detach dataset <-> reports

[WVonk]

i am looking for a way to use Power BI in the some way as SSAS and SSRS. 

something like this; let's say there is an organisation where one person has the responsibility to maintain one dataset in Power BI (dataguard). This dataset is based on a datamart.  In this case measures/collumns and tables are updated on a regular basis. Also the BI personal gateway is used to update the data on a daily basis. 

Users can build there own reports and dashboards on this dataset  and share these. 

oh, and this organisatie are not able to setup a SSAS environment locally. 

Now there are a 2 problems with this workflow as far as i can see:

1. the dataset is maintained in the Power BI desktop, when the solution is deployed to PowerBI.com the existing report ( with the same name as the dataset) is also overwritten. Even if the were adjusted on PowerBi.com by the users.

2. A user can develop a new report an a existing dataset but when a user accidentally deletes a report, it's really gone! No trashbin. 

could the organizational content packs be a solution for problem 1? So the dataguard updates the dataset en redistributes only the dataset (no reports and dashboards) to a group of people? Will the existing reports on this reports based on this updated dataset continue to work (of course no tables or collumns are deleted ) ? 

Any thougts about this workflow?

[Anonymous]

@WVonk I'll take a stab at answering your question. If you want to control the dataset, and you want end users to be able to create, save and share their own dashboards based on that dataset - your only option is the Org Content Pack.

However, all their work is a "copy" of the dataset, and any updates you make, they will have to manually re-create/re-work their reports based on the new version each time you update.

Another option would be to make these people part of a "Group" and pull the dataset up into the group workspace and everyone can see each others work etc. At this point in time, you can't share dashboards from a group, but that functionality is apparently being worked on.

A different approach, would be to have the PBIX file in a shared location where all users can access it as a dataset, and update the file and notify people when you update it. - not the best solution - and it gives alot of freedom to end users to do their own thing, but it largly depends on who your end users are.

So far, there is more thought that has to be put into the "process" of how to get things to work as opposed to those processes being inherintly part of the tool at this point.

[WVonk]

@Anonymous Thanx for your thorough answer. 

As i suspected the Org Content Pack is the best solution for now. I'm curious; when you only add a collumn in a dataset and redistribute this new dataset must all the existing reports be recreated? So is there a connection (on ID or something) beteween reports en datasets?