Difference between PBI desktop and PBI Optimized for Report Server.

[AdamSof]

Hi, 

what is the difference between PBI desktop and PBI Optimized for Report Server? 

what is best practice regarding the development?

Can you develop in PBI optimized for report server? 

or the developing better to be done in PBI desktop?

Best

[FarhanAhmed · Accepted solution]

Both are different solutions, one is Cloud (with enhanced services) other is on-prem with most of the things that cloud version can do

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/report-server/compare-report-server-service

If you have on-prem (PBIRS) then you need to develop reports in PBI Optimized for Report Server which can also be used to publish reports in Cloud

If you need to implement Power BI reports over the cloud, you can use Power BI Desktop as well (this has the latest features) regarding the Power BI.

[FarhanAhmed · Accepted solution]

If you are using the latest Desktop Edition and your customer using PBI optimized for the Desktop version then there is the possibility of different things missing in Jan 2020 version. like

- Power BI AI visuals are not supported.

- I think Many-Many is relationship is not supported.

- New DAX functions are not supported (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dax/new-dax-functions)

- Cannot customize current themes

- Cannot create Incremental refresh

- External tools are not supported.

There may be many more things that are not supported. But most of the things for DIAD will be covered.

[FarhanAhmed · Accepted solution]

Both are different solutions, one is Cloud (with enhanced services) other is on-prem with most of the things that cloud version can do

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/report-server/compare-report-server-service

If you have on-prem (PBIRS) then you need to develop reports in PBI Optimized for Report Server which can also be used to publish reports in Cloud

If you need to implement Power BI reports over the cloud, you can use Power BI Desktop as well (this has the latest features) regarding the Power BI.

[AdamSof]

Hi,

Many thanks for your answer!

Could you please provide concrete examples on when to use what?

[AdamSof]

Iam going to introduce my customer to PBI with a DAID. 

Latest version of PBI desktop is septmber 2020. 

My customer has already installed PBI desktop optimized for report server  version january 2020.  

For the DAID and for the developing they will be doing later on, is it ok that they use PBI desktop optimized for report server?

thier soluiton is on prem.

[FarhanAhmed · Accepted solution]

If you are using the latest Desktop Edition and your customer using PBI optimized for the Desktop version then there is the possibility of different things missing in Jan 2020 version. like

- Power BI AI visuals are not supported.

- I think Many-Many is relationship is not supported.

- New DAX functions are not supported (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dax/new-dax-functions)

- Cannot customize current themes

- Cannot create Incremental refresh

- External tools are not supported.

There may be many more things that are not supported. But most of the things for DIAD will be covered.

[d_gosbell · Accepted solution]

I think @FarhanAhmed has already done a great job of pointing out the main differences you will see in the Jan 2020 "Optimized for Report Server" version. I just wanted to add that if your client's users are only ever publishing on-prem they should only ever use the version of Power BI Desktop that matches their on-prem environment.

So my advice would be to get them to do the training using the same version of PBI Desktop that they would normally be using (the one Optimized for Report Server). But just explain to them that the training material (and most of the content they will find online) is developed using the cloud version of PBI Desktop. It will be a good learning experience for them.