Pipeline

Let's explore how EDITable reports can be deployed using PowerBI and EDITable deployment pipelines. Pipelines are useful when you need to deploy EDITable visuals in stages across different environments, such as development, testing, and production.

1. Power BI Deployment Pipelines

PowerBI deployment pipelines enable creators to develop and test Power BI content in the Power BI service before the content is shared with end users. The tool is designed as a pipeline with multiple stages, for example, development, test, QA, and production. Read more on PowerBI Deployment Pipelines.

2. EDITable Deployment Pipelines

EDITable's deployment pipelines work alongside Power BI pipelines, allowing you to deploy EDITable reports in stages.

With EDITable's deployment pipelines, you can:

  • Maintain streamlined version control for EDITable reports.

  • Ensure the report's column configurations, SCDs, and row identification are preserved across different environments.

  • Deploy your EDITable reports (and thus the tables) from one data destination to another while retaining their configurations.

  • Avoid duplicate visuals that often occur when manually deploying a visual from one workspace to another.

  • Trigger report deployments from external applications using an API endpoint.

We will now look at the steps to deploy an EDITable visual across different environments and demonstrate the capabilities in the following sections.

3. Pipeline FAQs

  1. Why do I need to deploy an editable pipeline? Aren't Power BI deployment pipelines sufficient?

Power BI pipelines ensure that your deployed reports carry all formatting additions and visual updates to the next stages. Using EDITable pipelines guarantees that your EDITable visuals are deployed along with any column configuration updates, SCDs, and row identifications.

  1. What are duplicate visuals? How does deploying an EDITable pipeline avoid them?

Duplicate visuals share the same visual IDs. The visual ID of an EDITable visual can be obtained by clicking on the EDITable logo as shown below:

  • When you manually copy the report from one workspace to another, say from 'Dev' to 'Test', the visuals are duplicated.

  • Duplicate visuals use the same backend cache. Changes made to one visual will have an effect on both. To achieve optimal version control and production deployment, it is necessary to detach the visuals and remove their dependencies.

  • When you use pipelines to deploy the visuals, they are detached from one another.

  • The deployed visual in the new environment gets a new and unique visual ID, and all other formatting, configurations, etc. are carried forward.

  1. Can I deploy the visual to a different data destination during the testing, QA, or production stages?

EDITable pipeline allows you to select your preferred data destination to deploy your visual at any stage. Initially, create EDITable visuals in the required destinations under the same schema with the same table and column names, and then use deployment pipelines to move the updates and additions across stages.

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