How To Use
1. Introduction
Welcome to LoadFAST, this guide will help you understand the features and functionalities of the application and provide step-by-step instructions for efficient use.
Purpose
LoadFAST is a load testing tool for Power BI reports that uses virtual users to measure and analyze page load time. It automates performance testing across multiple reports with concurrent load simulation, detailed performance insights.
Key Features
Create Collection: Group multiple reports, add collaborators, apply RLS configurations, user actions, and perform test runs.
Create Test Run: Run load or stress tests with customizable load count at the report level.
Admin Settings: Accessible to admins for managing cluster states, load count, and report configurations.
Insight Report: Analyze detailed performance metrics for collections, reports, pages, and visuals.
Capacity Report: Analyze capacity usage and optimization metrics.
Evaluate Impact on Fabric Capacity: Assess how reports affect the utilization of Fabric resources.
Optimize Fabric Capacity: Maximize efficiency of Fabric usage.
Analyze Report Performance: Review report load times and interactions.
Identify Expensive Reports and Visuals: Analyze reports and visuals with high load time.
Manage Fabric Capacity Utilization: Identify the ideal capacity setup across multiple reports, ensuring no under- or over- provisioning.
System Requirements
Compatible browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari
Internet connection required
2. Getting Started
Accessing the Application
Steps:
Open the LoadFAST web URL in your browser.
Choose your account and complete authentication to access the tool.
3. Navigation and Interface
Side Panel
The side panel consists of the following options:
Home: Access collections and Manage collection.
All Tests: View all test runs across collections in a single location.
Admin Settings: Manage cluster state, load count and report configuration.
Insight Report: Access detailed insights of collections.
Capacity Report: Analyze capacity usage and optimization metrics.
Header
It consists of the following options:
Info icon (i) button: Redirects user to tool setup documentation.
User Settings: Allows user to view account information and log out.
Notification Icon: Displays user activity notifications (e.g., collection created/deleted, cluster turned on).
Main Content Area
After clicking Get Started, the user will be directed to the main content area.
All Collections: View all available collections.
My Collections: Access collections created by the user.
Shared with me: Access collections shared with the user for collaboration or review.
Favorites: Quickly access the user's favorite collections.
Search bar: Use for finding a specific collection.
Filter: Use for filtering collections (e.g., sort by Name, Report Count, time)
Home
After creating collection, Home page will display the collections.
Other collection: All the created and shared collection will display here.
Collection Name: The defined name of the collection.
Action Buttons:
Add to favourite Button: Add frequently used collections to the Favorites section for quick access.
Create test run Button: Create a test run directly from the collection.
Edit Collection Button: Modify collection details.
Delete Collection Button: Permanently remove the collection.
Access Permission: Displays the permission level assigned to the user (Owner, Editor or Viewer).
Number of Collaborators: Shows the count of users who have access to the collection.
Number of Reports: Shows the total reports added to the collection.
Favorite Collection Section: Displays all collections marked as favorite.
Favorited Collection Name: The name of the collection in the Favorites section.
Unfavorite Button: Remove a collection from Favorites (it will return to the Other Collections section).
Tile & Table View: Switch between table and tile layouts to access collections more easily.
Note: For users with viewer access on collection, the options to Create Test Run, Edit Collection, and Delete Collection will remain disabled.
Table View
User can switch to Table View for a tabular representation of data, making it easier to view.
Here, users can sort data based on various attributes such as Name, Access, and Created Date for quick access.
4. Key Features & How to Use Them
Create Collection
Overview: Creating a collection in LoadFAST allows users to group reports and pages for testing load time.
Steps:
Click on + New Collection:
On the Collections page, click the + New Collection button to start creating a new collection.
Enter Collection Details:
Provide a name for your collection in the Collection Name field.
Add collaborators by clicking + New Collaborator and entering their email addresses.
Assign roles (Editor, Viewer) using the dropdown next to their names:
Editor: Has permission to edit the collection, add collaborators, create test runs, add/remove report, and change the collection name.
Viewer: Has permission to view the collection and see test runs inside the collection.
After entering the collection details, click Continue to proceed to the next step.
Note: The Continue button will remain disabled until a valid collaborator email address is provided.
Select Reports and Pages:
Browse through the available workspaces and reports.
Use filters to find specific report.
Select the reports and pages you want to include by checking the boxes next to them.
Use the down-arrow icon
next to a report to expand it and select pages.RLS report is indicated with an icon.
Configure RLS (If RLS report is selected) Steps:
Click on Configure RLS button.
Select Role Name from Dropdown box
User can also Add multiple role, by clicking +Add Role button.
Enter the Email address.
