What is Power BI Embedded?
Power BI Embedded is a service built on Microsoft Azure that allows developers and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) to bring interactive analytics—like reports and dashboards—right into their own applications. This means organizations can provide business intelligence experiences directly within users’ workflows, so there’s no need for users to open Power BI separately or manage individual Power BI licenses. Power BI Embedded is flexible enough to support both customer-facing and internal business apps, making it possible for companies to deliver customized analytics to end users, partners, or employees. If you’re looking to add extra value to your product, offering real-time data insights and visualizations as a core feature is something worth considering.
On top of that, Power BI Embedded takes advantage of Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure, which is known for being reliable, secure, and scalable. Whether you’re looking to add a simple dashboard to a web portal or need robust analytics for an enterprise SaaS solution, this platform can adapt. Since it’s part of the Microsoft Power Platform, you’ll also benefit from ongoing updates, smooth integration with Azure services, and access to a wide range of data connectors. That makes data ingestion and report creation much simpler. For organizations already using Microsoft technologies—or those aiming to modernize their analytics without starting from scratch—Power BI Embedded is often a smart choice.
Key benefits of embedding analytics into your apps
Embedding analytics with Power BI Embedded offers several strategic and operational advantages:
- Users get the information they need, right where they need it, making decision-making faster and workflows more efficient.
- Freedom to customize the analytics experience, including branding, user access, and displayed data, for seamless integration with your existing design and user experience.
- Scalability to serve a broad and diverse user base—employees, customers, or partners—without needing individual Power BI licenses for each person.
- Built-in analytics help ISVs stand out in a crowded market.
- Capacity-based pricing helps control costs, especially for applications with many users.
- Advanced security features, such as Row-Level Security, ensure only the right people can access sensitive information.
- Support for white-labeling, allowing you to present analytics under your own brand identity.
For example, a healthcare provider could embed patient outcome dashboards into their clinical systems, or a retailer might give store managers instant access to sales analytics—without exposing broader company data. Delivering actionable insights inside your own digital ecosystem not only boosts operational efficiency but also builds stronger customer loyalty.
How Power BI Embedded works: Architecture and components
Power BI Embedded is tightly woven into the Microsoft Azure ecosystem and relies on several key components to make embedded analytics possible. Developers usually start by creating and publishing Power BI reports and dashboards in a Power BI workspace on Azure. Applications connect to this workspace using Power BI Embedded APIs or the JavaScript SDK, which allows analytics content to be rendered right inside the app’s interface. For secure access and user management, Microsoft Entra ID (previously known as Azure Active Directory) handles authentication and authorization.
There are two main ways to embed analytics:
- Embed for your customers: Ideal for ISVs or companies providing analytics to external users, like clients or partners.
- Embed for your organization: Designed for internal users, leveraging Power BI and Microsoft 365 infrastructure.
Security features such as Row-Level Security (RLS) and Object-Level Security (OLS) give you fine-grained control over who sees what data. The architecture is built to be scalable, supporting single-tenant or multi-tenant scenarios. You can also extend the solution with custom authentication, real-time data streaming, or advanced analytics.
Thanks to the JavaScript SDK and REST APIs, developers can automate how reports are displayed, filter data on the fly, and build interactive analytics experiences. Integration with Azure Active Directory makes single sign-on (SSO) possible, which is especially helpful in enterprise environments. For organizations with multiple clients or departments, multi-tenancy can be handled by isolating data and reports in separate workspaces or using RLS to partition data. For more advanced needs, there’s the option to bring in AI-powered analytics, use Microsoft Fabric for data engineering, or stream real-time IoT data into dashboards.
Implementation prerequisites: What you need to get started
As you delve into Power BI Embedded deployments, the support of power platform consulting services can offer valuable insight and streamline the integration process. Our expertise ensures you’re equipped with the right strategies and tools to maximize your analytics capabilities, ensuring seamless execution from start to finish.
Getting Power BI Embedded up and running requires some planning:
- Azure subscription and access to the Power BI service.
- Microsoft Entra ID tenant for managing identity and authentication.
- Power BI Pro account to create and publish content in workspaces.
When it comes to embedding, you’ll have to pick an authentication method:
- Service principal: Generally recommended for production environments, allowing secure, application-level access without relying on individual user accounts.
- Master user: Alternative method, but less common for production.
Capacity planning is another key step. Power BI Embedded uses capacity-based SKUs (A, EM, P, F), which determine how much resource you have available for analytics. Picking the right SKU depends on your expected workload, user concurrency, and performance needs.
Additional considerations:
- Ensure data sources are compatible with Power BI connectors. For on-premises data, you might need to set up the On-premises Data Gateway.
- Establish governance policies for managing workspaces, datasets, and user roles, especially in regulated sectors like healthcare or finance (HIPAA, SOX).
- Test embedding scenarios in a development environment to validate authentication and performance before going live.
Security and access control in Power BI Embedded
Security is absolutely central when working with Power BI Embedded. Microsoft Entra ID is the backbone for identity management and authentication, ensuring only authorized users see your analytics.
- Row-Level Security (RLS): Restricts data visibility based on a user’s identity or role.
- Object-Level Security (OLS): Controls which tables or columns a user can access.
- Workspace-based isolation: Keeps data and content separate for different groups or tenants, supporting both single-tenant and multi-tenant setups.
- Data encryption: All data transmitted between components is encrypted.
