Power BI admins carry the important responsibility of keeping business reports trustworthy, secure, and cost-efficient. But how do you know if your environment is under control?
A good way to test this is to see if you can answer these 10 questions confidently. Each one has a specific answer (without vague guessing) and each one reflects a critical dimension of Power BI Data Governance: cost control, compliance, performance, or security.
The Top 10 Questions for Every Power BI Admin to Answer
01. How many Premium capacities are active, and what is their utilization rate?
This question has a clear answer: the number of active capacities and their usage percentage. Power BI Premium capacities are an expensive investment, and under- or over-utilization directly impacts performance and budgets. As a Power BI admin, if you cannot provide this detail, it suggests the organization may be wasting money on unused resources or struggling with performance issues because capacities are overloaded. A good admin regularly checks the Capacity Metrics app or APIs to monitor workload distribution, refresh queues, and resource consumption.
02. Which datasets have the highest refresh failure rate?
Dataset refresh reliability is one of the most practical Power BI data governance measures. Every admin should know which datasets fail often because these failures point to broken connections, excessive model complexity, or unreliable data sources. If this information is unclear, it means reports could be running on outdated data, which is unacceptable for decision-making. Proactively monitoring refresh history and failure logs ensures problems are fixed before users even notice. Having the best data governance tool makes it easier to flag and address these recurring issues early.
03. Who is the designated owner of each workspace?
Every workspace must have an accountable owner. Without ownership, workspaces can become “orphaned” when employees leave or job roles change, leaving content unmanaged. If an admin cannot name the responsible owner for each workspace, it means governance is already at risk. Ownership defines accountability for report updates, access management, and compliance. This question has a straightforward answer: either there is a named owner, or there is not, and it reveals how disciplined the environment is.
04. Which users have Admin roles across workspaces?
Role assignment is the cornerstone of access governance. An admin should be able to identify, without hesitation, who holds Power BI Admin privileges in each workspace. These roles control permissions, content, and access policies. If the list of Admins is too long or outdated, the ‘Principle of Least Privilege’ is violated, which could lead to unauthorized edits or data exposure. Being able to answer this question demonstrates strong grip on access security. With a Power BI governance tool, role visibility and alerts for unusual privilege assignments become automatic, making this question easy to answer.
05. Are any datasets or reports exceeding size limits?
This question points to operational efficiency. Power BI has defined dataset size limits depending on licensing (1 GB for Pro, up to 400 GB per dataset in Premium) with large models. Knowing which datasets are approaching or exceeding limits is essential to prevent refresh failures and poor performance. If Power BI admins cannot answer this, they risk allowing oversized models to consume capacity unnecessarily. Regular dataset size checks reveal optimization opportunities such as model redesign or incremental refresh.
06. Which dashboards are shared externally?
External sharing is one of the most sensitive governance areas within Power BI. An admin should know exactly which dashboards are visible outside the organization. The answer to this question is critical for Power BI regulatory compliance with GDPR, internal data security policies, and contractual obligations. If dashboards are being shared without oversight, sensitive business data could be leaving the tenant unnoticed. This is why monitoring audit logs and enforcing sensitivity labels is vital.
07. Do all datasets have sensitivity labels applied?
Sensitivity labels are not optional in a well-governed environment. The answer to this question is either “yes, all datasets have labels” or “no, some are missing.” If datasets are unclassified, the risk is that confidential or regulated data is treated as ordinary information, opening the organization to security breaches and compliance violations. Admins should regularly scan for unlabeled datasets and enforce mandatory classification policies.
08. When was the last access review conducted, and what were the results?
Access reviews prevent ‘privilege creep’ (i.e., when users retain access long after they need it). A precise answer here would be a date and a summary of revoked or adjusted permissions. If the admin does not have this answer, it denotes that access reviews are either not happening or not documented. Consequently, inactive users, former employees, or over-privileged accounts may still have entry points to critical reports and data.
09. Are audit logs complete and available for the last 90 days?
Audit logs are evidence of activity in Power BI. An admin must know whether these logs are intact and retrievable. If they are incomplete, investigations into data misuse, compliance audits, or security incidents cannot be performed. Being able to confidently answer this question shows that the admin understands the importance of traceability and accountability. Without logs, the governance framework is effectively blind. If you are using any of the best data governance tools, then logs are not just intact but also searchable and easy to interpret, enabling faster audits and investigations.
10. Which reports or datasets have not been accessed in the last 90 days?
Inactive content wastes capacity and clutters the Power BI environment. The answer here should be a list of unused assets. If admins cannot provide this, it means they are not monitoring activity closely, leading to unnecessary resource consumption and higher costs. Removing or archiving inactive content not only saves money but also improves user experience (UX) by keeping workspaces clean and relevant.
How Many Did You Answer?
These 10 questions are more than a checklist for your Power BI environment. They reveal a tenant’s health, maturity, and risks.
The depth of your answers demonstrates not just operational control but strategic insight into how analytics are governed. If the answers are not available, that is probably a red flag that something in the governance framework needs tightening. For data leaders, asking these questions regularly ensures Power BI remains reliable, compliant, and cost-effective.
A Power BI admin capable of addressing these questions confidently is not simply maintaining reports. It shows that they are actively shaping the environment, ensuring Power BI regulatory compliance, and enabling data-driven decision-making at scale!
While these questions can technically be answered through logs and scripts, Power BI governance tools like PowerPulse provide a unified view where admins do not just monitor activity but also manage compliance, cost, and security in one place. This helps leaders move from reactive checks to continuous governance. Experience it firsthand for 30 days at no cost.
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