Admin/Member
Admins or Members of the workspace can test on behalf of any user by adding multiple emails.
By checking the Is Custom Data box, they can also use custom data in place of an email.
Contributor / Viewer
Their own email will be preselected by default.
They cannot enable the Is Custom Data option.
Add User Action:
While selecting a report, users can add simple actions like filtering or slicing. These actions are used to calculate the Page Load Time (PLT) based on the selected interactions, providing more accurate performance metrics.
Steps:
Click on the dropdown arrow next to the report name, then you will see + in user action for each page.
Click on the + icon to apply user action.
For RLS Report User Action will be available after RLS configuration.
After filling Role Name and Role Email ID.
Click on the dropdown arrow next to the report name, then you will see + in the add user action column for each page.
Click on the + icon to apply user action.
Review and Finalize:
Ensure all desired reports/pages are selected.
Click Create Collection to create your collection.
Expand/Collapse Button:
After creating collection, user will be redirected to collections detailed page.
Here, user can use Expand All to look every report, pages, applied user actions applied while creating collection.
Use Collapse All to hide them and show only report-level items.
Create Test Run
Overview: Creating a test run in LoadFAST allows you to simulate user activity and measure the performance of your reports by specifying the load count.
Note: The + New Test button will be disabled for users with viewer access.
Steps:
Enter Collection’s Detail Page
Click on created collection to enter detail page.
Click on + New Test:
On your collection’s detail page, click the + New Test button to start creating a new test run.
Select Load Test: Enter the desired user count.
Enter Test Details:
Provide a name for your test in the Test Name field.
Configure the number of users(load count) to simulate for the test run.
Use options Copy to All or Custom to enter user count.
Copy to All:
Select Copy to All to distribute the specified user count equally across all report pages.
Enter count in users and check box next to Copy to All.
Use the down-arrow icon
next to a report to expand it and see load count for each page.
Example: If you enter 5 users, each page of every report will receive 5 users. For instance:
"LoadFAST" report has 3 pages, so it will receive 3 × 5 = 15 users.
"Retail Analysis" has 4 pages, so it will receive 4 × 5 = 20 users.
The total user count will be calculated as 15 + 20 = 35 users.
Note: In scenarios where both Non-RLS and RLS reports are included, user will first see user count distribution for Non-RLS report on clicking Configure RLS button user will able to see RLS report user count distribution.
Non-RLS Report:
Sub Total: Displays sum of load count across all pages in the report.
Total Non-RLS Load Count: Display sum of subtotal of all Non-RLS report load count.
RLS Report:
Role Value Count: Displays number of roles instance defined for specific role.
Sub Total: Displays sum of load count across all pages in the report
Total RLS Load Count: Display sum of load count across all roles in the RLS report.
Total Load Testing Count: Display sum of load count of Non-RLS and RLS reports.
User can also edit these user counts:
For Non-Rls report user can edit user count for report level or page level, total count will update respectively.
Expand the report using down-arrow icon
to update user count for each page and role.For RLS report user can only edit user count for role level and all the pages will get that user count for that role.
Custom: For Custom manually define the user counts for each report, page and role.
Expand the report using down-arrow icon
to enter user count for each page and role.For Non-RLS reports:
Users can enter a user count at the report level or page level; the total Non-RLS count will be calculated accordingly.
Sub Total: Displays the sum of load counts across all pages in the report.
Total Non-RLS Load Count: Displays the sum of subtotals of all Non-RLS report load counts.
For RLS reports:
Users can only enter a user count at the role level; all pages will receive that user count for that role. The total RLS count will be calculated accordingly.
Role Value Count: Displays the number of role instances defined for a specific role.
Sub Total: Displays the sum of load counts across all pages in the report.
Total RLS Load Count: Displays the sum of load counts across all roles in the report.
Total Load Testing Count: Displays the combined load count for Non-RLS and RLS reports.
Save Test:
After entering the test details, click Save Test to proceed.
Review and Trigger Test Run:
Your test run will appear within the collection.
Click the Trigger button to initiate the test run.
It will calculate the Average Page Load Time (Avg PLT) and the 90th percentile, updating the Run Status based on the specified Load Count.
Monitor Test Progress and Results:
Metrics such as average PLT, 90th Percentile, and run status will be displayed for each test run:
Run Status: Indicates the current state of the test run (e.g., Not Started, In Progress, Partially Passed, Completed, Failed).
Partially Passed: Indicates that some pages in the report passed the test, while others failed.
Failed: Indicates that there is an issue with the report. Hovering over the "Failed" status of a particular run displays a pop-up box with details about the issue.
Average PLT (Page Load Time): Shows the average time taken for report pages to load during the test run.
