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How to Grant Access to a Power BI Dashboard

Cody Schneider•

Granting your team access to a Power BI dashboard is the final, essential step in turning raw data into valuable business insights. Instead of letting your insights sit on your local machine, sharing them empowers colleagues to make data-driven decisions. This article will walk you through the primary methods for sharing your Power BI dashboards, from sending a direct link to distributing a polished app.

Before You Share: Key Requirements

Before you can share your work, there are a few prerequisites you need to have in place. Getting these sorted out first will prevent most common sharing issues down the line.

Power BI Pro or Premium Licenses

To share any content, you need a Power BI Pro or a Premium Per User (PPU) license. Just as importantly, the people you are sharing with also need a Pro or PPU license to view your shared dashboard. The only exception to this rule is if your dashboard is in a Power BI Premium capacity, where any user (including free license-holders) within the organization can view it.

Tl, dr: the sender and receivers usually need an appropriately licensed user account unless their company offers workspaces with premium capacity.

Content in a Workspace

While you create drafts in the "My Workspace" section of the service, real collaboration only happens in shared "Workspaces." In order to start sharing Power BI work, first publish the final version of the workbook (that includes the dashboard you want others to view) and its content from "My Workspace" (your own personal workspace) to another team- or project-focused area — "shared" workspaces accessible on every business account. Think of your personal workspace as the draft folder for yourself. While you publish that work, you are getting it ready to share. You cannot start collaborating on that report with people unless they have the roles you specify to your dashboard through your service account in a true "workspace," where other pro/PPU/premium licensed users can view that work. If for some reason other business users have an issue accessing your reports even after you have shared them, it might be worth confirming it was shared initially from a "workspace."

Edit Permissions on All Materials

You can only share content you own at the editing level. This means you have rights not only to your dashboard that is published to Power BI but also to modify how things look and interact on its page, including all the data included in the workbook. Unless you (the user trying to share) own and control every feature, page, or data source feeding that particular visual on screen, you simply can't authorize anyone else to see it without breaking privacy rules.

Method 1: Direct Access Sharing

The quickest way to give one or more specific people the ability to see what you created is through direct sharing. This method is effective for limited audiences, like a direct manager and coworker.

Step-by-Step Guide to Granting Direct Access

Here's how simple it can be by following these quick directions:

1. Open the Specific Published Visual Asset in Power BI

Simply go through the list in your workspace and select the page you want to show. Click on that dashboard.

2. Select "Share" Icon

Located at the top-right on the actions bar, this brings up the 'Share Dashboard' prompt screen where settings and preferences will show.

3. Add Names and Emails

Input the email addresses of individuals or an entire Microsoft 365 Security Group who will see the visual. This depends on how many recipients need simultaneous access.

4. Configure Permissions

Different options are available in the 'Share Dashboard' dialog settings menu below the text inputs. Specify names and select options:

  • "Allow Recipients to Reshare": Enabling this option lets recipients share it further. Use cautiously if security is important.

  • "Allow Recipients with This Item the 'Build' Permission": This allows viewers to export or connect using Microsoft Analyzer in Excel. Check this only if these users require this flexibility. Otherwise, it provides 'View Only' rights.

  • "Send Email Notifications": Turning this on sends an email with a direct link to the specified addresses. Disable for a more discreet sharing.

5. Click "Grant Access"

After clicking "Grant access," your recipients will receive an email (if that option is on) with a direct link. The dashboard will also appear for them in the 'Shared with me' section of their Power BI account navigation pane.

Method 2: Sharing via a Power BI Workspace

If you're collaborating with a team that needs access to a whole collection of related dashboards, reports, and semantic models (datasets), adding them to a workspace is more efficient than sharing content one by one. This approach gives everyone access to all the content within that single workspace.

When you add people to a workspace, you must assign a specific role. Let me describe 'Workspace Roles' briefly:

Understanding Workspace Roles

  • Admin: The highest permission level. Admins add or remove members, manage all contents inside, and publish or update workspace apps. Use this role with careful consideration.

  • Member: Members have most admin-level powers related to content but cannot delete the workspace or change its membership details. This is ideal for trusted teammates.

  • Contributor: Contributors can edit, create, or remove existing dashboards and upload more but don't change workspace entry permissions. Most analytics and content production staff usually have "Contributor" access rights.

  • Viewer: This permission level only allows viewing existing content, perfect for a wider audience.

How to Add Users Inside a Workspace

Giving workspace access involves:

  1. Navigate to the existing workspace from your list.

  2. Choose the ‘Access’ button at the top of your screen.

  3. Specify the emails or team names in the search box. Assign the role for those individuals or teams.

  4. Press 'Add' to complete the process.

Method 3: Share as Power BI Apps

For wider distribution, Power BI Apps offer a professional way to package and distribute dashboard and data visualizations as a cohesive 'package' that includes icons, branding, and thematic styles. This method is ideal for large groups, departments, or entire companies as it provides a branded, organized visual that limits the ability of others to alter critical data. After building within the workspace, you can select 'Update' and 'Publish' the app by setting its audience and assets before finalizing.

How to Manage and Revoke Dashboard Access

At some point, you'll need to review who has access or revoke access for a former team member. Power BI makes this straightforward.

  1. Find the dashboard you want to manage access for.

  2. Click the Share icon.

  3. In the "Share dashboard" pane, click the ellipsis (More options ...) icon and select Manage permissions.

  4. This opens the management pane. Here, you'll see a list of individuals and groups under the Direct access tab. To remove someone, click the ellipsis next to their name and select Remove access.

This "Manage permissions" panel also allows you to see links created for sharing and to manage access given through Power BI apps connected to the workspace.

Common Sharing Issues and Quick Fixes

  • "My coworker says they can't access the dashboard." Confirm two things: Do they have a Power BI Pro or PPU license? Did they check the "Shared with me" section in their Power BI account? These steps solve most access problems.

  • "The data isn't showing up correctly for them." The dashboard may have Row Level Security (RLS) policies restricting access to certain records by division. Also, if data is sourced live rather than as an import, they might need a database connection.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right method for granting access to a Power BI dashboard — whether through direct sharing for individuals, workspace access for teams, or a polished Power BI app for wider distribution — is all about matching the tool to your audience. Each option offers a different level of control and scalability, enabling you to get critical data into the right hands.

The layers of configurations, licenses, and permissions involved in sharing BI reports often highlight the friction that teams face in becoming data-driven. At Graphed we remove these barriers by making data collaboration feel as simple as sending a link. Instead of managing workspace roles, you can simply ask for the dashboard you need in plain English and share that live, always up-to-date view with colleagues, clients, or stakeholders instantly, no license-checking required.