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robinHH
Frequent Visitor

Compatibility of Power BI Desktop (Report Server) and Power BI Desktop (Power BI-Service)

Dear Community,

I already searched in this forum without finding any specific information from Microsoft.

For specific reasons I want to use both versions of Power BI Desktop (Report Server and Power BI-Service) and I would like to know the best strategy to handle the PBIX-Files for both versions with a best practice approach.

Microsoft states "Stay on the version of Power BI Desktop which is compatible for both the Power BI service and Power BI Report Server. New features are available to users approximately every 4 months in this scenario. This is the recommended approach because it's the simplest for reports authors to understand" (Planning a Power BI Enterprise Deployment, V3.1 as of May 2020).


However, I am still unsure if I each PBIX file generated on Power BI Desktop (Report Server) does work without any problems in Power BI Desktop (Power BI-Service), if I use the 4 month update cycle for both version.

I appriaciate your help.

Kind regards
Robin
   

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
d_gosbell
Super User
Super User


@robinHH wrote:

However, I am still unsure if I each PBIX file generated on Power BI Desktop (Report Server) does work without any problems in Power BI Desktop (Power BI-Service), if I use the 4 month update cycle for both version.


So any PBIX you build in the ReportServer version should be able to opened with any version of the Service Desktop provided it is the same month or later.

 

The issue is that the reverse is not true. If you create a PBIX in the service version you may never be able to open it in the Report Server version (even using versions released in the same month). There are features an functionality in the service that do not exist on Report Server (such as Composite models and Aggregations as just 2 examples)

 

So if you want to publish to Report Server you should always use the Report Server Desktop. If you want to publish to the service you can use either version of Desktop.

View solution in original post

5 REPLIES 5
d_gosbell
Super User
Super User

Yes, this limitation is still present. 

To avoid problems like this (I've had several), I established that no work notebook I use the PBI Desktop May2020 and compatible Report Server. The personal notebook always uses the most current version of PBI Desktop for service.

Dear gustavogrande,

just to make sure that I understand you correct: You always just update the Power BI Desktop (Power BI-Service | Updated monthly) when there is also an update for Power BI Desktop (Power BI Report Server | Updated quarterly)?

May you please tell me which problem occured when you used the latest version of both Power BI Desktop versions?

Thanks 🙂

d_gosbell
Super User
Super User


@robinHH wrote:

However, I am still unsure if I each PBIX file generated on Power BI Desktop (Report Server) does work without any problems in Power BI Desktop (Power BI-Service), if I use the 4 month update cycle for both version.


So any PBIX you build in the ReportServer version should be able to opened with any version of the Service Desktop provided it is the same month or later.

 

The issue is that the reverse is not true. If you create a PBIX in the service version you may never be able to open it in the Report Server version (even using versions released in the same month). There are features an functionality in the service that do not exist on Report Server (such as Composite models and Aggregations as just 2 examples)

 

So if you want to publish to Report Server you should always use the Report Server Desktop. If you want to publish to the service you can use either version of Desktop.

Hi @d_gosbell 😥 is this limitation (There are features and functionality in the service that do not exist on Report Server (such as Composite models and Aggregations as just 2 examples)) you mentioned, still there?

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