90th Percentile: Represents the page load time below which 90% of the test results fall. This helps identify outliers and gives a realistic view of user experience.
Click on the + icon to the left of the created test run name to expand and view all the triggered runs for that Test Run, including their individual statuses and metrics.
It displays the executed result of each run.
Edit Collection
Collections can be edited, user can change collection name, add or remove reports/pages or update collaborators.
Note:
Reports can be updated only when no test run is created/triggered inside the collection.
The Edit button is disabled for users with viewer access.
Edit test run name
Users with Owner or Editor access can update the test run name for any collection.
Note: The Edit button is disabled for users with viewer access.
Enter Collection’s Detail Page:
Click on created collection to enter detail page.
Click the Edit Button:
Click the Edit button available for the respective test run.
Update the Test Run Name:
Enter the new test run name.
Save Changes:
Click the Save button to apply the changes.
Delete Collection
Overview: Deleting a collection in LoadFAST allows users to remove unwanted collections and keep their workspace organized.
⚠️ Caution Deleting a collection will also delete all associated test runs. Once deleted, both the collection and its test runs cannot be restored.
Note: The Delete Icon will be disabled for users with viewer access.
Steps:
Click Delete icon:
Click the Delete Icon present on the collection, for the collection you want to remove.
Confirm Deletion:
Click Delete button in the confirmation dialog to proceed.
Verify Deletion:
Check the Notification Panel to verify that the collection has been deleted successfully.
Delete Test Run
Overview: Deleting a test run in LoadFAST allows users to keep their collections more organized and specific.
⚠️ Caution Deleting a test run will also remove all data associated with it. Once deleted, a test run cannot be restored.
Note: The Delete Icon will be disabled for users with viewer access.
Steps:
Enter Collection’s Detail Page:
Click on a created collection to open its detail page.
Click the Delete Icon:
Click the Delete icon for the test run you want to remove (available on each test run).
Confirm Deletion:
Click the Delete button in the confirmation dialog to proceed.
Verify Deletion:
Check the Notification Panel to verify that the test run has been deleted successfully.
Manage Collaborator
Overview: The Manage Collaborator feature allows users to add, remove, or update collaborators for a collection after it has been created.
Note: Users with viewer access cannot update collaborators.
Steps:
Click on Collection:
From the home screen, select the collection for which you want to modify collaborators.
Click Manage Collaborators Button:
After opening the collection, click the Manage Collaborators button located at the top-right corner of the page.
Modify the Collaborators:
Here, you can add or remove users and also change the access level (Viewer / Editor) of any collaborator.
To add a collaborator:
Click the New Collaborator button.
Enter the collaborator’s email address.
Assign the appropriate access level (Viewer / Editor).
Click Save Button:
Click the Save button to apply the collaborator changes.
All Tests
The All Tests page allows users to view all test runs created across different collections in a single location. Users can also search for specific tests using the dropdown box.
Steps:
Click on the All Tests icon from the sidebar.
Select Collection: By default, all tests from all collections are shown.
Select a collection from the dropdown to view test runs specific to that collection.
Edit Test run name in All Test
Users with Owner or Editor access can update the test run name from All test.
Note: The Edit button is disabled for users with viewer access.
Click on the All Tests icon from the sidebar.
Select Collection: By default, all tests from all collections are shown.
3 Click the Edit Button:
Click the Edit button available for the respective test run.
Update the Test Run Name:
Enter the new test run name.
Save Changes:
Click the Save button to apply the changes.
Admin Settings
The Admin Settings page allows users to manage Kubernetes clusters, Insight Report, Capacity Report, and Load Count. It includes the following functionalities:
Steps:
Click on the Admin Settings icon from the sidebar.
Cluster Management:
Select a cluster from the dropdown.
View the cluster’s current status.
Below it will show the status of the cluster On/Off.
Choose a management type (Auto, Manual).
Auto: The cluster will automatically shut down after the Specified Hours of inactivity.
To apply this setting, toggle the button ON and specify the number of Hours after which the cluster should shut down.
Note: When Auto is "ON", the cluster will automatically shut down after the specified hours of inactivity. However, you must manually turn the cluster "ON" to start it initially.
Manual: To turn the cluster ON/OFF.
Click the toggle button to turn the cluster ON/OFF.
Insights Report: Click on Insights Report tab
Configure the Insights Report by entering the following fields:
Workspace ID: Unique identifier for the Power BI workspace.
Workspace Name (Optional): Name for easier identification.
Report ID: Unique identifier for the report to analyze.
Dataset ID: Unique identifier for the dataset powering the report.
Dataset Name (Optional): For reference or clarity.
Note:
The Service Principal (SPN) used must have Admin or Member permissions on the workspace containing the Insight report.
The report and its dataset must also be in the same workspace.
Capacity Report: Click on the Capacity Report tab.
Set up the Capacity Report by providing:
Workspace ID and Workspace Name (Optional)
Report ID and Dataset ID
Dataset Name (Optional): e.g., Microsoft Fabric Capacity Metrics
Load Count: Click on the Load Count tab.
Update the cluster's load count by:
Selecting the cluster from the dropdown.
Viewing the maximum allowed limit.
Entering a new load count in Current Cluster Load Count (do not exceed the maximum limit).
Click Apply button to execute the selected actions.
Insight Report
Overview: The Insights Report provides detailed performance metrics for load times, down to the visual level.
Steps:
Click on the Insight Report icon in the sidebar.
Once the report is loaded, select the desired collection from the Collection Name slicer.
Users can also select additional filters such as Test Run/Workspace Name/Report Name/Page Name to refine the output.
View the metrics for the selected slicers:
Tests: Displays the total number of tests conducted for the selected collection.
Reports: Shows the total number of reports tested.
Pages: Indicates the total number of pages tested.
Runs: Provides the total number of test runs and their status (e.g., Partially Passed).
AVG PLT (Average Page Load Time): Displays the average page load time across the report.
Most Expensive Visual: Highlights the visual element with the highest load time.
Test Name and Test Run: Displays the test name and run associated with the most expensive visual.
Below the metrics, view the Bar Chart and Line Chart:
AVG PLT Across Tests (Bar Chart): Displays a bar chart showing the average page load time for each test run.
Each bar represents the average page load time for a specific test run, 1st Bar indicate specific run has higher load time and need optimization.
AVG Load Time and Percentile (Line Chart): This chart shows how average load times and percentiles change across test runs.
The chart shows how average load time change across test runs, the shaded area highlights the trend and the points show the average load time for each run.
Scroll down to the Page & Visual Details Table to see detailed information about the collection:
Test Run: Lists the test runs conducted.
Report Name: Displays the name of the report associated with the test run.
Page Name: Indicates the specific page tested.
Visual Name: Shows the name of the visual element tested.
Executed At: Provides the timestamp of when the test was executed.
Status: Displays the status of the test (e.g., Passed, Failed).
User Count: Indicates the number of users simulated during the test (load count).
Page/Visual PLT: Shows the page or visual load time.
UA: Displays if any user action is applied.
To drill through for a detailed view:
Right-click on Test Run/Report Name/Page Name/Visual Name.
Select Drill Through from the dropdown, then choose User Action or Visual to view detailed metrics instead of average.
Drill-through options:
User Action: Analyze specific user interactions applied during the test run.
After clicking, you will see a detailed view of the selected interaction.
Visual: Focus on individual visuals within a report for detailed performance metrics.
After clicking, you will see a detailed view of the selected visual.
Click the Back button to return to the previous view.
Capacity Report
The Capacity Report provides a comprehensive overview of compute and storage usage across your Microsoft Fabric environment. It includes detailed visualizations, usage metrics, and interactive charts that help monitor capacity performance, detect overages, prevent throttling, and manage storage consumption efficiently.
Steps:
Click the Capacity Report icon in the left sidebar.
Select the Capacity Name from dropdown (e.g.,
maqsoftwarefabric).
Use the tabs to explore different categories of metrics.
User Notifications
Overview: The Notifications feature helps users stay updated with important activities and updates related to collections, tests, and administrative actions.
Description:
The Unread tab displays only new and unread notifications. Once a notification is read, it is moved to the All tab.
The All tab shows all notifications, including read and unread ones.
The Sort option allows notifications to be arranged in ascending or descending order based on time.
The Filter option enables users to narrow down notifications based on:
Category: Collections, Tests/Test Runs, Admin
Time: Last hour, Last day, or Last week
This feature ensures users can quickly find relevant updates and stay informed without missing important events.
5. Appendix
Glossary
RLS (Row-Level Security)
Restricts data access based on user roles in report.
Collection
A group of reports/pages created for load testing.
Test Run
A user simulation to measure report performance under load.
PLT (Page Load Time)
Time taken for a report page to load fully.
User Action (UA)
A simulated user interaction used to measure load time.
Azure Kubernetes Cluster
Virtual machines used to simulate users during a test run.
Load Count
Number of users simulated during a test.
Editor
Can modify collections and create test runs.
Viewer
Can only view test runs.
Most Expensive Visual
Visual with the highest load time.
Drill Through
Lets you view detailed metrics from summary views.
Triggered
The test run has started and is being executed.
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