Collaborate between Desktop and Browser users.

[CAVCX]

Hello,

I use a windows machine with the Power BI Dekstop App. I have a coworker who has to use PowerBI and uses a Mac. Since there is no desktop app for a Mac, she uses it through a browser.

We bought Pro accounts so that we can have PBIX files and Data Sets stored online and work on them together, much like sharing an excel in sharepoint.

My understanding is that for this we need to share a common WORKSPACE. So she created a workspace and assigned me admin rights to it.

While I can now PUBLISH my local Powerbi files to that Workspace, and she can open them in her browser, I cannot find a way to see the other powerbi files that are on her workspace to open them in my desktop app.

How do we have a common storage of a powerbi file and data set and then be able to work on them collaboratively, such that there is only 1 version of the file at all times?

PS. My onedrive situation is a little messed up. We have a company sharepoint folder where everyone keeps all files and works on. Some research showed some one-drive related options, which were getting complex for me.

Thanks in ad

[CAVCX]

Hello,

Thanks for responding, but I'm not clear about what you are recommending.

a. Can two users work on the same pbix file if it is shared on Sharepoint, and if its data sets are also stored on sharepoint itself?

b. In Desktop app, how do I access someone elses workspace?

Thank regards,

[lbendlin · Accepted solution]

a. Yes, but not at the same time.

b. Ask them to give you access to their workspace. Then you can consume the datasets and dataflows, and upload pbix.

[CAVCX]

Thanks lbendin.

However, I cannot find a way to access the workspace through the desktop app. Can you tell me where the option to open a PBIX file from an online workspace is?

Thanks

[lbendlin]

Go to the workspace in a browser, click the ellipsis next to the report or dataset, click Download .pbix 

Remember you can also connect to the dataset from Power BI Desktop if you only want to consume the data model rather than modify it.

[lbendlin]

- she could use Parallels  or a Windows VM to run Power BI Desktop

- storing .PBIX files on a Sharepoint/OneDrive is not a horrible idea as long as the files are small and you have enabled version history for that document library

- If you add incremental refresh to a data source in your pbix this will mean you can no longer download that pbix from the service

- collaborating in the way you describe requires a non-technical solution. Lots of communication, lots of it, to avoid overwriting each other's work

- data sources are mostly independent of your workspace situation (unless you start loading Excel files into your workspace in which case good luck)