25.5 Sharing and Distribution
Quick answer: the short, self-contained version of this lesson is the guide How to Share a Power BI Report.
Start with a problem
Ravindra must share the sales report with 40 store managers without giving them edit rights.
Explain simply
Ways to share: Share link (single report), workspace access, App (packaged content for readers). Apps are best for large audiences.
Show the data
| Audience | Best option |
|---|---|
| Rani, one report | Share |
| Team that builds | Workspace roles |
| 40 store managers | App |
About this data: This table uses columns: Audience, Best option. This table uses columns: Person, Sees, Can edit. This table uses columns: Method, How, Notes. This table uses columns: Wrong result, Reason, Correction. Values shown are the lesson examples already on this page (not a new dataset).
Fictional sample data. Practice file: visuals_orders_apr_may_2026.csv (source: src/practice/).
Demonstrate
- Workspace › Create app.
- Add the Sales report, set navigation.
- Audience: Store managers group › Publish app.
- Managers open Apps and install it.
Show the result
Your result should look like this (fictional sample):
| Person | Sees | Can edit |
|---|---|---|
| Store manager | App with Sales report | No |
| Raja (Contributor) | Workspace | Yes |
Explain what happened
The app separates readers from the building workspace.
Explore further
- Sharing to free-licence users needs Premium/Fabric capacity (check your licensing).
Detailed reference for this lesson:
| Method | How | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Workspace access | Add people/groups with a role | For creators and collaborators |
| Share (individual report/dashboard) | Share button › create a link: People in your organization, People with existing access or Specific people; option to allow reshare or build permission | Quick sharing; needs appropriate licences |
| App | In the workspace: Create app › choose content, navigation, and audiences | Best way to distribute a set of reports to many users; users get updates when you Update app |
| Microsoft Teams | Add a report as a tab, or share a link in a chat | Collaboration in context |
| Embed | File › Embed report (SharePoint Online, website/portal, or Publish to web) | Publish to web makes the report public on the internet – never use it for confidential data |
| Export | Export › Analyze in Excel, PowerPoint, PDF | Analyze in Excel lets users pivot the semantic model in Excel |
Licences decide sharing
Lakshat theva, recall Module 1: to share and consume content in the Service, users generally need Pro or PPU licences, unless the content is in a Fabric capacity (F64 or larger) where free users can view it.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
A common sharing mistake is e-mailing a PBIX file instead of sharing through the Service, which bypasses security and refresh. Share through workspaces, apps or links with the right permissions. Remember, viewers usually also need a licence, depending on your capacity. This matters for both exams and interviews.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
Sharing मधली एक common चूक म्हणजे Service मधून share करण्याऐवजी PBIX file e-mail करणं, त्याने security आणि refresh दोन्ही बाजूला पडतात. योग्य permissions सोबत workspaces, apps किंवा links मधून share करा. लक्षात ठेवा, तुमच्या capacity नुसार viewers ना सहसा licence पण लागतं. हे exam आणि interview दोन्हीसाठी important आहे.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
Sharing की एक common गलती है Service से share करने की जगह PBIX file e-mail करना, जिससे security और refresh दोनों छूट जाते हैं. सही permissions के साथ workspaces, apps या links से share करो. याद रखो, तुम्हारी capacity के हिसाब से viewers को आमतौर पर licence भी चाहिए. यह exam और interview दोनों के लिए ज़रूरी है.
Fix common mistakes
| Wrong result | Reason | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Managers see half-built pages | Given workspace access | Use an app |
| Recipient cannot open link | Licence | Check Pro/PPU or capacity |
| Link shared externally | Wrong link setting | People in your organisation |
Practise independently
Practice task
Which option for 40 read-only managers?
Hints
- Packaged.
Solution
An app.
Think like a professional
Apps give a controlled release – update the workspace, then update the app.
Deepen this topic (Why / What / How)
Fictional Maharashtra example. Numbers and workspace names below are practice data only.
Why: Ad-hoc share links explode; Apps and workspace roles scale cleanly.
What: Share a report, use a workspace, or publish an App — each path has different control.
How — pick a share path:
Vertical steps (one under another)
- For one teammate: workspace role or direct share with care.
- For a department: package an App with navigation.
- Avoid Publish to web for private business data.
- Check that Viewers can open after you share.
- Deep dive in Ch 38.
Tiny example: Fictional: MH Ops App v1 for city managers — not twenty private links.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, Apps beat a pile of personal share links every Monday.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, App > वैयक्तिक share लिंकचा ढीग.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, App > निजी share links का ढेर।
Go deeper next
This Chapter 25 page is the overview. For the full Service deep lesson, open Ch 38 · Reports vs Dashboards, Sharing and Apps. Chapters 37–44 are the deep Service series; Chapter 44 is the publish–secure–refresh–share capstone.
Quiz (5 questions)
1. Publish to web for private ops data:
2. Department-scale distribution often uses:
3. Workspace roles help sharing by:
4. After sharing, you should:
5. Deep chapter:
Practice tasks (12) — hints only, no full answers
- Task. Write the business question this 25 5 sharing and distribution page answers in one sentence.
Hint: Name the user and the decision. - Task. List three mistakes learners make with 25 5 sharing and distribution.
Hint: Use Fix common mistakes as a seed. - Task. Draw a 5-box flow on paper for 25 5 sharing and distribution (fictional MH Ops).
Hint: Photo counts as artefact. - Task. Explain 25 5 sharing and distribution to a friend in 60 seconds using Why/What/How.
Hint: Record voice memo if you can. - Task. Open the linked deep chapter and write three new facts not on this overview page.
Hint: Cite section titles only. - Task. Create a checklist of 7 ticks before you call 25 5 sharing and distribution “done”.
Hint: Include a verify step. - Task. Invent fictional refresh/share/role data that fits 25 5 sharing and distribution.
Hint: Keep IST times. - Task. Map who is Admin / Member / Contributor / Viewer for a fictional workspace using 25 5 sharing and distribution.
Hint: Least privilege. - Task. Write an interview STAR story that uses 25 5 sharing and distribution.
Hint: 45–60 seconds. - Task. Find one unused habit you will stop (e.g. My workspace for team content) related to 25 5 sharing and distribution.
Hint: Be specific. - Task. Link 25 5 sharing and distribution forward to the correct Ch 37–44 lesson and say why.
Hint: One sentence why. - Task. Teach 25 5 sharing and distribution back using Marathi or Hindi tip language once.
Hint: Keep English terms for product UI.
Revision card