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Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

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Matt Smith on 28 Feb 2019 17:19:38

When you create a PowerBI report in Power BI Desktop it transparently create \ use a git repository. So you just worked normally, then when you hit publish, it actually push to remote.

Gitignore could be used to exclude data from being published to the repository. PowerBI would have version control which is desperately needed.

This would work well with the whole Microsoft buying Github \ Azure DevOps, both from the perspective of promoting good practices such as code version control and CI\CD - process of developing in development and promoting to UAT\production

It would also allow IT to get visibility of code, allow tests to be run - such as moving DAX calculated columns with M

This would also solve the other ideas:
https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/17523715-report-version-control


https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/7861287-dataset-report-version-control

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/34315045-seamless-version-control-of-queries-data-model-st

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/9677517-source-control

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/9080776-using-git-or-some-other-sccs-to-store-m-queries-n

Comments (49)
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48531943 67b7-4896-a0ba-cb515e65c494 on 10 Jul 2020 17:22:43

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Version control for Power BI reports, preferably integrated with Git/Azure DevOps is definitely needed. I want to be able to sync changes in my Database Project with changes to my report and publish both at the same time.

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d7fe0e28 9876-4ed5-be9b-642a7fe038b5 on 10 Jul 2020 17:20:59

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

We desperately need a way to save restore versions, incremental updates and to see changes. Big ask I realize. As our powerbi and our visuals have become more complex, they stopped being self documenting.self documenting.

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7783200f 3786-438a-92be-7b46305222e3 on 10 Jul 2020 17:20:42

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

The key to unlocking any VCS support is a transparent text format. Without that, VCS is impossible (or requires significant integration effort). Having PowerBI single-user UI-only really makes it a poor choice for professional team-based work. Despite all the good work by the developers under the hood, this decision means it's just a toy.

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e961c535 007c-46bb-949f-5141131489db on 06 Jul 2020 00:18:00

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

This is long overdue. I am in the middle of deciding how to version control PBIX Files and no specific solution from Microsoft . We need this ASAP Pleaaaaaaaaaaaase.

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c091d687 2f2f-429b-89eb-3051170237fd on 06 Jul 2020 00:17:28

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Can I vote for this more than once??

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1a0fb770 9423-4214-98f9-a3a8bd6bc5e0 on 06 Jul 2020 00:14:41

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Looker does have a one-up in this regards, there LookerML is pure text and can be version controlled and managed by multiple people.

Right now PBIX is a blackbox which maybe you can peer into by renaming to zip and looking in, but unable to change anything which will break the security signature of the zip file.

In order for PBIX to be enterprise ready, it needs to be opened up. Different teams may manage DAX expression whilst others are involved in maintaining relationships.

PBIX is becoming too much of a pandora's box.

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aa256a43 ab7e-42b4-beb9-9e36a1f92ccd on 06 Jul 2020 00:13:53

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

A big up-vote for me too. A GIT Integration would definitely make PowerBI project a lot more scalable and robust. I am surprised that there are only 23 votes so far.

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6aacfabc 81c2-4f05-9147-d008651a9168 on 06 Jul 2020 00:13:45

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

This is higly required as only Power BI reports are the ones left out of Dev Ops pipeline as of now in entire technology stack in many projects.

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2a3882fb d142-4577-a882-bcdebcf3d90f on 06 Jul 2020 00:13:37

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Version control integration with DevOps would be really helpful

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14c2bc45 2d7a-4c95-9f99-e99491b88b58 on 06 Jul 2020 00:12:11

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

As a data engineer, I'm using Power BI in a team. One of the problems is we cannot do code review to Power BI reports, as PBIX/PBIT are binary files.
Let's say some one change a Power Query in the report, which will affect the data import. But it's in the binary, no body will notice this change easily, which introduces a bug, until someone refresh the data, and find there is something wrong in the report a few days later.