Frequently Asked Questions

You can find answers to common questions about the BI Pixie Workload on this page. Each entry in the contents list links to its section.

Contents

1. BI Pixie in Microsoft Fabric
2. General
3. Getting Started
4. Add Pixies
5. Data and Privacy
6. Plans and Billing
7. Dashboard and Analytics
8. Team and Collaboration
9. Troubleshooting

1. BI Pixie in Microsoft Fabric

What's the difference between BI Pixie in Microsoft Fabric and other ways to use BI Pixie?

BI Pixie is the same product: same Pixies, same dashboards, same telemetry data, same subscription. BI Pixie in Microsoft Fabric provides a native experience inside the Fabric portal so you can track engagement on your Power BI reports without leaving Fabric. Everything you do in the BI Pixie item is backed by the same service and stores data in the same way.

Do I need a separate subscription for the Fabric Workload?

No. A single BI Pixie subscription covers every BI Pixie product. You subscribe once, through the Azure Marketplace SaaS offer or at the BI Pixie subscription portal, and your entitlement applies to every BI Pixie item in your tenant.

Where is my telemetry data stored?

By default, BI Pixie stores your raw telemetry in the BI Pixie cloud, in the BI Pixie region nearest to your Fabric capacity's region, and your lakehouse reaches it through a OneLake shortcut. Your processed dashboard data lives in your Fabric workspace. With data residency turned on, BI Pixie delivers your telemetry to your own OneLake instead. See Data Management for retention controls and Data Residency for where your telemetry rests and how to deliver it to your own OneLake.

Is BI Pixie certified by Microsoft?

Yes. The BI Pixie Workload is a Microsoft-validated workload, generally available in the Fabric Workload Hub. The product runs on Azure with enterprise-grade security: dedicated per-tenant storage, encryption at rest and in transit, and identity-based access control through Microsoft Entra ID. You can ask support@bipixie.com for our current attestation status.

Does BI Pixie support OneLake shortcuts?

Yes. BI Pixie connects your lakehouse to your telemetry through a OneLake shortcut, or delivers the telemetry to your own OneLake when data residency is turned on. Either way, other Fabric items such as lakehouses, semantic models, and notebooks can read the telemetry in OneLake. See Data Residency for where your telemetry lives, lineage, and sensitivity labels.

Can I add BI Pixie at the tenant level or only per workspace?

Both. A Fabric tenant administrator adds BI Pixie to the tenant via Workload Hub (see Add BI Pixie to Your Tenant). Once added, individual workspace users with a permitted role create BI Pixie items in their workspaces as needed; there is no per-workspace setup step.

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2. General

What is BI Pixie?

BI Pixie is an AI Readiness and usage analytics platform for Power BI, available natively inside Microsoft Fabric. It adds Pixies, invisible tracking pixels native to Power BI, to your published reports to capture user engagement data: 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. BI Pixie uses these Pixies to detect interactions and collect the events in its hosted service. You analyze the collected data using the BI Pixie Dashboard, a Power BI report that BI Pixie installs in your Fabric workspace.

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

No. BI Pixie is a fully hosted service. A Fabric tenant administrator enables the BI Pixie Workload from Workload Hub, and from that point on, workspace users create BI Pixie items directly in Microsoft Fabric. There is nothing to install or deploy in your Azure environment.

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 Tracking Setup.

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 viewers 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.

What is AI Readiness?

With AI Readiness, BI Pixie scores each of your semantic models on how well AI agents and Copilot can answer questions from it, and gives you a prioritized list of fixes to raise that score. See the AI Readiness guide to run your first assessment.

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3. Getting Started

How do I start using BI Pixie?

A Fabric tenant administrator adds BI Pixie via Workload Hub (see Add BI Pixie to Your Tenant). Once BI Pixie is added, you open a Fabric workspace where you have the Contributor, Member, or Admin role, select + New item, and choose BI Pixie. After you name the item and select Create, the BI Pixie item opens, and the next steps are in the Getting Started guide.

What type of account do I need?

