Forum Discussion
BI web vs desktop
What are the differences between desktop and web version? I wonder if all functionality is the same.
11 Replies
I Wonder why they are different, functions that you highlighted are very important and should be in each product. I would like to have best of both worlds
You absolutely can have the best of both worlds. Build your data models in Desktop and create your reports and then upload your resulting PBIX file into the service. It will import your data model and reports and then you can build dashboards from that.
Anonymous has it right, the Desktop is more of you high-powered data import and modeling tool and the Service is more geared toward sharing and collaboration. Similar to other reporting and BI tools, you use Visual Studio to build reports that you then share via SSRS for exmple.
One big difference is that the web service provides the ability to create dashboards. A second big difference is the number and types of data sources avaible. In the service you have access to content packs while in the Desktop you do not. But, in the Desktop, you have a much wider array of data sources available like Teradata, MySQL, etc.
But isn't this weird that desktop cannot create dashboard? It becomes a hassle that I have to jump back and forth between desktop and service to modify my report and repin it onto my dashboard.
My difficulties come when I am making a PowerApp application that has PowerBI tile embedded in it. Since PowerApp can only pull dashboard tile and not report page, it forces me to use two platforms for the same production at all times. Hopefully devs can read this and provide a response :S
