In recent months, many Power BI Premium users have faced an important decision – what next after the subscription ends? Microsoft has announced a significant change to its licensing model: classic Power BI Premium in the P-SKU model is being retired and replaced by the modern capacity of Microsoft Fabric (F-SKU). For many organizations, this means that they need to act quickly. However, with the right approach, migration can become not only a duty, but also a chance to modernize the analytical environment and increase its capabilities.

What is changing and why is migrating from Power BI Premium to Fabric necessary?

The changes introduced by Microsoft are intended to simplify and unify the licensing offer and adapt it to the growing importance of artificial intelligence, automation and data analytics in the cloud. In practice, this means that:

  • Power BI Premium in the P-SKU model is no longer available for new customers,
  • existing users cannot extend this subscription after the end of their current contract,
  • all capacities must be migrated to Microsoft Fabric.

After the P-SKU expires, users still have some time to migrate, but it is limited:

  • for 30 days free Microsoft Fabric capacity is available, corresponding to the previous P-SKU – this is the time to migrate without having to pay for two capacities at the same time,
  • you can access Power BI data for 90 days – after this time the data may be blocked,
  • after 30 days from the end of your P-SKU subscription, interactive actions may be delayed (up to 20 seconds), and after 90 days, capacity may be completely frozen.

For companies that use Power BI Premium in their daily work – whether for reporting, data analysis, or report sharing – this is a signal that it is time to act. A properly planned migration from Power BI Premium to Fabric is a way to avoid disruptions and secure the continuity of analytical tools.

What is Microsoft Fabric and why should you migrate?

Microsoft Fabric is much more than just a new way of billing services. It is a completely new data and analytics platform that integrates various tools and functionalities into one, coherent environment. Within one system, the following are available:

  • Power BI – enables quick creation of interactive reports based on data from OneLake, supporting business decisions.
  • Data Factory – allows you to easily retrieve and transform data from over 200 sources thanks to built-in integration with Power Query.
  • Real-Time Intelligence – is used to analyze and act on streaming data in real time, without the need for programming.
  • Data Engineering – provides a Spark environment for processing large data sets with the ability to schedule tasks.
  • Data Science – enables the creation and implementation of AI models that can be directly integrated with Power BI reports.
  • Data Warehouse – modern data warehouse SQL with the ability to independently scale and store data in the Delta Lake format.
  • Databases – enables replication of data from other systems (e.g. Azure SQL, Snowflake) directly to OneLake.

By integrating these components, Microsoft Fabric provides greater flexibility, scalability, automation, and AI capabilities.

Additionally, Microsoft Fabric Capacity (F-SKU) introduces new benefits not previously available in Power BI Premium, such as:

  • trusted access to workspace – increasing the security of operations and access control,
  • Managed Private Endpoints – enabling secure connections to Spark services,
  • MACC (Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment) compliance – which allows Fabric spend to be counted towards Azure commitments,
  • full integration with the Azure cloud and readiness to use solutions based on AI in Business Intelligence.

Migrating from Power BI Premium to Fabric is not just a formality. It is a step towards a modern, integrated approach to data in the organization. For companies that want to increase the efficiency of analyses, shorten the time it takes to prepare reports and provide themselves with access to the latest technologies, Microsoft Fabric is a natural path of development.

What is the migration process from Power BI Premium to Fabric?

Migrating from Power BI Premium to Microsoft Fabric is a process that, although it requires careful planning, can be smooth if you approach it step by step. The most important thing is not to leave things to the last minute and to understand well what steps are necessary to avoid interruptions in access to reports or unnecessary costs.

Key stages of the migration process:

  • Purchase of F-SKU capacity – this is the first and basic step. Microsoft Fabric uses a new licensing model, so it is necessary to purchase the appropriate capacity, adapted to the needs of the organization.
  • Assign workspaces to new capacity – Workspaces that were previously assigned to P-SKUs now need to be moved to Fabric capacity. These resources will operate under the new rules.
  • Testing and verifying report performance – after migration, it is worth checking whether all reports, dashboards and data sets are working correctly and efficiently. This is a stage that allows you to catch any errors before returning to daily work.
  • Adjusting governance and security policies – changing capacity is a good time to review access policies, permissions, and workspace structure and unify them according to best practices.
  • Eliminate the risk of double billing – Microsoft offers 30 days of free Fabric capacity after your P-SKU subscription ends, allowing you to avoid paying for two models at once.

For larger organizations with many workspaces and users, automatic migration tools are helpful. Microsoft provides features that allow you to transfer resources in bulk, which significantly reduces time and the risk of errors.

How to prepare to ensure safe and smooth migration?

While migration can technically be quick, the success of the entire process depends on preparation. Every organization operates differently, so the migration plan should be tailored to its specific needs.

Where to start?

Preferably from Power BI Premium environment audit, which allows you to thoroughly understand the current structure of workspaces, who uses which reports and which processes depend on the data.

Next steps

  • Asset Analysis – Identify which reports, datasets, and analytical models need to be migrated.
  • Fabric Capacity Planning – Determine what capacity will be appropriate for current and future system load.
  • Impact on users – assess how the migration will affect the daily work of your teams. Will training be necessary? Will users need to change the way they use reports?

A well-prepared schedule of activities allows for a calm and controlled transition – without the risk of something being missed or disruptions in the work of operational or management departments.

Power BI Premium to Fabric Migration FAQs

What happens if I don’t migrate on time?

After your P-SKU subscription ends, you still have 30 days of free Fabric capacity and 90 days of access to Power BI data. After that time, user actions will be intentionally slowed down (e.g., delays of up to 20 seconds), and then capacity may be completely blocked.

Do I have to pay for both models at the same time?

No. Microsoft has introduced a 30-day free Fabric capacity period that automatically starts after your P-SKU expires. This is the time you can safely migrate without incurring duplicate costs.

Will Power BI Report Server continue to be available?

Yes. Power BI Report Server is still part of the offering – it is currently available, among others, as part of selected Microsoft Fabric licenses, e.g. when purchasing Fabric 64 SKU Reserved Instance or as part of SQL Server Enterprise core license with Software Assurance.

How can EBIS help you migrate to Microsoft Fabric?

Migrating from Power BI Premium to Microsoft Fabric doesn’t have to be difficult – as long as it goes according to plan. At EBIS, we know how important it is to keep your reporting systems up and running and secure your data, which is why we’ve prepared a 2-week Fabric migration support program.

As part of the program:

With EBIS support, you can be sure that your migration will be smooth, in line with best practices and fully tailored to the specifics of your company.

Don’t wait until the last minute to migrate to Fabric!

Migrating from Power BI Premium to Fabric is more than just changing your license. It’s an opportunity to develop analytics, increase flexibility, and prepare your organization for new challenges. It’s worth approaching this process strategically – with enough advance planning and expert support.

👉 Contact the EBIS team to plan a safe and effective transition to Microsoft Fabric. Fill out the contact form and schedule a free consultation – together we will plan every step of your migration. | CONTACT