You need a Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) work or school account, the same account you use to sign in to Microsoft Fabric and Power BI Service. Personal Microsoft accounts (outlook.com, hotmail.com) are not supported.

How long does setup take?

Setup has three steps: create a BI Pixie item, choose reports from your workspace, and add Pixies. Once a report has Pixies, the events of each interaction with it appear in BI Pixie after a short while.

Can I try BI Pixie before buying?

Yes. On Microsoft Fabric, BI Pixie starts free: a first AI Readiness score for each of up to 500 semantic models and data agents, one tracked report and one tracked semantic model or data agent, 10 optimizations of other semantic models and data agents, 10 benchmark runs in total on any semantic model or data agent, and community docs and MCP access. You can reassess and optimize your one tracked semantic model or data agent without limit. One optimization of any other semantic model or data agent is everything you apply to it after one assessment. The 10 optimizations last for the life of your account, and undoing a change does not give one back. You can upgrade to a paid plan whenever you are ready.

What permissions does BI Pixie need?

BI Pixie operates inside Microsoft Fabric using your existing workspace permissions. It needs read/write access to the items in workspaces where you create BI Pixie items so it can read report definitions, add Pixies, and save the updated reports back. Tenant administrators may also need to grant the workload's required Fabric API consent; see Add BI Pixie to Your Tenant.

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4. Add Pixies

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 updated files and publish them yourself. See Add Pixies to Your Reports for the full walkthrough.

Will Pixies affect my report performance?

Each Pixie is a 1x1 pixel table visual that shows a pixel image, driven by a DAX measure. The measure runs in your semantic model with the rest of the page, and some Pixies count rows in your tables to tell which filters a viewer applied. Your browser then loads the pixel image from BI Pixie the way it loads any image, without holding back the other visuals on the page.

Can my report viewers see the Pixies?

No. Pixies are invisible to report viewers 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. To update them, select Update Pixies in the Managed Reports view. 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 still follow the old definition, so BI Pixie can miss new elements and you can see 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:

To keep tracking complete after a report change, open the Managed Reports view, 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 tracks 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. In the recommended workflow, you keep the original reports in the Development stage and deploy them to Test. You then create a BI Pixie item in the Test workspace, add Pixies there, check that BI Pixie receives events from the reports, and deploy from Test to Production.

Can I remove Pixies from a report?

Yes. To remove Pixies from selected reports, select Remove Pixies in the Managed Reports view. Removing Pixies stops tracking for those reports. You can still remove Pixies for the 7 days of the grace period after your subscription expires, and from a suspended or canceled account, so you can stop tracking before you leave. Everything else stays unavailable until the plan is reactivated.

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5. Data and Privacy

Where is my data stored?

By default, BI Pixie stores the raw telemetry of each license in a container of its own in the BI Pixie cloud, in the BI Pixie region nearest to your Fabric capacity's region. With data residency turned on, BI Pixie delivers the telemetry to your own OneLake instead, where it stays in your capacity's region. See Data Residency for details.

Is my data encrypted?

Yes. All data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Access is controlled through Microsoft Entra ID identities and Fabric workspace roles.

Does BI Pixie access my actual report data?

No. BI Pixie reads report definitions (layout, visual metadata, and DAX measures) to add Pixies. BI Pixie never queries your report data. It collects interaction telemetry: what users clicked, when, and on which page. BI Pixie collects viewer user names only when you turn on Capture user identity, and you then choose on the Account page whether it keeps the email address, a masked ID or nothing. Until then, BI Pixie counts viewers by a masked IP address.

Can I delete user data?

Yes. The Data Management view provides self-service tools to search for, preview, and permanently delete data for specific users, specific reports, or specific event files. These tools support 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 1,095 days (3 years) depending on your subscription. Events older than the retention period are automatically deleted during a daily cleanup of BI Pixie's vendor-managed storage. If your telemetry is delivered to your own OneLake or your own storage account, it stays under your control and BI Pixie does not delete it on a schedule; you apply retention across the raw files, the lakehouse, and the semantic model by running the customer-run notebooks on your own Fabric capacity.

