How to navigate the new PowerBI licensing and embrace Microsoft Fabric

Microsoft has announced significant changes to PowerBI licensing, with Microsoft
Fabric now supporting previous PowerBI capacities. Let's dive into what this means for your data infrastructure, operating costs and how to make the most of these updates.

PowerBI Licensing Changes: What You Need to Know 

Starting April 2025, PowerBI is getting a pricing makeover. This is the first update since its launch in 2015, so it's a pretty big deal. The cost of a PowerBI Pro License will jump by 40%, from $10 to $14 per user per month. Meanwhile, the PowerBI Premium Per User (PPU) License will see a 20% increase, going from $20 to $24 per user per month 

If you're an Enterprise Agreement (EA) customer, these new prices will kick in at your next renewal. Most EA agreements include price protection for up to three years, so you've got some time to adjust. For those relying on standalone licenses, it's time to start thinking about potential budget tweaks. The good news? If you're using PowerBI as part of bundled subscriptions like Microsoft 365 E5,– no changes for you. 

However, PowerBI capacities will no longer be supported and must be migrated to Fabric.  

• Microsoft Fabric is not just another data platform; it's a game-changer for organisations looking to harness the power of their data.
• Fabric integrates multiple Azure data services, including PowerBI, Azure Data Factory, Dataflow, and Synapse Analytics, into a single, cohesive platform. This unified approach simplifies data management and analytics, reducing the complexity of maintaining separate systems.
• With a common security layer, Fabric ensures that your data is protected and compliant with governance policies. This helps organisations maintain control over their data while enabling secure collaboration.
• Fabric's built-in Co-pilot feature leverages generative AI to enhance productivity. This AI-driven assistant can help automate tasks, generate insights, and provide recommendations, making it easier for users to work with their data

The new Direct Lake Mode allows for fast data loading from the lake directly into the PowerBI engine, supporting row-level and object-level security. This allows for quicker access to data and more efficient analysis. 

Fabric's pay-as-you-go billing model ensures that organisations only pay for the compute and storage they use. It helps businesses manage their budgets more effectively and avoid unnecessary expenses. Plus, Fabric minimises data silos and fragmentation, providing a single source of truth across your enterprise. 

Implementing Microsoft Fabric can drive significant business opportunities and efficiencies for organisations. With faster data access and analysis, organisations can make informed decisions more quickly, giving them a competitive edge in the market.  

Getting Ready for the Transition 

Moving to Fabric involves a few key steps: 

1. Migrate your PowerBI capacities to Fabric. This means planning for capacity, designing workspaces, and automating workspace creation.  
2. Repoint your data connections from their original sources to Fabric. And don't forget about change management – it's crucial for a smooth transition.

Preparing Your Data for New Features 

To make the most of Fabric's new features, you'll need to ensure your data is ready. This means focusing on data quality and governance. Fabric's integration with Microsoft 365 allows you to discover and analyse data directly in OneLake and generate PowerBI reports with just a click. 

Embrace the Change 

The transition to Microsoft Fabric represents a significant shift in how organisations manage and analyse their data. By understanding the implications of PowerBI licensing changes, preparing for migration efforts, and ensuring data readiness, you can fully leverage the advantages of PowerBI on Fabric. 

How Can Kainos Assist? 

We are pioneers in Microsoft Fabric and AI, We have accumulating extensive experience in developing comprehensive data solutions for clients using Microsoft Fabric:. 

• We were one of the first Microsoft partners to resolve the migration path from Azure Synapse into Fabric, informing product design. 

• We’re also the first to deliver production use cases using PowerBI Co-pilot for the United Nations, building natural language data querying around travel document fraud analytics.