How to actually control useless PowerBI report requests that end up not being used after the usage period?

Summary

Power BI report request management requires a lifecycle approach that automatically identifies and cleans up unused reports.

Tackling unused Power BI reports

A common problem for Power BI teams: report requests that stop being used after a short time. A Reddit user describes the challenge of filtering pointless report requests and controlling the sprawl of unused reports. The discussion yields practical strategies for report management and governance.

Why this is a structural problem

Every BI department recognizes this pattern. Users request reports with urgency, use them briefly, then forget about them. The result is a sprawl of reports consuming server capacity, requiring maintenance, and making the catalog unmanageable. Without active management, this problem grows exponentially.

Effective report governance

Set an expiration date for each new report request and evaluate usage after that period. Monitor report views via the Power BI Activity Log and archive reports not viewed for more than three months. Make report usage statistics visible to requesters to create awareness.