Power BI Cloud Service There are three ways in which a user can access Power BI Power BI desktop, which is downloaded onto a Windows PC or laptop gives us everything we need to work with the data and create a range of interesting visuals. However, we can also access Power BI through a browser, this is known as the cloud service it offers some of the features which we would find on the desktop version as well as some additional features, which the desktop does not have.
Thirdly we can also access a report through a mobile device.
In Power BI desktop, we can create and customize visuals, transform the data easily using query editor, create relationships in a data model, and add in calculated columns or measures.
However it does not offer any way to present the data or share with others, this is what we would need the cloud service for.
The cloud service allows us to create visuals similar to what we would do in Power BI desktop. We can also do some transformations though not as easily as we would in the desktop using query editor. We can't however work with the data model or use Data View to create calculated columns or measures.
There are several reasons why we need the service, we need it to create a dashboard and engaging and infective way to bring all our visuals together in the one place and present to an audience.
We also use the service to share or collaborate with others, so for example, a manager may want to view your dashboard and explore the visuals for themselves or you may be working in a project with other colleagues who are also contributing to the dashboard or report with some visuals of their own.
It's not possible to create a dashboard in the desktop nor can we share or reports with other users from the desktop, we need the cloud service for this.
If our reports are on the cloud we can then customize the layout so the report can be shared and viewed by users on a mobile device who have downloaded the Power BI app.
Although is possible to start a report in the cloud most people will start in the desktop, connect the data source, transform the data, set up a data model, and build the visuals into the report.
Once you're then ready to share or present, the report is published up to the cloud service.
