What is a "Paginated Report" in Power BI?

A "Paginated Report" in Power BI is specifically designed for printing and export purposes, making it suitable for generating formatted, detailed reports that span multiple pages. Paginated reports allow users to create highly structured documents that maintain a consistent layout, which is particularly beneficial for scenarios where precise positioning of data is important, such as invoices, financial statements, or operational reports. These reports can include headers, footers, page numbers, and specific visualizations that fit well within a printed format.

Unlike reports designed solely for on-screen viewing, paginated reports cater to scenarios that require physical copies, ensuring that the rendered output remains consistent, regardless of the medium. This capability distinguishes them from interactive and dynamic reports, which focus on providing a more user-driven experience where users can manipulate data on the screen. Additionally, while summary reports of key metrics serve a different purpose by highlighting trends or key performance indicators (KPIs), paginated reports delve deeper into detailed data presentation over multiple pages.