we would like to use Microsoft Power BI in our company to create dashboards for our customers. For this purpose, I have already set up the Report Server, a SQL Server, and Power BI Desktop for testing purposes. I have also been able to create reports and publish them on my local Report Server. So far, everything is okay.
Now, here is the current situation: We are developing software based on the .NET Framework, which is installed on our customers' servers. Each customer has their own database that our software communicates with. The database has the same structure for all customers.
Now, I would like to create reports using Power BI and integrate them into our software. Ideally, the report should access the customer's database.
Can someone help me with the following questions?
- Would what I have described above actually work?
- What license would I need to create and distribute the reports? Would a single Power BI Premium license be sufficient?
- Would our customers also need a separate Power BI license, or would the free license be enough?
- Would our customers also need their own SQL Report Server?
- Can Power BI be integrated into the code, or do we need to access the embedding function via URL?
I already checked the PowerBI Developer Samples on github, but I am still not sure how the embedding should look like if I want to share those reports embedded in our software. Another thing I am not sure about is how the licensing would work. Can't really tell if a Power BI Premium license would be sufficient just to create and share reports and if our customers would need their own license to view those reports.
Please refer to this documentation for Embed for your Customer scenario in Power BI https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/developer/embedded/embed-sample-for-customers?tabs=net-core
Refer to this documentation for Power BI integration with .NET Framework. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/overview/azure/powerbi-embedded?view=azure-dotnet
To create and distribute reports using Power BI, you would need a Power BI Pro License or a Power BI Premium capacity.
With a Power BI Premium capacity, you can share content with as many users as you want without additional per-user cost. However, only users with a Power BI Pro License can create content.
Therefore, if you are the only one creating reports, a single Power BI Premium License would be sufficient. However, if there are other users who need to create reports, they would need a Power BI Pro License
Refer to this MS Learn documentation for ways to collaborate and share Power BI report. Ways to collaborate and share in Power BI - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Your customers would need their own SQL Report Server to view the reports you create using Power BI .
Download Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Reporting Services from Official Microsoft Download Center What is SQL Server Reporting Services - SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) | Microsoft Learn
Refer this documentation on how Power BI can be integrated into the code. You can use the Power BI Embedded API to integrate Power BI reports and dashboards into your application