Refreshing and sharing datasets across the business?

[Anonymous]

Ok so there's a few posts on this and a How should I collaborate and share in Power BI? article but there seems to be some conflicting information, especially after Apps were introduced.

My requirement is:

1. Create a dataset which multiple pre-built reports will run off.

2. The dataset will also act as a read-only source for self-service BI users.

3. I need to control and manage access to the datasource.

4. I need to periodically refresh the data set.

I understand Content Packs to be one method of meeting the requirements above but aren;t these due to be depricated in favour of Apps?

I created an Content pack and shared it with myself from within my own Workspace. I cannot see this when clicking Get Data> Organisational Apps and have no idea why.

Creating an App isn't available in my own workspace, only in the shared workspaces and even then it's a 1-to-1 mapping between workspace and App.

So, what should I do?

1. Why can't I see the content pack I published?

2. Is it harder to manage access using content packs?

3. Should I create a workspace per business department and use Apps to publish?

Which is the best way to ensure I can easily refresh read-only datasets and push this out to users?

Thank you

[v-juanli-msft]

Hi @Anonymous

My requirement is:

1. Create a dataset which multiple pre-built reports will run off.

2. The dataset will also act as a read-only source for self-service BI users.

3. I need to control and manage access to the datasource.

4. I need to periodically refresh the data set.

create an app workspace( you are the admin of the workspace), add end users as a member who are only able to read and view contents.

connect the data source to gateway and set schedule refresh, add your account to the gateway user list and data source list.

So, what should I do?

2. Is it harder to manage access using content packs?

3. Should I create a workspace per business department and use Apps to publish?

it is not hard to manage access using content packs. you could give permission to users when publish the content pack, when they get the content pack, they can't edit the original content pack, but they can copy the dataset and get a new and copied content pack, then they can edit the copied one. 

Best Regards

Maggie

[Anonymous]

Update: I have found the content pack I have published but my original question still stands please.

What is the best way of meeting the stated objectives?

[Seth_C_Bauer]

@Anonymous If your end users need to be able to access and build reports on the data source, then they have to be part of the workspace and able to edit. The solution isn't ideal right now, because, as you have described accurately, the Content Pack is the only viable way to do this now. I would not invest in that method though as you are also correct in that it isn't going to be supported in the future, and I also don't believe it is a good solution because everyone creates their own version of things that could be deleted by the originator. That being said MSFT usually tee's up a bunch of big features to release during the Business Applications Summit (Previously Data Insights)... If they were going to do anything new in this space any time soon I would imagine it would be announced or released during this... So I guess I would say hold off on a full deployment till then if you can, maybe there will be a better or different solution to handle this.