Need alert pbix desktop file in use or change process?

[JessicaAZ]

Our development process is to update a desktop pbix file from a shared network folder location, save changes and publish to the online service.

The problem we are having is that there is no notification that another developer already has the pbix file open until after you have made modifications and try and save.

Is this a desktop version issue?

Excel, word, powerpoint, other microsoft products alert you upon opening the document that it's in use but the pbix files don't do this until you try and save something.

What is the recommended process to account for multiple developers without having to manually check in, "is anyone in the file right now", "I am out of the file now" etc. . .

Having to continuously check around seems inefficient.

[cengizhanarslan · Accepted solution]

PBIX files do not support co-authoring or file-locking on open. Power BI Desktop only detects a conflict when you try to save, unlike Excel/Word. There is no setting to change this.

Best practice (modern): PBIP + source control

• Use Power BI Project (.pbip) format

• Store it in Git (Azure DevOps / GitHub)

• One person edits at a time per branch, merge via PR
  This is the only scalable, professional solution.

If PBIP is not an option yet

• Store PBIX in SharePoint/OneDrive and use Check-out / Check-in

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @JessicaAZ, 

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum. Also, thanks to @KevinChant, @AnkitKukreja, @cengizhanarslan, @lbendlin,  for those inputs on this thread.

Has your issue been resolved? If the response provided by the community member @KevinChant, @AnkitKukreja, @cengizhanarslan, @lbendlin,  addressed your query, could you please confirm? It helps us ensure that the solutions provided are effective and beneficial for everyone.

Hope this helps clarify things and let me know what you find after giving these steps a try happy to help you investigate this further.

Thank you for using the Microsoft Community Forum.

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @JessicaAZ,

Just wanted to follow up. If the shared guidance worked for you, that’s wonderful hopefully it also helps others looking for similar answers. If there’s anything else you'd like to explore or clarify, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you.

[AnkitKukreja]

Hi! @JessicaAZ 

You can use the checkout feature in SharePoint or use the PBIP format with GIT to manage the versions. 

[cengizhanarslan · Accepted solution]

PBIX files do not support co-authoring or file-locking on open. Power BI Desktop only detects a conflict when you try to save, unlike Excel/Word. There is no setting to change this.

Best practice (modern): PBIP + source control

• Use Power BI Project (.pbip) format

• Store it in Git (Azure DevOps / GitHub)

• One person edits at a time per branch, merge via PR
  This is the only scalable, professional solution.

If PBIP is not an option yet

• Store PBIX in SharePoint/OneDrive and use Check-out / Check-in

[lbendlin]

You can consider placing the pbix file on a SharePoint and using the "check out/check in"  process to block other developers from oerwriting your work.

A better solution would be to integrate with Github Enterprise or Azure DevOps.

[KevinChant · Accepted solution]

Agreed, look to work with Microsoft fabric Git integration and Power BI Desktop Projects instead:
Power BI Desktop projects (PBIP) - Power BI | Microsoft Learn