Power BI is a powerful business analytics tool used to visualize and analyze data in a way that is both efficient and easy to understand. In this post, I talk about the purpose of Power BI Service, its capabilities, and why it is important for users who are building reports using Power BI Desktop.
Key points of Power BI Service
- Power BI Service is a cloud-based hosting environment for Power BI reports that allows users to share their reports with others without requiring them to install Power BI Desktop.
- There are two types of hosting environments for Power BI: on-premises and cloud-based.
- Power BI Service includes several features beyond hosting reports, such as data flow, data set, and data mart.
Limitations of Power BI Service
Currently, the data modeling capabilities and report design of the Power BI Service are not as comprehensive as those of Power BI Desktop. Additionally, datasets must be created in Power BI Desktop before they can be used in Power BI Service.
The step-by-step process for using Power BI Service
- Build your report using Power BI Desktop.
- Publish your report to Power BI Service using the “Publish” button in Power BI Desktop or by uploading the PBIX file to app.powerbi.com.
- If your report uses on-premises data sources, set up a gateway to connect Power BI Service and the data sources.
- Choose the right licensing option for your organization to access Power BI Service.
Power BI Service Resources
- Power BI Service (app.powerbi.com): a cloud-based hosting environment for Power BI reports
- Power BI Gateway: a bridge that allows Power BI Service to connect to on-premises data sources
- Template App: pre-built Power BI applications that can be used for specific data sources
- Workspaces: a shared folder for a collaborative environment between multiple Power BI developers
- Data Flow: ETL is cloud-based on Power Query and Gene
- Data Set: a shared data set that can be used by multiple reports
- Data Mart: the newest component of Power BI that brings the whole unified experience of creating all the data models inside the Power BI web platform
FAQ
If you’re new to Power BI Service, you may have some questions about its features and pricing. In this FAQ, we’ll answer some common questions about Power BI Service.
Is Power BI Service free?
Power BI Service has both free and paid licensing options.
Can I use Power BI Service without using Power BI Desktop?
No, you need to build your report using Power BI Desktop before publishing it to Power BI Service.
Can I use Power BI Service to connect to on-premises data sources?
Yes, but you need to set up a gateway to create the connection.
What is a data flow in Power BI?
Data flow is ETL in cloud-based on Power Query and Gene.
What is a template app in Power BI?
Template app is a pre-built Power BI application that can be used for specific data sources.
My personal advice
If you are using Power BI Desktop to build reports, you should consider using Power BI Service to share your reports with others. Not only does it provide a better user experience, but it also allows you to take advantage of several features beyond just hosting reports, such as data flow and data sets. Be sure to choose the right licensing option for your organization and take advantage of the many resources available to learn more about Power BI.
