Forum Discussion
App Workspace vs App Itself
Hi guys:
I'm starting to use Apps and App Workspace in Power BI.
They are separate things but are the same, right?
My problem is the following:
- When you create an App (Based on an App Worksapce), the app contains everything that was in the Workspace:
- Data
- Reports
- Dashboards
They are so intricatelly conected, that if you try to delete a dataset from a App Workspace, it warns you that this data is used in an App. So far so good.
The problem is: When I re-upload a report from the Desktop, it updates the App Workspace, but it doesn't update the App. Is it intended to be like so?
I would understand if only the reports and dashborads in the App were not changed, but the data?
The only workaround I found was to go to the App and update the App itself. But this creates a problem If I want to keep the data updated.
Is there a delay? Does the App keep a cache somewhere?
I'm still testing here to see If the data really don't update, but so far I'm sure the report didn't.
Please help me to clarify this because I'm deploying all my data as Apps now that I moved to another Corporate Account.
Thanks in advance.
For App, you can regard it like a content pack at entire app workspace (which is called "Group" workspace earlier) level. When you republish your .pbix, the dataset will be updated into workspace. But it you have layout change in report, you have to update the App, like you need to update the content pack before.
Regards,
10 Replies
I did another test, and I guess the data updates.
But the layout I think will only update when yu update the App.
And this includes changes in the Dashboard, changing on existing pages of a report and adding new pages to a report...
Is that right?
For App, you can regard it like a content pack at entire app workspace (which is called "Group" workspace earlier) level. When you republish your .pbix, the dataset will be updated into workspace. But it you have layout change in report, you have to update the App, like you need to update the content pack before.
Regards,
Hi v-sihou-msft, when you say "dataset will be updated into the workspace" do you mean just the App workspace or the published app as well? My experience has been that a change in the dataset will be reflected in both the published App and the App workspace. Or is it the terminology I am using? It isnt readily apparent that datasets are only managed in the workspace and changes automatically flow through to apps regardless if they are updated or not.
Thanks
The blog at RADACAD explains things very well. The biggest problem I see with App and App Workspaces is that they share the same dataset and are not isolated like the report and dashboard content which require that you update the app to publish the changes. If you remove a measure or similar in the dataset or change the structure this will apply to your app once that model is published to the app workspace, regardless if you update the app or not. It really cannot work in any other way but it not totally obvious. In that case you would need to upload the content to another app workspace to keep things isolated and then you have duplicate content between workspaces.
Workspace contains all objects, but you can select which reports go into the App or not.
Datasets should not show in Power BI Apps, only consumables...
Workspaces vs PowerBI App...
My Power BI Analogy : think of it as when you visit a restaurant...
Workspace = Kitchen Area (messy, not pretty, very loud... where developers work)
Power BI App = Restaurant Sitting Area (Pretty, safe, good music, better experience to consume the final product)
