Skip to main content
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Earn the coveted Fabric Analytics Engineer certification. 100% off your exam for a limited time only!

Reply
deangelodenis
Helper I
Helper I

Best way to work as a external consultant?

Hi all,

 

I'd been working with companies as an external consultant, making the reports in my Power BI free account, and sharing with them the URL (using the option "publish on the web").

 

I know that option is not the best, because you make the data public for everyone.

 

My doubt: what is the best way for someone like me (that want to work with more than 2 different companies as a external support), to use the Power BI? I could pay for Power BI pro, but my customers have to pay too? 

The price is $ 9,99/month, right?

 

 

if someone currently is working in that way, and want to share there experience with me, is welcome!

 

Thanks in advance.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

@deangelodenis The issue is the data. Each company will have their own domain. The work you do should be within their domain because you will be building reports that will rely on their data sources. They will want to utilize Power BI in its full extent, Apps, workspaces, etc. Your reports should be part of the eco-system.

So in your example, you would have an account in the AA domain (theirs) and in the BB domain (theirs).

If you have a standard template that you re-use, that is fine and up to you, but you would be building the report seperately in each company because you will be using different datasources. Those datasources are tied specifically to those domains and the gateways to refresh the information also part of those environments.

 

So, my thought is you would build out templates for how you want a report to look and plug in different data sets depending on client. (If they are the same type of report). We do this all the time and actually have examples on our site - https://powerbi.tips/layouts/

Long and short:

You won't be able to create your own domain, ingest and refresh data and share reports with many other companies. You need to work within their environment and develop the solutions within their company domains.


Looking for more Power BI tips, tricks & tools? Check out PowerBI.tips the site I co-own with Mike Carlo. Also, if you are near SE WI? Join our PUG Milwaukee Brew City PUG

View solution in original post

11 REPLIES 11
calerof
Impactful Individual
Impactful Individual

Hi @kedarn1991 ,

 

Normally is a one time fee depending on the time you take to finish the work. 

 

Regards,

 

Fernando

@deangelodenis First, "Not the best way" should never be used with private client data... Did they approve it? Do they know the information could show up publically?

Secondarily, if they hire you as just a Power BI consultant they should grant you a user/license within their domain. They will own their data, and anything you do needs to belong to their environment for proper sharing and access. The reports will need to be done and published within their workspaces, shared with their users via the Service, etc.


Looking for more Power BI tips, tricks & tools? Check out PowerBI.tips the site I co-own with Mike Carlo. Also, if you are near SE WI? Join our PUG Milwaukee Brew City PUG

@Seth_C_Bauer Thanks so much for your answer and your time!

 

Perfect, I completely agree with you.

 

just to double check. You suggest having one domain for each company that I'm going to work with instead of having just one domain, but with different workspace there? Can I share dashboards or reports with someone who has a different domain than me? for example:

 

* I built the "report AA" and the "report BB", using my account: denis@Cia1.com .  Like I'm working with different companies, I want to share the "Report AA" with Matt@aa.com and the "Report BB" with Jess@bb.com. Matt and Jess are the GM from different companies. It's is possible??

 

Thanks in advance and sorry for this questions. I'm new in this so I want to double check everything before offering my service to anybody.

 

@deangelodenis The issue is the data. Each company will have their own domain. The work you do should be within their domain because you will be building reports that will rely on their data sources. They will want to utilize Power BI in its full extent, Apps, workspaces, etc. Your reports should be part of the eco-system.

So in your example, you would have an account in the AA domain (theirs) and in the BB domain (theirs).

If you have a standard template that you re-use, that is fine and up to you, but you would be building the report seperately in each company because you will be using different datasources. Those datasources are tied specifically to those domains and the gateways to refresh the information also part of those environments.

 

So, my thought is you would build out templates for how you want a report to look and plug in different data sets depending on client. (If they are the same type of report). We do this all the time and actually have examples on our site - https://powerbi.tips/layouts/

Long and short:

You won't be able to create your own domain, ingest and refresh data and share reports with many other companies. You need to work within their environment and develop the solutions within their company domains.


Looking for more Power BI tips, tricks & tools? Check out PowerBI.tips the site I co-own with Mike Carlo. Also, if you are near SE WI? Join our PUG Milwaukee Brew City PUG

Hello Seth @Seth_C_Bauer

Couple of quick questions, as external consultant, 1) what would be the best way to deliver the PBI reports, in the server or in a dedicated computer from the company, and 2) the coding in DAX will remain open for the company to use or modify?

Thanks for the advice,

Fernando

 

Hola Fernando, No tuviste respuestas a este mensaje? Tengo las mismas dudas que vos estas consultando.

 

Gracias.

 

Saludos!

Hi @deangelodenis,

 

I'd rather answer in English so any body can keep track; no I haven't received any comment. In my last assignment with an external client - July 2018 - I requested a dedicated laptop computer, which should remain turned on all the time, to download Power BI desktop and code and prepare the dashboards and create the data gateway.

I used a dedicated company email domain for myself.

I asked the company to buy one pro subsciption for me and to decide how many they wanted depending upon the number of executives (owner and relatives in this case) wanted the dashboards.

I don't have any access to the data nor the dashboards or even my DAX coding, everything stayed in the Company as they are the proprietors of the data.

As overall I think the project was a success, and the client is very happy.

Best regards,

Fernando

 

Is it a one time fee to the customer or a monthly (with timeframe contract) premium? Thank you.


@calerof wrote:

Hi @deangelodenis,

 

I'd rather answer in English so any body can keep track; no I haven't received any comment. In my last assignment with an external client - July 2018 - I requested a dedicated laptop computer, which should remain turned on all the time, to download Power BI desktop and code and prepare the dashboards and create the data gateway.

I used a dedicated company email domain for myself.

I asked the company to buy one pro subsciption for me and to decide how many they wanted depending upon the number of executives (owner and relatives in this case) wanted the dashboards.

I don't have any access to the data nor the dashboards or even my DAX coding, everything stayed in the Company as they are the proprietors of the data.

As overall I think the project was a success, and the client is very happy.

Best regards,

Fernando

 


 

@calerof@deangelodenis Apologies for not responding, I must have lost track of this thread.

 

1) what would be the best way to deliver the PBI reports, in the server or in a dedicated computer from the company,

Delivary varies, as you describe in your last engagement. Sounds like a very small company. Larger would likely want you to install the gateway on a VM which would allow the desktop to not host the gateway and run into shutting it down issues.

In terms of getting a copy of your work, you can do this regardless. All you would have needed to do is upload the file from their computer, log in with your own to the Power BI Service and downloaded the PBIX. This wouldn't allow refreshes, but you would have all your calculations and report design.

2) the coding in DAX will remain open for the company to use or modify?

Described above how you would access the file to get your code.

 

For future case, if you have access to the datasource external to the company, you can log in to the Service with their credentials and publish a local PBIX to their domain. 


Looking for more Power BI tips, tricks & tools? Check out PowerBI.tips the site I co-own with Mike Carlo. Also, if you are near SE WI? Join our PUG Milwaukee Brew City PUG

Hi @Seth_C_Bauer,

 

Really appreciate it.

 

Best regards,

 

Fernando

 

Thank you very much @Seth_C_Bauer! I appreciate your reply and all the explication.

Helpful resources

Announcements
April AMA free

Microsoft Fabric AMA Livestream

Join us Tuesday, April 09, 9:00 – 10:00 AM PST for a live, expert-led Q&A session on all things Microsoft Fabric!

March Fabric Community Update

Fabric Community Update - March 2024

Find out what's new and trending in the Fabric Community.

Top Solution Authors
Top Kudoed Authors