Multiple users using PowerBI desktop in parallel

[KyleEdw]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone had any knowledge on if and how it is technically possible to have multiple users work on PowerBI desktop in parallel. (Sort of like how on Excel you can work accross one workbook with multiple users in parallel without worrying about saving and overwritting issues).

Otherwise is there any known ways / best practices on how to work under one PowerBI report with multiple users?

Thanks guys!

[amitchandak]

@KyleEdw , there is something discussed in May Microsoft submit.  Where you can import multiple models and work

https://mymbas.microsoft.com/sessions/67925f36-c04c-43c2-9411-bf51b8bd2cc6?source=sessions

As of now, you can publish a pbix and share and add it as a source. And multiple people can work on visualization.

For Model, you have to wait for the above feature shown in mymbas

[KyleEdw]

@amitchandak 

Yes, I have heard that this feature is requested and it will come in a later verision (hopefully next launch:) )

In regards to publishing the .pbix and sharing it as a source do you mean the availibility to publish the .pbix file into a workspace on the powerBI online service, share it with users / grant accesses and then from there have those users edit visualizations? Im assuming you can have multiple users in parallel work on datasets/dataflows on the PBI online service (or any other features like visualizations), but the limitation is mainly just with multiple users in parallel on PBI desktop...

Would be great if you elaborate here

K

[parry2k · Accepted solution]

@KyleEdw there is no such method to work parallel on same power bi file, what we did is used SharePoint file check-in and check out procedure, so when a user wants to work, it checks out the file, do his work, check back in and log his changes and then next user can take over it. it keeps the changelog and version history and avoids multiple users to work on at the same time.

I would ❤ Kudos if my solution helped. 👉 If you can spend time posting the question, you can also make efforts to give Kudos whoever helped to solve your problem. It is a token of appreciation!

⚡Visit us at https://perytus.com, your one-stop shop for Power BI related projects/training/consultancy.⚡

[KyleEdw]

I have heard of a temporary similar solution to this. But this process you essentially just set in place for changing made by multiple users on the .pbix file in PowerBI desktop. However, for changes made by multiple users online associated to that .pbix file, Im assuming this process was not needed?

[parry2k]

@KyleEdw first you need to divide your changes into two, is it a data model or visualization. Regardless of this, there is no way for multiple people to work on the same pbi at the same time, period. Now if you can explain your use case then we can get back to you with best practices, for now what I understood, you want multiple people making changes to power bi file in power bi deskop and merge the changes, correct? Nothing is there to achieve this.

[KyleEdw]

You understood correctly, the use case would be for having multiple users to be able to have access to .pbix file and edit and work in parallel in PBI desktop (and ensure no work done on one persons PBI desktop file overwrites / repeats another) - and as you said - at the moment it isnt possible. My reponse was slightly confusing, in that I was purely confirming this 'sharepoint log and save process' you set up helps tackle the technical barrier of multiple users editing a .pbix file on PBI desktop, but you havent neccesarily had to set up any process/best practice in regards to multiple users working on the PBI online service and pushing changes (be that in datasets or any report optimizations which are obviously related and trickle down to the .pbix file on PBI desktop where the sole-user works in)? More of a highlevel question, hope it wasnt overly technical 🙂 Thx for confirming

[parry2k]

@KyleEdw at least we are on the same page 👍, yes, sharepoint is one way to avoid overriding changes. Regarding publishing to service, I believe deployment pipeline addresses that somewhat and should be the way to go.

I would ❤ Kudos if my solution helped. 👉 If you can spend time posting the question, you can also make efforts to give Kudos whoever helped to solve your problem. It is a token of appreciation!

⚡Visit us at https://perytus.com, your one-stop shop for Power BI related projects/training/consultancy.⚡