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. Capture user identity is off by default, and while it is off BI Pixie collects no viewer user names. You still see how many people use each report, because BI Pixie counts distinct viewers by a masked IP address. When you turn it on, you choose on the Account page whether BI Pixie keeps each viewer's email address, a masked ID or nothing.

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6. Plans and Billing

What subscription plans are available?

BI Pixie offers three plans: Standard, Pro, and Enterprise. Every plan is a flat price, sized by tracked items: the reports with Pixies, and the standalone semantic models and data agents you track. On Microsoft Fabric you can also start free with a first AI Readiness score for each of up to 500 semantic models and data agents, one tracked report, and one tracked semantic model or data agent. Visit the Pricing page for current details, and see Licenses for plan-by-plan feature notes.

What's included in the free plan?

On Microsoft Fabric, BI Pixie starts free with an AI Readiness Check: one tracked report and one tracked semantic model or data agent, a first AI Readiness score for each of up to 500 semantic models and data agents, 10 optimizations of other semantic models and data agents, 10 benchmark runs in total on any semantic model or data agent, and community docs and MCP access. Scoring runs at up to 10 assessments a day. You can reassess and optimize your one tracked semantic model or data agent without limit. One optimization of any other semantic model or data agent is everything you apply to it after one assessment. The 10 optimizations last for the life of your account, and undoing a change does not give one back. The two tracking allowances are separate, so you can measure one report and prepare one semantic model or data agent for AI at the same time. The free state also works on BI Pixie Cloud, where it includes the BI Pixie dashboard within a fair-use allowance of 5,000 monthly sessions.

What is a "tracked item"?

A tracked item is a report with Pixies, or a semantic model or data agent you are preparing for AI, counted separately: a semantic model becomes one on its second assessment, its first optimization, or a benchmark run, whether or not a report on it is tracked, and a data agent becomes one on its second assessment or on the first change you apply to it. Using a data agent in a benchmark or an A/B test never makes it a tracked item. The first AI Readiness score is free and does not claim a tracked item, for up to 500 distinct items per account, counting semantic models and data agents together. The paid plans hold one pooled count, and the Free plan includes two named allowances: one tracked report, and one tracked semantic model or data agent. You can see your current count on the Account view under Plan & Usage.

Does BI Pixie meter sessions or usage?

No. Sessions are never billed, and nothing on your bill is usage-based. Every plan includes a fair-use session allowance that applies wherever BI Pixie stores your telemetry. Exceeding it never results in additional charges, and Above the Fair-Use Allowance describes what happens when usage goes over it. With data residency your telemetry lands in your own OneLake, and there is no session quantity to meter at all.

What happens when I use all my tracked items?

Tracking continues for everything you already track, and your bill stays the same. Upgrading your plan adds more tracked items. Deleting a report does not make room: a report or semantic model keeps counting after you remove its Pixies or delete it.

Can I change my subscription?

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. You manage your subscription at the BI Pixie subscription portal.

How does proration work when I upgrade?

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

Will I ever be charged more than my subscription price?

No. BI Pixie plans are flat prices with no usage meters and no overage charges. Reaching your tracked-item allowance only stops you from adding new items until you upgrade; your bill stays the same.

What happens when my subscription expires?

When a subscription expires, adding and updating Pixies is disabled and some features in the BI Pixie item are shown in a limited state. For the 7 days of the grace period, you can still remove Pixies from reports. After that, BI Pixie suspends the account. The BI Pixie item still opens, and you can still remove Pixies from your reports. You can renew at the BI Pixie subscription portal to restore full access.

Can I purchase BI Pixie through Azure Marketplace?

Yes. BI Pixie is available on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Buying through the Azure Marketplace lets you use your existing Azure commitments and consolidate billing on your Azure invoice. You can also switch billing providers later.

Do you offer annual billing?

Yes. Annual billing is available and saves you the equivalent of two months compared to monthly billing.

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7. Dashboard and Analytics

What is the BI Pixie Dashboard?

The BI Pixie Dashboard is a Power BI report that BI Pixie installs in your Fabric workspace. 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?

BI Pixie installs the Dashboard in your Fabric workspace automatically when you create the BI Pixie item, so there is nothing to install by hand and no credentials to set up. Once it is installed, you load your engagement data by selecting Refresh data on the BI Pixie Dashboard card in the Overview view. See Set up BI Pixie Dashboard for the full walkthrough.

How often is the dashboard data refreshed?

Each time you select Refresh data on the BI Pixie Dashboard card, BI Pixie runs the BI Pixie ETL notebook to load the latest engagement data. The first time you select Refresh data, BI Pixie also schedules the notebook to run once a day at 2:00 AM in your local time. You can change or remove the schedule in your Fabric workspace. Your daily refresh count is limited by your subscription and shown on the Account view under Data Refreshes.

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

Yes. BI Pixie installs the BI Pixie Dashboard semantic model in your workspace. You can build additional Power BI reports on top of that semantic model, or reach the underlying telemetry in your own OneLake. See Data Residency.

Can I share the BI Pixie Dashboard with my team?

Yes. The BI Pixie Dashboard is a Power BI report 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.

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8. Team and Collaboration

Can multiple people use the same BI Pixie item?

Yes. Access to a BI Pixie item is governed by the Fabric workspace it lives in. Anyone with a workspace role on that workspace can use the BI Pixie item according to their role. See Team Access for the role-by-role breakdown.

How are roles managed?

BI Pixie uses your Microsoft Fabric workspace roles directly. Admins, Members, and Contributors can manage BI Pixie items in their workspace; Viewers have read-only access to BI Pixie items shared with them. There is no separate BI Pixie team registry to maintain. To add or change access, follow Microsoft's workspace access guide.

Can I control which reports each team member sees?

On the Enterprise plan, your agreement can include multiple licenses, for example one for each department, and you assign workspace users to specific licenses. Each license has its own data store and member assignments, so members only see telemetry relevant to their scope. See Licenses for details.

What if I need finer-grained control than Fabric roles offer?

Fabric workspace roles are the source of truth for who can use a BI Pixie item. If you need scope-level isolation (for example, separating Marketing data from Finance data), use License Assignment on the Enterprise plan alongside workspace roles.

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9. 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, select visuals, apply filters) and then check for recent events in the Events pane of the Managed Reports view. See Test Events for the walkthrough.
• The newest events can take a short while to appear, because each event passes through the BI Pixie event pipeline first.
• Verify the report appears in the Managed Reports view with a "Pixies Added" status.

My BI Pixie Dashboard is not loading data.

• A freshly installed Dashboard starts empty until the BI Pixie ETL notebook has run. Select Refresh data on the BI Pixie Dashboard card in the Overview view, or run the notebook from your workspace, and check that the run completed. See Set up BI Pixie Dashboard.
• BI Pixie schedules the notebook to run once a day after the first Refresh data. Check in your Fabric workspace that the latest scheduled run of the BI Pixie ETL notebook completed successfully.
• Review the Data Refreshes count on the Account view to confirm you have not exceeded your daily refresh limit.

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

• Check tracked-item usage on the Overview view or the Account view.
• Your tracked items count does not go down. A report or semantic model keeps counting after you remove its Pixies or delete it. Deleting a report on the Managed Reports view stops tracking and removes its collected events.
• Upgrading your plan adds more tracked items.

My data refresh is blocked.

• The Account view shows when refresh access is restored.
• This happens when the daily refresh limit is reached. Wait until the limit resets or upgrade your subscription for a higher refresh allowance.

A long-running job appears stuck.

• Open the progress panel in the BI Pixie item to see the run's current status, per-report results, and error details. See Managed Reports.
• Use the retry action if available, or contact support@bipixie.com.

Events are appearing with a delay. Is this normal?

Each event travels from the report to BI Pixie and through its event pipeline before you can see it, so the newest interactions can take a short while to appear. 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.

The Contact Support page lists the ways to reach us, and you can also email support@bipixie.com directly.

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