Power BI solution for multiple customers

[zenisekd]

Hello,

Some time ago we started developing reports for our customers (we supply our customers with an ERP) and I was tasked with it. Each customer has a separate database, where I connect with Postgresql. I have developed couple reports (Sales, Purchases, etc.) and tested it on one of our customers. It is looking well and I have learned a lot about Power BI Desktop side and Service management (for once customer).  Right now, we have 5 customers, each having 5-10 people who would be needing access to the reports. 

Our simple road map was following:
1. Develop reports for one customer (company and its users) and publish to service and test them with one customer (who has access via multiple PRO accounts).

2. Get the reports to all the customers (companies and their users), via service (app.powerbi.com with pro accounts)

3. Get the reports to their EPR websites (probably via Power BI embedded) 

If this roadmap is not the best, please let me know, anyway, the first phase is complete. Here I would like to add that to make it simple at the moment I have done it via their domain account. 

Now, what I would like to ask for his advice on how to go forward?
1. Does it make sense to do the second step or should we just jump right to the third?
2. If we go for the second step, what is the best practice for working with multiple companies managed in one account? (one company has xyz.com domain, second abc.com domain...?) I guess that each company would have its own workspace(s), which I could manage, but how do I manage to let different people from different companies join?
3. If doing step two, do would it be recommended to have a different then PRO account for the management?
4. Any other tips or advice? I have read plenty on embedding and premium accounts, but it is sort of difficult to get my head around it and decide which steps should be taken. 

Thanks a lot for your advices!

[collinq]

Hey @zenisekd ,

If you are going to embed the reports into the ERP system anyway, why would you share with users (your number 2)?  I would think you just embed and call it good.  As soon as you start trying to share with people AND put it into ERP you have two basic sets of permissions and locations to deal with.  Therefore, I tend to go one way or the other - embedded or just share the Power BI App method.  I do not like to maintain to places for a report and I do not like two sets of permissions so I pick one to share.

Also, if you are going to do the second option and separate everything by the customer then you can go do that by creating separate reports for each customer and separate workspaces and separate apps.  That way you will have the permissions separated out by customer from the very beginning.

[zenisekd]

Thanks, for your opinion. And how would you deal with the fact, that my company has emails on @xyz.com while people from other companies have @abc.com, @nma.com, etc. how do I add them to one place? And do you think that non-premium account would be able to handle it?

[collinq · Accepted solution]

Hey @zenisekd ,

I believe that you mentioned that they have a license.  So, you are sharing with external users (which must be turned on in your instance) and then you share to their licensed userid.