PowerBI Version Control Options

[icassiem]

Good day,

Currently, the pbix files are stored within the Sharepoint Online Document Library.

Well it only stores the Prod file and the prev gets archived with a datestamp

Are there other freebie options, perhaps PBI services integrated with Azure or a better method within SharePoint or a freebie tool?

Regards

[christinepayton · Accepted solution]

With SharePoint, I would just use the version history - not archive every time. Either upload and replace the file, which will create a version, or have everyone sync the library and it'll make a new version when you save and close the file.

If you're looking for something fancier, I would check out the ALM Toolkit. I've not used it myself, but it's reasonably popular: https://www.sqlbi.com/tools/alm-toolkit/ 

[icassiem]

Thank You, I am investigating ALM

Is there a method within SharePoint that one can store the previous file with a version number as i think SharePoint version history has an expiry date

[christinepayton]

It will automatically increment a version number. You can get to the version history from the ellipsis menu next to the file (under advanced if I recall?). Clicking on the date next to a version will download the version, and you can restore versions from that menu also. 

There's no expiry on the history - there is a number of versions limit that is set in library settings, are you thinking of that? I've personally seen files with 6000+ versions going back 10 years or more. 

[Martin_D]

There also is a Power App available for download from powerbi.tips if you want to a fancy UI for handling SharePoint version control including check-in/check-out to prevent conflicts from multiple users working on the same file: https://powerbi.tips/product/power-bi-version-control-download/ 

[christinepayton]

What's the value-add for this app? Seems like it's an extra step vs going through SharePoint directly, not sure what the advantage is. 

[icassiem]

Been experimenting and with it not able to connect directly to SharePoint and only to the services "premium" the app is of not much help for me.

We already have it in SharePoint and you are correct I could see multiple versions, just not 100% sure of the expiry

But i have been tasked to add some check to the process, and thinking this tool i could store the changes text file to document library too but then again its also adding to the process.

trying to see if i could sync my document library and then compare directly to the doc librry and upload the changes

your thougths please?

[christinepayton]

Yeah I think the ALM Toolkit might let you do this, I don't think there's a good way to do this using pure M365 tools on their own. 

[icassiem]

Thank You very Much 🙂 

Much Appreciated