share pbix/dashboard outside organization

[sarahc]

Hi, I am new to PowerBI and slightly confused with the way we can share reports/dashboards with users externally. As I understand:

As a normal PowerBI user (non pro non premium) I can:

1. Create a pbix file and Publish this. This will publish it to Microsoft's clous service making it publicly available. Here I send the other user the URL and they can view it in their web browser
2. Just send the pbix file to other user. They will need to install PowerBI to view it. However this will only work if the pbix file has the data self contained in itself. If it doesn't, it will have to rely on access to a data file (e.g. an .xlsx file) that also needs to be sent to the user. This however will most likely not work as the paths to the .xlsx file as referenced in the pbix file are absolute (not relative). For it to work, the other user will need the same drive name/directory structure.
3. Set up an online virtual environment (like amazon web services) that has powerBI installed. In this case I would create the pbix file within this environment and allow the other user access to the environment to view the pbix file via the same PowerBI install.

As a PowerBI Pro / Pro trial user I can:

1. much like (1) above, but having Pro allows me to have a secured online dashboard that I can share access with other users outside my organisation?

Are the above correct?

I am really only looking for a simple way to share a report/dashboard with external users with PowerBI non Pro. Thanks.

[v-yulgu-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @sarahc,

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As a normal PowerBI user (non pro non premium) I can:

1. Create a pbix file and Publish this. This will publish it to Microsoft's clous service making it publicly available. Here I send the other user the URL and they can view it in their web browser
2. Just send the pbix file to other user. They will need to install PowerBI to view it. However this will only work if the pbix file has the data self contained in itself. If it doesn't, it will have to rely on access to a data file (e.g. an .xlsx file) that also needs to be sent to the user. This however will most likely not work as the paths to the .xlsx file as referenced in the pbix file are absolute (not relative). For it to work, the other user will need the same drive name/directory structure.
3. Set up an online virtual environment (like amazon web services) that has powerBI installed. In this case I would create the pbix file within this environment and allow the other user access to the environment to view the pbix file via the same PowerBI install. 

1. Users have no access to view reports which are shared with them via sending them the report URL directly. You should publish report to web, then, copy and send them the new generated URL.

2. For sending the original .pbix files to users, you should connect to data source in Import mode, otherwise, revipients cannot open the file. Besides, though users can open and edit the shared .pbix file, they cannot update the resource data loaded into file. The reason for this is what you mentioned above.

3. This looks a practicable choice.

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As a PowerBI Pro / Pro trial user I can:

1. much like (1) above, but having Pro allows me to have a secured online dashboard that I can share access with other users outside my organisation?

1. Yes, with a Power BI pro license, you can share dashbords with others. But recipients need Pro account to view it. 

Best regards,

Yuliana Gu