Power BI Workspaces and Apps

Publishing a report places it in a workspace. Teams organize content there, control who edits it, and decide how to deliver it to readers. Apps then package the finished content for a wider audience.

The Office Analogy

A workspace works like a team room in an office. Colleagues work together inside, share drafts, and edit documents. An app works like a printed company handbook delivered to the whole organization. Employees receive the polished version and never see the messy drafts in the team room.

+---------------------------+          +-------------------+
| WORKSPACE (team room)     |  publish | APP (handbook)    |
|  Reports, Dashboards,     | =======> |  Finished content |
|  Semantic models, drafts  |          |  for many readers |
+---------------------------+          +-------------------+

My Workspace and Shared Workspaces

Every user receives a personal area called My Workspace. It suits private experiments. Shared workspaces suit teamwork. Create one from the Workspaces menu in the Service by selecting New workspace, naming it, and adding people.

Workspace Roles

Each member carries a role that decides what that person may do.

Assign the lowest role that lets each person finish the job. A report reader rarely needs more than Viewer.

Adding People

1. Open the workspace and select Manage access.
2. Click Add people or groups.
3. Type an email address or a security group name.
4. Pick a role and select Add.

Groups save time. Adding one group covers every present and future member of a department.

What Is an App

An app bundles selected reports and dashboards from a workspace. Readers install it or open it from the Apps menu. The app shows a navigation menu with the items the author chose, and it updates only when the author publishes a new version.

Creating an App

1. Open the workspace and select Create app.
2. Fill in the name, description, and theme color on the Setup tab.
3. Choose reports and dashboards on the Content tab. Arrange the order of the navigation.
4. Define the audience on the Audience tab. Add groups or switch on the entire organization option.
5. Select Publish app.

Audiences

An app can hold several audiences. The finance team may see all pages, while regional managers see only their section. Each audience receives its own mix of content from the same app.

Updating an App

Edits made in the workspace stay private until the author selects Update app. This step lets teams test changes safely, then release them in one go.

Worked Example: HR Reporting

The HR team builds six reports in a workspace named HR Analytics. Four members hold the Contributor role, and the HR director holds Admin. The team publishes an app named People Insights with two audiences. Senior leaders receive the salary and attrition reports. All employees receive the headcount and training reports. Draft reports stay hidden in the workspace.

Best Practices

• Name workspaces by team or purpose.
• Separate development and production content into different workspaces.
• Prefer security groups over individual names.
• Write a clear app description so readers know what to expect.

Key Points

• Workspaces hold content for teams and control editing rights.
• Four roles exist: Admin, Member, Contributor, and Viewer.
• Apps package finished content for readers.
• Audiences deliver different content slices from one app.
• Updates reach readers only after Update app.