Catalyst allows you to subscribe to Power BI visualizations for automated email delivery on a recurring schedule. Subscriptions send reports as PDFs, PowerPoints, or direct links, making it easy to share dashboards with stakeholders or receive regular snapshots without logging into Catalyst. This guide shows you how to create, configure, and manage visualization subscriptions.
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Overview
Catalyst Visualizations are interactive Power BI reports that present your data in visually immersive dashboards. Subscriptions automate report delivery via email, allowing you to share insights with stakeholders or receive regular updates without manually accessing Catalyst.
Why Use Subscriptions
Subscriptions are useful when you need to:
| Use Case | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Executive Reporting | Deliver weekly/monthly dashboards to leadership inbox automatically |
| External Stakeholders | Share reports with users who don't have Catalyst access |
| Period-End Snapshots | Capture monthly/quarterly financial reports at a specific point in time |
| Team Distribution | Send departmental dashboards to entire teams on schedule |
| Compliance & Archival | Maintain timestamped records of reports for audit purposes |
đź’ˇ Tip: Subscriptions respect row-level security. Users only see data they're authorized to view, even in emailed reports.
Creating a Subscription
Follow these steps to set up an automated subscription for any visualization in Catalyst.
Prerequisites
- You must have access to the visualization you want to subscribe to
- You need permission to create subscriptions (typically Admin or Edit access)
- Recipients must be existing Catalyst users
- Recipients must have access to any relevant secured hierarchies
Step-by-Step Instructions
Navigate to Visualizations
Go to the Visualizations section in Catalyst's left navigation menu.
Click the Mail Icon
Hover over the visualization tile you want to subscribe to and click the Mail icon.
Configure Subscription Details
In the subscription dialog, configure your preferences:
- Name: Give your subscription a descriptive name
- Schedule: Choose frequency (Daily, Weekly, Monthly)
- Format: Select output format (PDF, PowerPoint, or URL link)
- Permissions Context: Choose Owner or Subscriber view
Select Recipients
Choose individual users or entire user groups to receive the subscription. You can select multiple recipients.
Save Your Subscription
Click Save and Close. Your subscription is now active and will send on the configured schedule.
âś… Success! Recipients will receive the first email on the next scheduled delivery date. Check the subscription log to verify successful delivery.
Configuration Options Explained
Understanding each configuration option helps you create subscriptions that meet your exact needs.
Output Format (PowerBI Type)
| Format | What Gets Sent | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Static PDF file with all report pages | Archival, printing, sharing with non-Catalyst users | |
| PowerPoint | Editable PPTX file with one slide per report page | Presentations, executive briefings, further customization |
| URL Link | Email with clickable link to live report in Catalyst | Internal users with Catalyst access, real-time data viewing |
Permissions Context
Permissions Context determines whose security view is used when generating the report.
| Option | What Recipients See | Use When |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | All data visible to the person creating the subscription | Sharing complete company-wide view with executives or stakeholders |
| Subscriber | Only data each recipient is authorized to view based on their security | Sending to multiple users with different security levels (e.g., regional managers) |
Example Scenarios
Scenario 1: Executive Dashboard
Situation: CFO wants weekly financial dashboard sent to executive team
Configuration:
- Format: PDF
- Context: Owner
- Why: All executives should see complete financial picture
Scenario 2: Regional Sales
Situation: Monthly sales report sent to all regional managers
Configuration:
- Format: PowerPoint
- Context: Subscriber
- Why: Each manager sees only their region's data
Schedule Options
| Frequency | Delivery Time | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | Every morning (configurable time) | Sales tracking, daily operations dashboards |
| Weekly | Specific day of week (e.g., Monday mornings) | Weekly performance reviews, team updates |
| Monthly | Specific day of month (e.g., 1st of month) | Financial statements, executive reports, compliance |
Managing Subscriptions
Viewing Subscription History
The subscription log shows detailed delivery history for each subscription.
The log includes:
- Date/Time: When the report was sent
- Status: Success or Failure indicator
- Recipients: Who received the email
- Processing Notes: Details about delivery or any errors
Editing a Subscription
- Navigate to the visualization
- Click the Mail icon
- Your existing subscription appears—modify any settings
- Click Save and Close
Deleting a Subscription
- Navigate to the visualization
- Click the Mail icon
- Click Delete button
- Confirm deletion
⚠️ Note: Deleting a subscription stops all future deliveries immediately. Recipients will not receive notification that the subscription has ended.
Troubleshooting
Subscription Not Sending
Possible Causes
|
Solutions
|
Recipients Not Receiving Emails
Check these items:
- Spam/Junk folders: Ask recipients to check and whitelist Catalyst emails
- Email filters: Corporate email filters may block automated reports
- Attachment size: Large PDFs/PowerPoints may be blocked by email servers
- Subscription status: Verify subscription is active in the log
Wrong Data Showing in Reports
Likely causes:
- Permissions Context: Verify Owner vs. Subscriber setting is correct
- Security not applied: Ensure row-level security is configured and cubes are refreshed
- Stale data: Confirm Catalyst data refresh completed before report sent
PDF/PowerPoint Quality Issues
Solutions:
- Simplify report layout—fewer visuals per page render better
- Avoid very large data tables that don't fit on page
- Test with different output formats to find best quality
- Consider using URL link format for complex interactive reports
Best Practices
âś… Do This
|
❌ Avoid This
|
Frequently Asked Questions
Can external users receive subscriptions?
No, you can only send to users with Catalyst access.Â
How large can subscription files be?
PDF and PowerPoint files are typically 2-10 MB depending on report complexity. Very large files may be blocked by recipient email servers. Consider simplifying reports or using URL links for complex dashboards.
Can I subscribe to multiple reports at once?
No, each subscription is for a single visualization. However, you can create multiple subscriptions and send them to the same recipients.
What time do scheduled reports send?
Delivery times are configurable when setting up the subscription. Reports typically send after data refresh completes to ensure current information.
Do subscriptions respect row-level security?
Yes, when using Subscriber context, each recipient sees only data they're authorized to view. When using Owner context, all recipients see what the subscription creator sees.
Can I pause a subscription temporarily?
There's no pause feature—you must delete the subscription to stop it. Save your configuration details if you plan to recreate it later.
Related Resources
- Viewing and Editing Catalyst Visualizations
- Embedding Power BI Reports in Catalyst
- Catalyst Security and Permissions Guide
- Setting Row-Level Security
- Contact EBM Support
Automate report delivery by clicking the Mail icon on any visualization, then configure format (PDF, PowerPoint, URL), schedule frequency, and permissions context. Owner view sends identical data to all recipients; Subscriber view applies individual security filters. Test with yourself first and schedule after data refresh completes. Contact EBM Support for delivery issues.
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