Row Level Security Question

All,

I have a question on Row Level Security. I know how to create different roles for use in RLS, but those are based on rules within the model itself.

What I want to do is limit what someone can see by the different Tabs/Pages in my model. I know I can create a different model to do this but I really want to avoid this.

Not sure if this can be done or not - what say you Forum

Guy

Question: If you’re using the Power BI Service, must all users interact with the exact same report, or could you separate your model into its own PBIX, and upload it into the service, then create multiple reports from that now-available dataset model, one per group that only includs the pages you’d like them to see?

Yes I am using the service and want to avoid numerous PBIX files if possible.

Can you describe further how many different “scenarios” might be in play? Are there many commonalities between them? e.g., one dataset (data model), 3 PBIX reports each showing a number of different pages, etc.)

No problem.

I have a single PBIX file that is tracking all of the Cell Phone usage and costs for the company going back to 2018.

Only our “Cell Phone Queen” as we call her and myself need access to every thing in the Report.

We want to share a limited amount of this data with Upper Management more in an overall summary as they don’t need all the nitty gritty details Less confusion for them.

Normal RLS won’t work as it filters on different fields within the files in the Data Model and filtering that way would only break the model for them.

Instead of creating a second or third or even a fourth PBIX for different Managers I was hoping I could set the RLS by the Tabs/Pages in my current report.

Hope that helps. This may not be possible just yet in Power BI but thought I’d ask.

Guy

How about a single PBIX report containing all the visuals as you now have it, then pin only the specific visual(s) you want a manager to see to their (group?) dashboard?

Possibly, but won’t pinning - say 4 of 10 visuals to a dashboard for the Manager - allow them access to the entire report if they click on the pinned visuals. Or am I missing something there - quite possible.

Guy

I’ve got very little direct experience with that situation, so passing it back to the forum members…

Thanx for the assistance.

Think I may be looking a multiple PBIX files in the long run :frowning_face:

Guy

Hi @GuyJohnson

I came across this article when looking for a solution similar to what I believe you’re asking above. Ultimately it didn’t solve my problem, as the report and model i’d developed would need to have been completely rebuilt to achieve, however, thought you might like a read to see if this could help you.

Best of luck!

Hi @GuyJohnson

I have similar situations - recently discovered this web article and it has really made a huge difference to how I think I will build out my model.

In this model you build your dataset in a PBIX file - call it master or golden dataset; then publish it to the service. You don’t create reports in it however. I think of it like the “enterprise” dataset with calcualted columns and measures that you are in control of etc.

Then in your circumstance you would open a new PBIX and create the report for yourself and the “Cell phone queen” - however your data source would be your golden dataset - see below for how to connect.

image

This report will connect to your golden dataset and have access to use all the content within (although it won’t show you the data view etc.)

Then publish it - because it is connected to the golden data set the publish will be rapid. Any future changes to the report visuals can be published very rapidly.

Your next report for other management - same process but containing what you want them to see.

etc etc.

That sounds like a lot of hard work but it’s not - creating the diff reports for different users will be super quick as you’re connecting to your master dataset each time (which you know etc).

Down the line if you want another measure for use in these reports - you create it in your golden dataset PBIX and republish. A simple refresh in your “dependant” reports will pull these in. Any changes you make to the structure or relationships etc in the golden dataset will also be available in your “dependent” reports.

As long as you keep your golden dataset up to date either by schedule refresh or manually - the other reports will always pull that data.

Hope that helps in some way for this or future uses perhaps.
best wishes

Jonny

Thanx @MichaelNield & @jonbar123 for your feedback.

I’m just seeing these this morning and will be going through them today.

Will report back with my findings.

Guy

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