How to properly execute Row Level Security in Power Bi Report?

[HersonD]

Hi,

I have created a Power BI report for our organization. I want to add a level of security which certain users can only access specific information. Also, can I still publish it for public viewing?

I just want to limit others access but can still access most of the report contents.

[Ritaf1983 · Accepted solution]

Hi @HersonD 

Once you apply Row-Level Security (RLS) in Power BI, it filters the report based on the roles and rules you’ve defined. This means that users will only be able to view the data assigned to their specific roles, and the entire report will be filtered according to those RLS settings.

Therefore, you cannot have a report that is both secured with RLS and completely open to everyone at the same time. The RLS rules will always apply to users with restricted access. If you want the report to be publicly viewable without restrictions, you would need to remove RLS for that version of the report.

If your goal is to limit access to specific information for some users but still make most of the report content available, RLS is a great tool, but it won't work for public viewing. You might need to publish two versions of the report—one with RLS and one without (for public access).

For more information about the RLS functionality please refer to the linked guide:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIZaIUzQ4Lw

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly

[TomMartens · Accepted solution]

Hey @HersonD ,

Reza Rad did a lot of videos like this one about Row Level Security, like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyeAhV2665s. Reza also wrote a book "Row Level Security in Power BI" that I strongly recommend.

Then your question regarding for public viewing. Not sure what "public viewing" means. If this implies to use the feature "Publish to web" than the answer is: No.
It's not possible to use the feature "Publish to web" with reports based on semantic models that have RLS applied.

Regards,

Tom

[Kedar_Pande · Accepted solution]

@HersonD 

If you publish the report publicly, RLS won't apply. Publicly shared reports make all data visible to anyone with the link.

To balance both needs:

1. Use RLS for internal users.
2. Consider embedding the report securely using Power BI Embedded or Power BI Service with access controls, instead of publishing it publicly. This way, you control who sees specific content while still making most of the report available to authorized users.

💌 If this helped, a Kudos 👍 or Solution mark would be great! 🎉
Cheers,
Kedar
Connect on LinkedIn

[Kedar_Pande · Accepted solution]

@HersonD 

If you publish the report publicly, RLS won't apply. Publicly shared reports make all data visible to anyone with the link.

To balance both needs:

1. Use RLS for internal users.
2. Consider embedding the report securely using Power BI Embedded or Power BI Service with access controls, instead of publishing it publicly. This way, you control who sees specific content while still making most of the report available to authorized users.

💌 If this helped, a Kudos 👍 or Solution mark would be great! 🎉
Cheers,
Kedar
Connect on LinkedIn

[TomMartens · Accepted solution]

Hey @HersonD ,

Reza Rad did a lot of videos like this one about Row Level Security, like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyeAhV2665s. Reza also wrote a book "Row Level Security in Power BI" that I strongly recommend.

Then your question regarding for public viewing. Not sure what "public viewing" means. If this implies to use the feature "Publish to web" than the answer is: No.
It's not possible to use the feature "Publish to web" with reports based on semantic models that have RLS applied.

Regards,

Tom

[Ritaf1983 · Accepted solution]

Hi @HersonD 

Once you apply Row-Level Security (RLS) in Power BI, it filters the report based on the roles and rules you’ve defined. This means that users will only be able to view the data assigned to their specific roles, and the entire report will be filtered according to those RLS settings.

Therefore, you cannot have a report that is both secured with RLS and completely open to everyone at the same time. The RLS rules will always apply to users with restricted access. If you want the report to be publicly viewable without restrictions, you would need to remove RLS for that version of the report.

If your goal is to limit access to specific information for some users but still make most of the report content available, RLS is a great tool, but it won't work for public viewing. You might need to publish two versions of the report—one with RLS and one without (for public access).

For more information about the RLS functionality please refer to the linked guide:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIZaIUzQ4Lw

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly

[HersonD]

Thanks for the help @Ritaf1983 ,

Additional Question,

I tried doing RLS, However when i shared it with others they can't access it and asking them to upgrade their power BI license. How can I share it to them without having them subscribe?

[Ritaf1983 · Accepted solution]

Hi @HersonD 

To share Power BI reports, everyone who accesses the report must have at least a Power BI Pro license. However, if you have Power BI Premium capacity, you can share reports with users who have free licenses. In this case, the reports are hosted in a Premium workspace, allowing users without a Pro license to view and interact with the content.

Without Premium capacity, only users with a Pro license can share and view reports with other Pro users. This limitation ensures that the collaboration and sharing features remain available only to users who have the necessary licensing.

For more detailed information about Power BI licensing and sharing reports, you can visit the official Microsoft documentation:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/fundamentals/service-features-license-type

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly