Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about BI Pixie. Click any section below to jump directly to it.

General
Getting Started
Instrumentation
Data and Privacy
Plans and Billing
Dashboard and Analytics
Team and Collaboration
Troubleshooting

1. General

What is BI Pixie?

BI Pixie is a telemetry and intelligence platform for Power BI. It instruments your published Power BI reports with invisible tracking elements called Pixies that capture user engagement data. This includes page views, visual clicks, filter selections, bookmark navigation, tooltip views, drill-through actions, NPS surveys, and feedback responses.

How does BI Pixie work?

BI Pixie adds tiny, native Power BI visuals and hidden measures to your reports through the Microsoft Fabric API. These Pixies detect interactions and send events to BI Pixie's hosted infrastructure. You analyze the collected data using the BI Pixie Dashboard, a Power BI template app.

Do I need to install anything in my Azure or Power Platform environment?

No. BI Pixie is a fully hosted service. There is nothing to install or deploy in your environment. The entire process happens through the Fabric API and the BI Pixie portal at app.bipixie.com.

What Power BI interactions does BI Pixie track?

BI Pixie can track page views, visual clicks, slicer/filter selections, bookmark navigation, tooltip views, drill-through actions, link clicks, feedback responses, and survey answers. You can enable or disable each interaction type individually in Settings.

What exactly is a "Pixie"?

A Pixie is a 1x1 pixel native Power BI table visual placed in the corner of a report page, along with hidden DAX measures stored in the semantic model. Pixies are invisible to report consumers and grouped under a { BI Pixie } label in the Selection pane and Data pane for easy identification by your BI team.

How is BI Pixie different from the native Power BI usage metrics?

Power BI's built-in usage metrics show page-level views and a list of users. BI Pixie goes much deeper: it tracks visual-level clicks, filter and slicer selections, bookmark navigation, tooltip views, drill-through actions, link clicks, and user feedback responses. It also lets you embed NPS surveys, analyze heatmaps of visual interactions, and track Row-Level Security context. BI Pixie gives you a complete picture of how your audience interacts with reports, not just whether they opened them.

Does BI Pixie work with Power BI Embedded?

Yes. Pixies track interactions in reports viewed through Power BI Embedded scenarios. Events are captured whenever a user interacts with a report served from Power BI Service, regardless of how it is embedded.

2. Getting Started

How do I sign up?

Go to app.bipixie.com and click "Sign in with Microsoft." Your account is provisioned automatically the first time you sign in. There is no separate registration form.

What type of account do I need?

You need a Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) work or school account. This is the same type of account you use for Power BI Service. Personal Microsoft accounts (outlook.com, hotmail.com) are not supported.

How long does setup take?

Most users complete the full setup in under 10 minutes: sign in, connect to Power BI, select a workspace, choose reports, and click to add Pixies. Events start appearing within seconds of interacting with a tracked report.

Can I try BI Pixie before buying?

Yes. When you first sign in, your account starts on a Trial plan. The Trial gives you access to Pro-level features so you can evaluate the full capabilities of BI Pixie before choosing a paid plan.

What permissions does BI Pixie need?

BI Pixie requires read/write access to the Power BI workspaces you want to instrument, granted through the Microsoft Fabric API during the connection step. BI Pixie uses this access to read report definitions, add Pixies, and save the updated reports back to your workspace.

What Fabric API permissions are required, and does my admin need to approve them?

BI Pixie requests read/write access to your Power BI workspaces through the Microsoft Fabric API. This access is granted through a standard OAuth consent flow when you connect to Power BI. If your organization requires admin consent for API permissions, your Microsoft Entra ID administrator will need to approve the consent request before you can connect.

3. Instrumentation

How are Pixies added to my reports?

BI Pixie reads your report and semantic model definitions through the Fabric API, scans each page and visual, inserts invisible Pixie elements, and writes the updated definitions back. You can choose to have BI Pixie auto-save directly to your workspace or download the instrumented files and publish them yourself. See Add Pixies to Your Reports for the full walkthrough.

Will Pixies affect my report performance?

No. Pixies are 1x1 pixel visuals and lightweight DAX measures. They add negligible overhead to report rendering and do not query your data sources.

Can my report consumers see the Pixies?

No. Pixies are invisible to end users viewing the report in Power BI Service. They are only visible to report authors in the Selection pane and Data pane of Power BI Desktop, grouped under a clearly labeled { BI Pixie } folder.

Do I need to update Pixies after editing my reports?

Yes. We recommend updating Pixies after any change to the report definition that goes to production. Use the "Update Pixies" action from the Managed Reports page. See below for the full list of changes and their impact.

What happens if I change my report and don't update the Pixies?

When you change a report definition and publish it to production without updating Pixies, the Pixies are based on the old definition and may miss new elements or show stale information in the BI Pixie Dashboard. You do not need to update Pixies after a data refresh — refreshes only update the data, not the report definition. Here is what happens for each type of change:

Report Change	Impact Without Updating Pixies
New pages added	No usage data captured for the new pages.
Pages deleted	Dashboard will show unused pages that no longer exist in the report.
New visuals added	No usage data for the new visuals. Heatmaps will not include them.
Different fields in existing visuals	No auditing of the newly selected data.
Visuals moved or resized	Heatmap will show the old location of the visual in the Dashboard.
Visual type changed	Heatmap will display the old visual type in the Dashboard.
Visuals renamed	Dashboard will show the old names of the visuals.
New slicers added	Slicer interactions will not be captured.
Bookmarks changed	New or modified bookmarks will not be tracked.
Buttons, images, or tables with hyperlinks changed	Link clicks will not be captured for the new or updated hyperlinks.

To avoid these gaps, go to Managed Reports, open the action menu for the changed report, and select Update Pixies after each deployment to production.

Does BI Pixie work with Power BI Desktop?

BI Pixie instruments reports that are published to Power BI Service. Events are only captured when users interact with reports in Power BI Service (or embedded scenarios). Opening a report in Power BI Desktop does not send events to BI Pixie.

Can I use BI Pixie with Power BI Deployment Pipelines?

Yes. The recommended workflow is: keep original reports in the Development stage, deploy to Test, connect BI Pixie to the Test workspace and add Pixies there, verify the instrumentation, then deploy from Test to Production.

Can I remove Pixies from a report?

Yes. Use the "Remove Pixies" action on the Add Pixies page to clean all Pixies from selected reports. This stops tracking for those reports. Removing Pixies is available even when your plan has expired.

4. Data and Privacy

Where is my data stored?

Your data is stored in a dedicated, isolated container within a BI Pixie-managed Azure storage account. Your data region is shown on the Account page. If you need a different region, administrators can request a migration or a new region.

Is my data encrypted?

Yes. All data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Access is controlled through your own Azure AD identity.

Does BI Pixie access my actual report data?

No. BI Pixie reads report definitions (layout, visual metadata, and DAX measures) to add Pixies. It does not access, read, or store your underlying business data. The only data BI Pixie collects is interaction telemetry (what users clicked, when, and on which page).

Can I delete user data?

Yes. The Data Management page provides self-service tools to search for, preview, and permanently delete data for specific users, specific reports, or specific event files. This supports GDPR data subject access requests (DSARs).

How long is my data retained?

You choose your retention period in Data Management. Options range from 7 days to 365 days depending on your plan. Events older than the retention period are automatically deleted during a daily cleanup.

Is BI Pixie GDPR compliant?

BI Pixie provides the tools you need for GDPR compliance: configurable data retention, self-service data search and deletion, isolated per-customer storage, encryption, and identity-based access control. Certain data collection settings (user identity, data selections) require explicit consent before they can be enabled.

Can I track users without collecting personal data?

Yes. By default, user identity tracking is turned off. With identity tracking disabled, BI Pixie captures engagement data in aggregate (page views, clicks, filters) without associating events with individual users.

Is BI Pixie SOC 2 certified?

BI Pixie is built on Azure with enterprise-grade security: dedicated per-tenant storage, encryption at rest and in transit, identity-based access control, and network isolation. We are working toward formal SOC 2 certification. Contact support@bipixie.com for our current security documentation.

Where does BI Pixie run? What Azure regions are available?

