Compatibility Power BI Desktop for Report Server & Power BI Desktop files

[JanV]

A lesson learned the hard way -> Power BI desktop files are sometimes not compatible at all with Power BI desktop for report server.

Main question now: are Power BI Desktop for report server files always compatible with Power BI Desktop? 

[JanV]

A lesson learned the hard way -> Power BI desktop files are sometimes not compatible at all with Power BI desktop for report server.

Main question now: are Power BI Desktop for report server files always compatible with Power BI Desktop? 

[andris]

Hi.

Not always, but I don't really know if it follows some rules. Sometimes it works, sometimes some visuals do not work, sometimes Desktop client crashes, works differently with different versions. 

Generally, I'd say that it is not a good idea to exchange report files between PBI Desktop for Report Server and "full" PBI Desktop.

Regards

Andris

[JanV]

Ok, it is strange that there is no clear guidance in this area.

It would makes sense Microsoft markets a smooth transition path to the cloud by allowing easy lift & shift of Power BI Report server reports to the Power BI Service. On the other hand it would also make sense for them to make  it painful to go back to on-prem since the cloud/service is what generates/drives revenue over time. 

[samgreene1 · Accepted solution]

I was just able to open a Power BI report server report made with 2018 August update with the latest PBI Desktop.  Published to the PBI service and worked with no issue.  Happy to see this worked as we are likely migrating PBI Report Server to the service in the coming year.

[murilopicanco]

Did I miss the actual solution to this issue in any of the responses?

I still cannot open a file saved with PowerBI Desktop app (July 2019) using the PowerBI Report Server app (May 2019).

Microsoft releases an update such as the July Desktop version and there is no message warning users that all files will become incompatible with all exisitng PowerBI Report Server versions (since May is the latest version and it still does not work).

[wesen]

@murilopicanco 

You can always find the compatible version of power bi report server here.

[murilopicanco]

Hi Wesen

Thanks for the information.

This means that May/2019 is the current latest verison of PowerBI desktop that can be used, if the user will also publish the same file to a Report Server.

[wesen]

@murilopicanco 

Microsoft releases power bi report server update every four-month; you can get the latest summary here.

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/power-bi-report-server-september-2019-feature-summary/

So that you can get the latest version of Power bi report server here.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=57270

After updating your server you can use the latest version of power bi desktop(Optimized for report server) here

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=57271

To update your server please see the following link  

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/report-server/upgrade

Regards,