Sharing local file links to Power BI (.pbix) reports may seem convenient, but it creates significant risks for your data, your reports, and your organisation. Here’s why this approach should be avoided in any enterprise environment.
1️⃣ It Creates Multiple, Conflicting Versions of the Same Report
When a .pbix file is shared via local file paths, each recipient opens and saves their own separate copy.
This leads to:
- Version sprawl across desktops
- Loss of single source of truth
- Difficulty tracking changes or updates
- Inconsistent logic, measures, or data transformations
Ultimately, it’s impossible to manage report quality or accuracy when everyone is working from a different version.
2️⃣ No Centralised Governance or Oversight
Local file sharing bypasses all enterprise controls, such as:
- Data governance policies
- Access auditing
- Change management
- Security and compliance monitoring
Without central oversight, you cannot ensure the data or the report aligns with organisational standards.
3️⃣ Increased Risk from Importing Data Locally
When reports are developed and refreshed from a user’s local machine:
- Unsecured data sources may be used
- Sensitive data can be stored or transformed outside approved environments
- Data refreshes depend on a single user’s setup
- There is no enterprise-grade security, encryption, or lineage tracking
This creates compliance risks and undermines data reliability.
4️⃣ It Blocks Collaboration
Local .pbix files make it difficult for teams to:
- Co-develop reports
- Review and approve changes
- Share consistent metrics and definitions
- Troubleshoot issues
Using Power BI Service or a governed workspace fixes this by enabling controlled collaboration, version history, and certified datasets.
5️⃣ The Enterprise Solution: Power BI Service
To ensure consistency, governance, and security, all reports should be:
- Published to Power BI Service
- Stored in approved workspaces
- Built from certified or endorsed datasets
- Refreshed through scheduled and monitored pipelines
This ensures a single source of truth, reduces risk, and improves collaboration.
✔️ Summary
Sending local file links to Power BI reports is not an enterprise-grade approach.
It leads to version chaos, unmanaged risk, and inconsistent data.
Publishing reports and using shared, governed datasets within Power BI Service is the correct and secure method for enterprise reporting.