- Compliance features and audit logs: Useful for regulated industries to meet strict data privacy and regulatory requirements.
Common mistakes—like misconfigured RLS filters or giving out too many permissions—can be avoided by following Microsoft’s security best practices and doing regular access reviews.
With Azure’s security ecosystem, you can also implement:
- Conditional Access policies
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Automated threat detection
For example, a financial institution could use OLS to ensure that each wealth advisor only sees their own client accounts, while audit logs track every access for compliance. Regular penetration testing and security audits are recommended, especially for applications handling sensitive data. Staying updated on Microsoft’s security advisories can help your team address new threats as they arise.
Power BI Embedded pricing and capacity options
Power BI Embedded uses a capacity-based pricing model, which means you pay for dedicated cloud resources to run your analytics workloads. This is different from the per-user licenses you might be used to with Power BI Pro or Power BI Premium.
| SKU Type | Target Use Case | Billing | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | ISVs, external apps | Hourly (Azure) | Scalable, pay-as-you-go |
| EM | Internal embedding | Monthly | Higher refresh rates, enterprise features |
| P | Large enterprise | Monthly | Advanced AI, premium features |
| F | Flexible, varied needs | Varies | Customizable |
- Pricing depends on the SKU selected and the total capacity allocated.
- Estimate your expected user volume, report complexity, and performance needs before making a decision.
- Microsoft has announced pricing updates, including changes for 2025—review your options carefully.
- The capacity-based model is especially helpful for variable application usage, allowing you to scale up or down as needed.
For example, an ISV with thousands of customers might start with an A1 SKU and move up to A4 or higher as demand grows, only paying for what’s actually used. Organizations with predictable, high-volume usage might find EM or P SKUs more cost-effective. Microsoft also offers tools like a pricing calculator to help you estimate costs and pick the right capacity tier.
Real-world use cases and success stories
Power BI Embedded is being put to work in all kinds of industries and scenarios:
- ISVs use it in SaaS applications to provide clients with built-in dashboards and reports.
- Healthcare organizations deliver patient care analytics to clinical staff through electronic health record systems.
- Retailers provide store managers with real-time sales and inventory insights in their daily apps.
- Financial services firms deliver secure, role-based dashboards to advisors and clients.
- Internal business applications empower executives and employees with self-service analytics tailored to their department or responsibilities.
For example, a logistics company embedded Power BI dashboards into its fleet management platform, allowing dispatchers to monitor vehicle performance, delivery times, and route efficiency in real time. Universities use Power BI Embedded to give faculty and administrators insights on student performance, enrollment trends, and resource allocation—all within their campus management systems.
Power BI Embedded vs. other analytics solutions
Power BI Embedded isn’t the only option for integrating analytics into applications, but it has unique strengths:
- More flexibility and cost-effectiveness for customer-facing scenarios compared to Power BI Premium’s per-user pricing.
- Seamless integration with Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, and the Power Platform.
- Wide compatibility with data sources and strong security features, including RLS and OLS.
When comparing with other embedded analytics solutions like Looker Embedded or Tableau Embedded, consider:
- Data source support
- Customization needs
- Integration complexity
- Total cost of ownership
- Available support resources
Microsoft’s documentation, active community, and global support can make a real difference. For businesses needing to comply with regulations like GDPR or CCPA, Microsoft’s compliance certifications are a plus. If you’re planning to operate in a multi-cloud or hybrid environment, check that your solution’s APIs and SDKs will work for your needs. Power BI Embedded’s REST APIs and SDKs are designed for flexibility, supporting a variety of deployment scenarios.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main technical requirements for implementing Power BI Embedded?
You’ll need an Azure subscription, a Microsoft Entra ID tenant, and at least one Power BI Pro account. Developers should set up workspaces in Power BI and pick an appropriate capacity SKU. For authentication, service principal is usually recommended for production.
How does Power BI Embedded handle authentication and user access?
Authentication is managed through Microsoft Entra ID, supporting both internal and external users. Access to reports, dashboards, and datasets can be managed using RLS, OLS, and workspace-based isolation.
What is the difference between Power BI Embedded and Power BI Premium?
Power BI Embedded is made for embedding analytics into external or customer-facing apps and uses capacity-based pricing. Power BI Premium is geared toward internal use and usually follows a per-user license model.
Do end-users need Power BI licenses to access embedded analytics?
No, end-users don’t need individual Power BI licenses. Access is managed through your application and the capacity you’ve allocated.
How are pricing and capacity determined for Power BI Embedded?
Pricing is based on the SKU you choose and the amount of capacity you purchase. You can scale your capacity as needed to match your usage.
Can Power BI Embedded be used in multi-tenant applications?
Yes, it supports multi-tenant setups through workspace isolation and secure authentication flows, so ISVs can serve multiple customers from a single app.
What are common implementation challenges with Power BI Embedded?
Common challenges include correctly configuring authentication, setting up RLS filters, sizing capacity, and making sure you’re compliant with data privacy rules. Following Microsoft’s best practices and documentation can help avoid these pitfalls.
Something else to keep in mind: organizations using Power BI Embedded should plan for ongoing monitoring and maintenance. That means reviewing capacity usage, updating security policies, and staying on top of any new features or updates from Microsoft. For complex projects, working with a Microsoft Partner or certified Power Platform consultant can make the process smoother, especially if you’re dealing with legacy systems or industry-specific compliance needs.
