Power BI Pro - Differences from Desktop

[mstone3]

Hello - I have a very elementary question about the differences between PowerBI Desktop and PowerBI pro...

I've been working with PowerBI desktop and accustomed to the standard approach of connect to data sources  -->design and load to desktop using PowerQuery-->model data (table relationships, write DAX measures, etc.-->create dashboard.

I recently acquired a set of PowerBI pro licenses to use within my organization, and PowerBI pro seems very foreign to me...I've managed to connect to a file and create a dashboard, but there seems to be no option to work with the intermediate steps/functions (such as designing a query and loading via PowerQuery, table relationships, modeling with DAX measures, etc.).  

I'm I missing something here or are these functions only available in Desktop?

Thanks for any insight you may have!

[Greg_Deckler · Accepted solution]

You are mixing 2 different things. Desktop is the desktop and is always free. Desktop can be paired with either Free, Pro or Premium Power BI Service. What Pro allows you to do over Free is primarily share your reports published from Desktop to the Service with others.

There are more differences but that should cover most of what you probably currently care about and clear up some confusion hopefully

@mstone3 

[v-xicai · Accepted solution]

Hi @mstone3 ,

The Power BI Desktop is an application which users can use it to get data, transform data, create data model, create reports, and then publish to cloud Power BI Service. Especially, users can transform data and create data model in Power BI Desktop, such as designing a query and loading via PowerQuery, table relationships, modeling with DAX measures, etc. Though user can also transform data in dataflow in Power BI Service. See more difference: Power BI Desktop vs Power BI Service.

While, the Power BI Pro is a kind of license, which is useful in area of share feature in Power BI Service. For example, if you want to share a report to others, you need a Power BI Pro license, also the recipient need a Power BI Pro license, or the shared content is in Premium capacity. See more :Power BI licensing in your organization.

Best Regards,

Amy 

Community Support Team _ Amy

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[mihart]

Hi @mstone3 

These new-ish articles might help.  Feedback appreciated!

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/consumer/end-user-license

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/consumer/end-user-features

Thanks,

Michele

[Greg_Deckler · Accepted solution]

You are mixing 2 different things. Desktop is the desktop and is always free. Desktop can be paired with either Free, Pro or Premium Power BI Service. What Pro allows you to do over Free is primarily share your reports published from Desktop to the Service with others.

There are more differences but that should cover most of what you probably currently care about and clear up some confusion hopefully

@mstone3