How can you publish a Power BI report to the Power BI Service?

To publish a Power BI report to the Power BI Service, the process involves utilizing the "Publish" option within Power BI Desktop. This feature is specifically designed for this purpose, allowing users to take their reports that have been developed locally and transfer them directly to the cloud-based Power BI Service. When selecting this option, it streamlines the connection between the desktop application and the online service, ensuring that all reports maintain their formatting, visuals, and data connections.

The "Export" option in Power BI Desktop typically allows users to create a file in a different format, such as PDF or PowerPoint, rather than publishing it to the Power BI Service. The "Share" button in the Power BI Service is meant for distributing reports that have already been published rather than for publishing new reports. Finally, while it is technically possible to upload files directly to the service, this method does not provide the same integration and update capabilities that come with using the "Publish" function from Power BI Desktop, where necessary configurations and data connections are handled seamlessly. Thus, using the "Publish" option is the most effective and correct method for transferring your reports to the Power BI Service.