification to the report owner
2. If no Request access button is available, contact your department's report owner or manager to request they share the report with you
3. If you don't know who owns the report, contact the ITS Service Desk and provide the name of the report you are trying to access

My report is blank or shows no data

If a report loads but displays a blank page or no data, try the following:

Check for active filters or slicers

• Look for filter panels on the right side of the report or slicer controls (dropdowns, date ranges, buttons) on the report page
• Filters may be set to values that exclude all data — try clearing or resetting them
• Look for a Reset or Clear all filters button if one is available on the report

Try a different browser

• Some visuals may not render correctly in all browsers — try Chrome or Edge

Check if the report is still being set up

• If this is a newly migrated report, it may still be in the process of being configured. Contact the ITS Service Desk if the issue persists for more than 24 hours.

The data in my report looks outdated or incorrect

Power BI reports are connected to data sources that refresh on a set schedule. Your data may not be real-time. If the data appears stale:

1. Check the last refreshed timestamp — this is typically shown at the bottom of the report or in the dataset details
2. If the data has not refreshed as expected, contact the ITS Service Desk and include the report name

I can't export data to Excel or PDF

If you are unable to export data from a Power BI report:

• Make sure you are clicking on a specific visual (chart, table, etc.) before selecting Export data from the “...” menu on the visual
• Some reports may have export restrictions set by the report owner — if you need export access, contact the report owner or the ITS Service Desk
• If you receive a pop-up blocker warning, allow pop-ups from app.powerbi.com in your browser settings

Power BI is running very slowly

• Close unnecessary browser tabs to free up memory
• Try using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge if you are not already
• Make sure your browser is updated to the latest version
• If the issue is specific to one report, it may be a report design issue — contact the ITS Service Desk with the report name

Still need help?

If the steps above do not resolve your issue, please contact the ITS Service Desk:

• Email: servicedesk@slu.edu
• Phone: 314-977-4000

When contacting support, please include:

• The name of the report you are trying to access
• The browser you are using
• A description or screenshot of any error message