Does Microsoft 365 E3 Include Access to Microsoft Power BI?
Benjamin Gbolaru
Microsoft 365
December 17th, 2024
Microsoft 365 E3 includes limited access to Power BI with the Power BI Free license, but advanced features require Power BI Pro.
Understanding Power BI in Microsoft 365 E3
Microsoft Power BI is a business analytics tool that transforms data into interactive visual reports. While the E3 plan provides some access to Power BI, it does not include Power BI Pro by default.
1. Power BI Free in Microsoft 365 E3
Basic Capabilities: Power BI Free allows users to create, view, and share reports locally within their accounts.
Data Sources: Users can connect to limited data sources like Excel or files stored in OneDrive.
Personal Use Only: Reports cannot be shared across organizations or published to the Power BI Service.
2. Power BI Pro: An Add-On for E3 Users
Collaborative Features: Power BI Pro is essential for sharing and collaborating on reports within teams or organizations.
Publishing to the Cloud: Pro users can publish reports to the Power BI Service for broader access.
Cost: Power BI Pro is a paid add-on, typically priced per user per month.
3. Upgrading to Power BI Pro for Advanced Features
Microsoft 365 E3 users can enhance their analytics capabilities by upgrading to Power BI Pro.
Feature
Power BI Free
Power BI Pro
Create Reports
✅
✅
Share Reports
❌
✅
Access Power BI Service
❌
✅
Real-Time Data Analysis
❌
✅
Cost
Included in E3
Add-on license required
4. Use Cases for Power BI in E3
For Individual Users: Power BI Free is ideal for self-service analytics and personal reporting.
For Teams and Enterprises: Power BI Pro is necessary for collaborative analytics and organizational reporting.
Is Power BI Essential for Your Business?
While Microsoft 365 E3 includes access to Power BI Free, most businesses benefit from Power BI Pro. Its collaboration and cloud publishing capabilities make it a valuable tool for teams.
Ready to elevate your data analytics with Power BI? Medha Cloud can help you integrate Power BI into your Microsoft 365 E3 environment.
Contact Medha Cloud today for a free consultation!
I'm Benjamin, a Microsoft 365 Specialist, helping small and large businesses deploy, configure, and secure M365 environments to maximize the benefits of Microsoft tools. With sound expertise in driving cloud adoption, identity and access management (IAM), security monitoring, system reliability, and proactive troubleshooting.