Add a “User is Editing” Indicator to Prevent PBIX File Overwrites in Shared Locations

[poro95]

Description

When multiple users open and edit the same PBIX file stored in a shared location (such as a network drive, SharePoint, or OneDrive), Power BI Desktop currently provides no warning that someone else already has the file open. This leads to a critical issue: the last person to save overwrites all previous changes, often causing:

• Total loss of work for the second user
• Version conflicts and accidental overwrite errors
• PBIX file corruption
• Reduced confidence in collaborative BI development workflows

This problem severely impacts teams who collaborate on PBIX files and rely on shared storage locations.

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Proposed Feature

Introduce a built‑in editing presence indicator, similar to what exists in Office applications. This could include:

• A red or amber “Someone is editing” status light when a PBIX file is already open elsewhere
• A warning prompt on open:
  “Another user is currently editing this PBIX file. Opening it simultaneously may cause conflicts.”
• A read‑only opening option if the file is already in use
• Optional auto‑lock of the PBIX file when the first user opens it
• Automatic version history capture to reduce the risk of corruption or data loss

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Why This Matters

This improvement would:

• Prevent accidental overwrites
• Protect hours of development work
• Reduce the risk of corrupted PBIX files
• Improve collaboration between analysts and developers
• Align Power BI Desktop with modern collaboration expectations across Microsoft 365

Teams rely heavily on shared PBIX development, and this issue can lead to significant rework and productivity loss.

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Who Is Affected

• BI developers and analysts
• Any team co‑editing PBIX files in shared folders
• Organisations without full version‑controlled or Fabric‑based development pipelines
• Users collaborating on operational or analytical PBIX reports