What a Power BI Pro Licence Entitles
A Power BI Pro licence provides users with the ability to publish reports and dashboards to the Power BI service, share them with other Pro and Premium users, and consume content shared by others. It also allows for larger semantic models (up to 1 GB) and a higher refresh rate (8 refreshes per day). The Pro licence is often included as part of Microsoft 365 E5 or Office 365 E5 plans, simplifying licensing management for organisations already invested in these suites. Users with a Pro licence can create and manage workspaces, although limitations apply when sharing content with users who don't have a Pro or Premium licence.
Power BI Pro in Australian Tenants Today
For AU mid-market organisations, the per-user Power BI Pro model is a common starting point. However, the need to share content with users on free or Premium Per User (PPU) licences introduces a critical consideration. Pro users cannot directly consume content from PPU workspaces unless those workspaces are assigned to a Premium or Microsoft Fabric capacity. This often necessitates careful planning to avoid unexpected licensing costs and ensure seamless data access. Organisations should review their Power BI usage patterns and consider Microsoft Fabric capacity options to optimise their Power BI investment and avoid licensing surprises, aligning with principles of cost-effectiveness promoted by APRA CPS 230.