Although there are some native functionality limitations, it is possible to modify Power BI deployment pipelines to match your company's release cycle. Here's how to successfully integrate or expand it:
1. For basic workflow, use native deployment pipelines
Development, Test, and Production are the three fixed stages that Power BI offers.
Although you are unable to add or change stages, you can match each stage to your company's internal release phases.
To handle variations (like data source mappings) between environments, use deployment rules.
2. Connect to GitHub for Advanced Workflows or Azure DevOps
Utilize Azure DevOps Pipelines in conjunction with the Power BI REST API to:
Deploy datasets and reports automatically.
Manage releases according to schedules or build approvals.
For version control, store PBIP or PBIX files in Git.
3. Plan Out Deployments Considering Release Cycles
Integrate your company's weekly or monthly release cadence with planned deployments (for example, using PowerShell or REST API scripts).
Deployments can be scripted and integrated with DevOps release approvals or notifications.
4. Implement Particular Governance Guidelines
Include pre-deployment validations or checks in your release cycle.
Use release management tools to add manual gates (such as peer reviews) outside of Power BI.
5. Modular Development with the PBIP Format
To facilitate collaboration, source control, and CI/CD integration with your chosen DevOps platform, convert PBIX files into PBIP (Power BI Project) format.