BI Pixie's infrastructure runs on Microsoft Azure. Your data region is shown on the Account page. If you need a specific region for data residency requirements, contact support@bipixie.com.

5. Plans and Billing

What plans are available?

BI Pixie offers Trial, Standard, Pro, and Enterprise plans. Each plan has different limits for tracked reports, billed sessions, data retention, and feature access. Visit the Pricing page for current plan details and pricing.

What's included in the free trial?

The free trial lasts 14 days and includes up to 3 reports, 2,000 billed sessions, and access to Pro and Enterprise tier features. No credit card required to start.

What is a "billed session"?

A billed session represents one unique user viewing one report in one day. For example, if a user opens the same report three times in a day, that counts as one billed session. If they open two different reports, that counts as two billed sessions. Your total is calculated over a rolling 30-day window. You can see your current count on the Account page under Plan & Usage, and use the Session Calculator on the Plans page to estimate your needs.

What happens when I reach my session limit?

Your cost is always fixed. Reaching the session limit will never result in additional charges. Administrators choose what happens at the limit: either "Preserve existing data" (stops collecting new events until your rolling count drops below the limit) or "Keep collecting" (continues tracking by removing the oldest data first). See Account Settings for details.

Can I change my plan?

Yes. Upgrades take effect immediately — you get instant access to the higher tier's features and limits. Downgrades take effect at the end of your current billing cycle. Administrators can manage plans from the Plans page, accessible via the plan badge in the portal header or from the Account page. See Plans and Billing for the full walkthrough.

How does proration work when I upgrade?

When you upgrade mid-cycle, you're credited for the unused portion of your current plan and charged the prorated cost of your new plan for the remainder of the billing period. From the next cycle onward, you're billed at the full new rate. You only pay for what you use.

Will I ever be charged more than my plan price?

No. BI Pixie plans have fixed pricing. If you reach your session or report limits, tracking behavior adjusts according to your chosen policy, but your bill stays the same.

What happens when my trial ends?

When your trial ends, your account enters a 7-day grace period. During this time your data is preserved in read-only mode and you can subscribe to a paid plan to resume full access and tracking. If no subscription is started after the grace period, your account is suspended and your telemetry data is deleted in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

What happens when my plan expires?

When a plan expires, adding and updating Pixies is disabled and some portal features are shown in a limited state. You can still remove Pixies from reports and access the portal. Administrators can renew the plan to restore full access.

How do I cancel my subscription?

Administrators can cancel from the Plans page in the BI Pixie portal. After cancellation, your plan remains active until the end of the current billing period. During this time, you can reverse the cancellation by clicking "Keep my plan." After expiry, your data is retained according to your retention settings, but adding Pixies and some portal features are disabled until you renew.

Can I purchase BI Pixie through Azure Marketplace?

Yes. BI Pixie is available on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. This lets you use your existing Azure commitments and consolidate billing through your Azure invoice. During sign-up, you can choose between credit card (Stripe) and Microsoft Marketplace billing. You can also switch billing providers later from the Plans page.

What is the difference between Stripe and Marketplace billing?

Stripe charges your credit card directly. You manage your subscription, invoices, and payment method from the BI Pixie portal. Plan changes, billing cycle switches, and cancellations are instant and self-service. Microsoft Azure Marketplace bills through your Azure subscription, so BI Pixie appears as a SaaS line item on your Azure invoice. This lets you apply existing Azure commitments (MACC/ECIF) and consolidate vendor billing. Plan changes and quantity updates are managed from the BI Pixie portal, but billing cycle changes and cancellations must be done through the Azure Portal.

Can I switch between Stripe and Marketplace billing?

Yes. You can switch billing providers from the Plans page in the BI Pixie portal. Your plan, reports, and data remain unchanged — only the payment method changes.

Do you offer annual billing?

Yes. Annual billing is available and saves you the equivalent of two months compared to monthly billing. You can switch between monthly and annual billing from the Plans page.

What payment methods do you accept?

BI Pixie accepts credit cards through Stripe (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) and Microsoft Azure Marketplace billing (consolidated on your Azure invoice). Choose your preferred method during checkout.

6. Dashboard and Analytics

What is the BI Pixie Dashboard?

