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Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

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Matt Smith on 28 Feb 2019 17:19:38

When you create a PowerBI report in Power BI Desktop it transparently create \ use a git repository. So you just worked normally, then when you hit publish, it actually push to remote.

Gitignore could be used to exclude data from being published to the repository. PowerBI would have version control which is desperately needed.

This would work well with the whole Microsoft buying Github \ Azure DevOps, both from the perspective of promoting good practices such as code version control and CI\CD - process of developing in development and promoting to UAT\production

It would also allow IT to get visibility of code, allow tests to be run - such as moving DAX calculated columns with M

This would also solve the other ideas:
https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/17523715-report-version-control


https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/7861287-dataset-report-version-control

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/34315045-seamless-version-control-of-queries-data-model-st

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/9677517-source-control

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/9080776-using-git-or-some-other-sccs-to-store-m-queries-n

Administrator on 06 Dec 2023 16:56:47

Released for public preview in June 2023: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/deep-dive-into-power-bi-desktop-developer-mode-preview/

Update 10/17: This is now in our upcoming roadmap and we will share more details in the coming months. Mo

March 2022 update: We are working on this item but no timeline can be shared yet. We appreciate your patience

Comments (82)
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Phil Curtis on 19 Oct 2020 08:23:57

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Yes, using GitHub would be a great way to resolve this, and encourage better dev & ALM!

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Ewin Hong on 17 Sep 2020 23:30:35

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Want to use Azure Devops and gather data about when a file was created from git history and related it back to who made the commit. And also figure out when a person modified the file.

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Anthony Flynn on 04 Aug 2020 02:27:19

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Hi,

Regarding source control, source controlling a single file will not resolve this issue.
Currently,the best solution is using having two files in source control, one representing the report visuals and one representing the dataset.

The dataset is published, and the report visuals is published as a different report.

The copy report functionality is then used to copy the visuals to the dataset.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/power-bi/reports/clonereportingroup

An alternative to this would be some kind of merge tool..............

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Michael on 10 Jul 2020 17:22:43

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Version control for Power BI reports, preferably integrated with Git/Azure DevOps is definitely needed. I want to be able to sync changes in my Database Project with changes to my report and publish both at the same time.

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Gregory Ratcliff on 10 Jul 2020 17:20:59

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

We desperately need a way to save restore versions, incremental updates and to see changes. Big ask I realize. As our powerbi and our visuals have become more complex, they stopped being self documenting.self documenting.

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Andy Clapham on 10 Jul 2020 17:20:42

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

The key to unlocking any VCS support is a transparent text format. Without that, VCS is impossible (or requires significant integration effort). Having PowerBI single-user UI-only really makes it a poor choice for professional team-based work. Despite all the good work by the developers under the hood, this decision means it's just a toy.

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Power BI User on 06 Jul 2020 00:18:00

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

This is long overdue. I am in the middle of deciding how to version control PBIX Files and no specific solution from Microsoft . We need this ASAP Pleaaaaaaaaaaaase.

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Simon Stockdale on 06 Jul 2020 00:17:28

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Can I vote for this more than once??

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Dipak Bhudia on 06 Jul 2020 00:14:41

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

Looker does have a one-up in this regards, there LookerML is pure text and can be version controlled and managed by multiple people.

Right now PBIX is a blackbox which maybe you can peer into by renaming to zip and looking in, but unable to change anything which will break the security signature of the zip file.

In order for PBIX to be enterprise ready, it needs to be opened up. Different teams may manage DAX expression whilst others are involved in maintaining relationships.

PBIX is becoming too much of a pandora's box.

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Power BI User on 06 Jul 2020 00:13:53

RE: Built in Git support in PowerBI Desktop

A big up-vote for me too. A GIT Integration would definitely make PowerBI project a lot more scalable and robust. I am surprised that there are only 23 votes so far.

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