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.

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

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.

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