The Clearly Podcast

Premium per User is here!

Summary

OK, it isn't quite yet - we still have to wait until April 2 for the GA release, but we do have a release date and price.

Premium per user offers many of the premium features, licensed on a user by user basis.

The main features it opens up are:

  • Paginated reports (so we can now more easily centralise all business reporting)

  • Increased refresh rate (so we can have nearer real time data)

  • Pipelines (to centralise the data structures)

  • AI/ML features.

The key features excluded are

  • Embedding

  • PBI Report Server

The detailed announcement can be found here and the details of what it can and can't do can be found in the FAQ.

You can download Power BI Desktop from here.

If you already use Power BI, or are considering it, we strongly recommend you join your local Power BI user group here.

Transcript

Andy: Hello everyone, and welcome to The Clearly Podcast, Episode 20. Today we’re talking about Power BI Premium Per User, recorded on March 12, 2021. I’m Andy, joined by Shailan and Tom. We’ll discuss the new Power BI licensing and features of Premium Per User.

Andy: So, what are the headline features, and which do we think will be most appealing to Power BI customers? How’s everyone doing?

Tom: Good, thanks Andy. How are you?

Andy: Very well, thank you. Let's dive in. Power BI Premium Per User was announced a few months ago and recently we got more details and a release date. It's a significant development with lots of useful features. Tom, could you summarize what Power BI Premium Per User is?

Tom: Sure. It’s a new licensing model for Power BI, unlocking premium features on a per-user basis rather than requiring a full premium capacity. This includes paginated reports, AI and machine learning features, and increased data refresh rates. It essentially turns Power BI into a more complete reporting solution.

Andy: The pricing is impressive—$20 per user, compared to $10 for the Pro license. I expected it to be higher. Shailan, do you think this could lead to some instances that might have been Premium Capacity switching to Premium Per User?

Shailan: Yes, definitely. Some features like paginated reports will attract users who might have gone for Premium Capacity before.

Tom: Paginated reports provide fixed format reporting, which Power BI lacked. This addition makes Power BI more comprehensive, bringing together structured and less structured reports.

Andy: There are also other features, like increased refresh rates—from 8 to 48 times a day. This is crucial for near real-time reporting.

Tom: The refresh rate is significant, especially for smaller data sets in the SME market. Larger data sets might still require direct query, but this offers a valuable intermediate option.

Andy: Another important point is that you don’t have to license all your users for Premium Per User—only those who need the extra functionality. However, be aware that only premium users can access the enhanced data sets.

Tom: Also, Premium Per User doesn’t support embedded reports or on-premise reporting. These features are only available with Premium Capacity.

Shailan: From a consulting perspective, Premium Per User adds depth to the conversation around cost and feature needs, making the discussion more comprehensive.

Andy: For some users, near real-time data refreshes are essential. This flexibility in licensing is a big win for mixed needs within an organization.

Tom: Premium Per User might lower the threshold for switching to Premium Capacity. Currently, the tipping point is around 300 users; this could shift to about 150 users with the new model.

Andy: Notably, multi-geo support is not available with Premium Per User. This is mostly relevant for very large organizations.

Shailan: The deployment pipelines are a great feature for managing report deployments and version control, easing transitions from development to production environments.

Tom: Deployment pipelines are indeed a valuable addition, streamlining version control and deployment processes.

Andy: Does Premium Per User become the new default for most implementations?

Shailan: It depends on cost and specific needs, but it could become a starting point for many due to its enhanced capabilities and affordability.

Tom: Pro will likely remain the default for now, but Premium Per User offers a compelling option for those needing more frequent data refreshes or advanced features.

Andy: There's a free 60-day trial for those unsure about committing, and E5 license holders will only need to pay an additional $10 per user.

Shailan: Watch this space—Microsoft’s licensing strategy may evolve further.

Andy: Larger model sizes (up to 100 GB) are beneficial for transaction-heavy businesses, like grocery retailers with multiple stores, providing significant value.

Shailan: Governance is essential to manage data effectively and avoid unnecessary bloat.

Andy: Reflecting on GDPR, it's clear that initial compliance efforts need to be maintained over time.

Tom: Proper governance and regular review of datasets are critical for maintaining efficiency and accuracy.

Andy: Any final thoughts on Premium Per User? Let's each share a key takeaway.

Tom: Paginated reports are a game-changer, making Power BI a more unified reporting tool accessible to small businesses.

Andy: For me, the increased refresh rate is the standout feature.

Shailan: I’ll highlight deployment pipelines as they significantly enhance the management of report deployments.

Andy: Thanks, everyone. We hope you enjoyed the discussion. To get in touch, visit clearlycloudy.co.uk for the UK and Europe, and clearlysolutions.net for North America. We’ll be back on March 22, 2021, to talk about Report Server. Have a great week and stay safe!