New error message when adding additional external users to our Power BI

[Dibbley]

We have been using Power BI Pro now for a number of years to allow external companies with their own Office 365 accounts to view our BI reports. As long as the external user has a Power BI Pro subscription, they could view the report.

We are now trying to add additional external users, but are getting the following error message. "Free users or groups can only subscribe to report backed by Premium capacity". The external users do indeed have Power BI Pro licenses.

Has there been a change within Power BI that allows existing users to continue to function, whilst requiring new users to have additional requirements?

[Dibbly · Accepted solution]

Problem solved!

The solution was number 2 from the list I gave.  For whatever reason, between July and now we are no longer able to add users via the Ad-Hoc method, or the Bring Your Own License method.  We had to follow the instructions to use the "Planned Sharing - Assign Power BI Pro licenses to guest users" method.  The only difference it makes, is we are paying for the license directly to MS, rather than letting the external user bill us for the cost of their license.

All this talk of having to use Capacity was a red herring, and ultimately served to slow down and divert the overall resolution of the problem.

This screenshot of the licensing comes from the December 2023 page discussing external sharing ( https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/enterprise/service-admin-azure-ad-b2b#planned-invites ), and we are using the licensing the second line shown, "Pro Workspace".  All users have BI Pro.

 

[Dibbly]

Ok, having read further documentation, I think you are mistaken about "that is always how it has been".  If I look at this documentation, it discusses the 3 license options to allow external users.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/guidance/whitepaper-azure-b2b-power-bi

The 3 options it gives are

Approach 1: Contoso uses Power BI Premium

Approach 2: Contoso assigns Power BI Pro licenses to guest users

Approach 3: Guest users bring their own Power BI Pro license

I am assuming your reference to "Premium Capacity" is that you think I am, or should be using Approach 1s BI Premium?  I think our current set up is Approach 3s bring your own license because the explanation given there is matching the process we followed.

Either way, I still need to know how to proceed past this error message, because the button to continue is greyed out at this point.

[Dibbly]

Hi

If I understood the documentation, I would not be here asking for assistance.  What exactly is the requirement I am not fulfilling, in order to proceed past this error message and add additional users.

[GilbertQ]

Hi @Dibbly 

This has always been a requirement. If you go look at the documentation it was not strictly enforced. But that is how it has always been since premium capacity was created.

[Dibbly]

 I am going to have to stop you there, and repeat that EXISTING* users are unaffected. This is only new users.  Every user we currently have working, is using a PowerBI Pro License.  The users I want to add, also now have PowerBI Pro licenses but I can't add them. I do not understand your reply about "premium capacity".  Are you agreeing that there is a new requirement that previous users of PowerBI would not meet as newly added users?

Again I will repeat, we are using PowerBI for years now, further to that, we have been using it since it was free, and not paid for, but a couple of years ago, we did have to get everyone onto PowerBI Pro licences. I'm now trying to add ADDITIONAL* users to a currently working  PowerBI.   *Caps in case you require additional emphasis.

[GilbertQ]

Hi @Dibbley 

There has always been the requirements for external users to belong to premium capacity to be able to subscribe to report or dashboards. This has not changed for quite a while