Can Microsoft 365 Pro-included users access PPU or F-SKU (<F64) workspaces without PPU?

[Mohamadmonem]

Hi everyone!

We have users with Microsoft 365 licenses that include Power BI Pro (such as E5). If we publish reports in a PPU workspace or on a lower F-SKUs (like F8/F32), can those users view the reports with their licensed Pro already included in Microsoft 365, or do they still need PPU? 

Thank you in adavnce. 

[cengizhanarslan]

1) PPU workspace

No, users must have a PPU license to view content in a PPU workspace.

• A Power BI Pro (even when included in Microsoft 365 E5) is not sufficient

• PPU workspaces are license-gated, not capacity-gated

• Pro users can’t view, interact with, or consume reports there

2) Fabric / Premium capacity (F-SKU, e.g. F8, F32)

Ye, Pro users can view reports in workspaces backed by any Premium/Fabric capacity, including F8, F32, F64+.

• Pro license (standalone or via M365 E5) is enough for viewing

• They do NOT need PPU

• This works because Premium/Fabric capacities are capacity-based, not user-license-based

[Mohamadmonem]

Thanks for your reply.

To clarify my question:
If reports are developed by users with a PPU license, but the organization uses an F8 capacity and the viewers only have Power BI Pro licenses included via Microsoft 365 E5,
can those Pro users view the reports?

I still have some doubts about the previous answer and would appreciate confirmation.

[Sergii24 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Mohamadmonem, the PPU is a simplified version of the old Power BI Premium capacity, focused on the lower price tier. So what you get is a simplified premium, but all users should have PPU as well.

Any Fabric capacity is Premium by its own (even F2), therefore if any content is published in Fabric capacity workspace, then it basically ignores PPU, because Fabric Capacity has more features.

So, to answer your question: when PPU user publishes a content in Fabric capacity workspace, other users with Pro license will be able to see it, because user's PPU will basically be ignored

[Mohamadmonem]

Thank you @Sergii24.

In terms of per-dataset limits, PPU allows larger datasets (up to ~100 GB per model), while Fabric F8 has a much lower per-model memory limit (around ~3 GB per operation).

In the scenario I described (users have Pro licenses and the workspace is on Fabric F8), does assigning PPU licenses override or bypass the Fabric F8 per-dataset/memory limitations?

Or do the Fabric capacity limits still apply regardless of using PPU?

Thanks in advance.

[Sergii24]

Hm... are you referencing this document - What is Power BI Premium? - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn? Honestly, I never thought about it. If you have such a large model, why not try publishing it by a PPU user into the Fabric workspace? If the workspace icon doesn't change to the diamond with a person, it should follow all the logic described above, but simply ask a Pro user to open it to double check.

Let us know about the result of your test! 😉