The BI Pixie Dashboard is a Power BI template app available on Microsoft AppSource. It connects directly to your BI Pixie data and provides pre-built reports for analyzing user adoption, engagement, satisfaction, performance, and more.

How do I install the BI Pixie Dashboard?

Install it from Microsoft AppSource or follow the link on the Overview page in the BI Pixie portal. During setup, you will need your Storage Account URL and License Key, both available on the Account page. See Set up BI Pixie Dashboard for step-by-step instructions.

How often is the dashboard data refreshed?

You configure the semantic model refresh schedule in Power BI Service, just like any other dataset. Your daily refresh count is limited by your plan and shown on the Account page under Data Refreshes.

Can I build my own reports on top of BI Pixie data?

Yes. The BI Pixie Dashboard template app installs a semantic model in your workspace. You can build additional Power BI reports on top of that semantic model or connect to the underlying data in your storage container.

Can I share the BI Pixie Dashboard with my team?

Yes. The BI Pixie Dashboard is installed as a Power BI app in your workspace. You can share it with other users in your organization using standard Power BI sharing and permissions, just like any other Power BI report.

7. Team and Collaboration

Can multiple people use the same BI Pixie account?

Yes. Administrators can invite team members from the Team page. Each member signs in with their own Microsoft work or school account.

What are the Admin and Member roles?

Admins have full control: they can manage team members, configure account-level settings, manage licenses, change plans, rotate security keys, and delete the account. Members can view data, configure tracking settings within their scope, and manage their own reports.

Can I control which reports each team member sees?

On Pro and Enterprise plans, you can create multiple licenses and assign team members to specific licenses. Each license has its own allocation of reports and end users, so members only see data relevant to their scope. See Licenses for details.

Can someone request access to my account?

Yes. If someone from your organization signs in to BI Pixie and your account already exists, they can submit an access request. Administrators see pending requests on the Team page and can approve or deny them.

What happens if our account admin leaves the organization?

We recommend always having at least two administrators on your account. When an admin is removed or demoted, BI Pixie automatically transfers the primary contact email to another active admin, including updating the billing contact for Stripe subscriptions. If your subscription was purchased through Azure Marketplace, ensure that another user in your Azure tenant has the appropriate Azure RBAC role (Owner or Contributor on the SaaS resource, or Marketplace Admin) to manage the SaaS subscription in the Azure Portal. BI Pixie portal access is managed separately and is not affected by Azure role changes.

8. Troubleshooting

I added Pixies but no events are appearing. What should I do?

Make sure you are viewing the report in Power BI Service, not Power BI Desktop. Events are only captured from the service.
Interact with the report (navigate pages, click visuals, apply filters) and then use the Event Viewer in Managed Reports to check for recent events.
Events typically appear within seconds, but there can be a short delay.
Verify the report appears on the Managed Reports page with a "Pixies added" status.

My BI Pixie Dashboard is not loading data.

Verify the connection parameters (Storage Account URL and License Key) in the Power BI app settings match the values on your Account page.
Check that the semantic model refresh is configured and has completed successfully.
Review the Data Refreshes count on the Account page to confirm you have not exceeded your daily refresh limit.

I cannot add more reports. I am at my plan limit.

Check your report usage on the Overview page or the Account page.
Release unused report slots by removing Pixies from reports you no longer need to track on the Managed Reports page.
Consider upgrading your plan for a higher report limit.

My data refresh is blocked.

The Overview page shows an estimated time when refreshes will be restored.
This happens when the daily refresh limit is reached. Wait until the limit resets or upgrade your plan for a higher refresh allowance.

I rotated my tracking key and reports stopped tracking.

After rotating your account tracking key, you need to update Pixies on all your tracked reports so they use the new key.
Go to Add Pixies, select the "Update Pixies" action, and re-instrument your reports.

Events are appearing with a delay. Is this normal?

Events typically appear within a few seconds of interacting with a report. Occasional short delays (up to a minute) are normal during high-traffic periods. If events consistently take longer or do not appear at all, check that the report has Pixies added and that you are viewing it in Power BI Service (not Power BI Desktop).

I have a question that is not answered here.

Check the Contact Support page for ways to reach us, or email support@bipixie.com directly.