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Create an read-only and external license tier

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Power BI Ideas Admin on 26 Nov 2014 09:59:47

Power BI is a great tool for those that need to analyze data, but not all users are equal in their knowledge of PowerPivot, Excel or the underlying data sources. Some users just want to see and act on data. In the current model, users have to have a PowerBI license to even see a report.

So, instead of building or buying a separate visualization layer to go over SSAS or SSRS, why not make PowerView extensible? Give me a very economical or even free limited user tier that can only consume web reports, but no Excel access. You can even assume these users are E2/E3 subscribers.

Comments (29)
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b19d5c51 8347-4a7c-bb0d-14afe88f1214 on 06 Jul 2020 00:03:45

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

A big YES on this. There is a gap between the "FREE" license and the "PRO" license. I generated reports for stake holders in projects or stakeholders within a team whom have no need for the full Pro license, yet being able to view the reports via web (instead of exported manually via PPT and shared via onedrive, sharepoint or email) would be a much better experience.

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d95964ff 7cdd-4789-8f4f-549b3bf22de6 on 05 Jul 2020 23:44:43

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

With the new PowerBI Apps it would make sense to make apps available for free or read only users.

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7a2315b9 a147-482b-a8f4-6a82ff95837d on 05 Jul 2020 23:07:09

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

This is interesting. Is there any news?

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598a1554 7abc-4e34-95de-9d34802747ab on 05 Jul 2020 22:55:56

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

Almost 3 years under review, and still no response, we would love to have Power BI fully implemented in our organization, but we don't see as a good practice to everyone have a Pro license, we can manage our most sensitive reports with Pro, but the rest of the company who has to see more data, we don't see that as a solution.

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a3309361 99be-ea11-a812-000d3a8ddfb2 on 05 Jul 2020 22:45:40

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

I think that "read-only and external license tier" is very important. Why I have to use "Power BI embedded" to distribute my dashboards to my users?

I would prefer a separat Power BI server to handle the external license tie. The existing Power BI server is hard loaded. I am very welling to pay for that!

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3ebc62fc 20f1-48ba-91f2-ce9153bff640 on 05 Jul 2020 22:41:21

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

Now that you will be introducing the ability to store PBIX files on SSRS Report Server (SQL Server 2106) and view Power BI reports from there, we need to have an update on the read-only license idea which has been under review since 2014. Power BI on premise is a potential BI solution for our clients as well as many others and as a solution provider, we need to know Microsoft's licensing roadmap for Power BI users who only need read-only access to a Power BI report.

Thanks!

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a263361b 5917-46da-83a2-4e94c81df2d9 on 05 Jul 2020 22:39:36

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

Any update Microsoft???

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0aaeab87 3570-49f2-8d90-52aae07f8964 on 05 Jul 2020 22:39:07

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

Avoiding that users who only want to view a report with Pro content also need a Pro license is a recurrent idea. I've voted for each of them and combined the votes add up to over 1800. Surely I don't need to be a prima ballerina to be allowed to watch a ballet performance? Please fix this issue.

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105a94dc f7d6-4b13-829d-13dba4420d2f on 05 Jul 2020 22:38:27

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

This is a critical feature that is available on other products like Qlik. Unfortunately the Free License does not allow to use the enterprise gateway. We would be happy to buy a number of pro licenses for the report admins, but not for hundreds of users that only view reports very rarely.

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fd30758c 4321-4cf9-bd2a-c789afc1a788 on 05 Jul 2020 22:37:35

RE: Create an read-only and external license tier

We definitely need the ability to have our E3 licensed users also have read-only access to group workspaces.

It's hard to compete with on-prem Tableau server offerings that can be served to an entire company with a single server license without this.