PowerBI.tips

Microsoft Fabric

PowerBI.tips isn’t just Power BI — it’s also a one-stop shop for Microsoft Fabric knowledge. We cover what matters (and what to ignore) through practical posts and podcast episodes.

Fabric on the Podcast

Many Explicit Measures episodes focus on Fabric strategy, features, and real-world adoption.

Tools + workflows

We build and share tooling that helps teams create better outcomes faster.

Recent Fabric-related posts

A rolling set of posts and podcast write-ups that mention Fabric.

Fabric as a Backend – Ep.554
Aug 13, 2026
Fabric as a Backend – Ep.554
Mike has been building apps on Fabric as a backend since January, and he's coining it FAB. The case isn't that you already own Fabric — it's that the workspace identity, git integration, and SQL database remove the wiring you'd otherwise do by hand in Azure.
The Hype of Rayfin – Ep.547
Jul 21, 2026
The Hype of Rayfin – Ep.547
Mike is deleting paid subscriptions and rebuilding them as Fabric apps; Tommy wants to know who maintains all this and whether enterprise security teams will ever allow it. Plus the licensing discovery of the episode — agents talking to semantic models over XMLA with no Power BI Pro license required.
Using Harnesses for Fabric Projects – Ep.544
Jul 9, 2026
Using Harnesses for Fabric Projects – Ep.544
A mailbag question about request tracking turns into the clearest description yet of what a working harness contains: skills, agents, organized context, and the ability to talk to other harnesses. Plus Mike hits real Rayfin limitations trying to build a simple forms app.
App Usage in Fabric – Ep.543
Jul 7, 2026
App Usage in Fabric – Ep.543
"I built 35 reports this year." "Did anyone look at them?" Mike and Tommy dig into measuring app usage properly — active users over a rolling window rather than raw opens, tied to the business outcome the app was supposed to move.
Self Service with AI Part 2 – Ep.540
Jun 25, 2026
Self Service with AI Part 2 – Ep.540
Part two picks up at the skills and validation layers of Anthropic's analytics stack, and Tommy arrives at a hot take he'll defend: no agentic solution on your Fabric data until governance is in place. Along the way — why perspectives are Power BI's most untapped feature and why Microsoft needs skills for models.
All About Rayfin – Ep.536
Jun 11, 2026
All About Rayfin – Ep.536
Rayfin lets you build full applications on top of Fabric, and Mike calls it the biggest Microsoft release since Power BI Desktop. This episode covers what Rayfin actually is, why the semantic model matters more than ever, and the handoff problem nobody on your team has solved yet.
Microsoft Build Recap – Ep.535
Jun 10, 2026
Microsoft Build Recap – Ep.535
Mike and Tommy recap Microsoft Build 2026 through a Power BI and Fabric lens, focusing on the announcements that matter most for report builders, semantic models, and agent-driven app development. They unpack why Rayfin, Replit integration, OneLake, and new Fabric skills signal a shift from asking AI for answers toward using agents to create real production artifacts.
CI/CD Automation with Agents – Ep.534
Jun 5, 2026
CI/CD Automation with Agents – Ep.534
Mike and Tommy explore how agents can simplify CI/CD in Fabric by helping teams work through Git workflows, merge conflicts, validation, and deployment automation. They also compare deployment pipelines with Git-based approaches and explain why small, testable automations are the safest way to start.
You Are Wasting Your Time! – Ep.531
May 27, 2026
You Are Wasting Your Time! – Ep.531
Stop wasting time in Fabric by identifying inefficient workflows and adopting better practices. Mike and Tommy discuss OneLake storage reporting, Fabric Jumpstart accelerators, and practical ways to speed up your Fabric development.
Importance of Skills for the Fabric Developer - Ep.528
May 15, 2026
Importance of Skills for the Fabric Developer - Ep.528
In this episode, Mike and Tommy dig into why building the right skills matters for Fabric developers and how that thinking changes what you learn first. They also discuss how to evaluate skill depth, avoid tool-chasing, and create a plan for steady growth.
Semantics Layer Genie & Data Agents - Ep.527
May 13, 2026
Semantics Layer Genie & Data Agents - Ep.527
Mike and Tommy explore what ‘semantic layer genies’ and data agents could mean for Fabric and Power BI teams, from metadata-driven modeling to assisted development workflows. They break down where agents help today, what needs governance, and how to stay practical as the hype accelerates.
Stop Using Bookmarks - Ep.526 - Power BI tips
May 8, 2026
Stop Using Bookmarks - Ep.526 - Power BI tips
In Episode 526 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
Less Guessing? More Building! - Ep.525 - Power BI tips
May 6, 2026
Less Guessing? More Building! - Ep.525 - Power BI tips
In Episode 525 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
Fabric's Most Underrated Features - Ep.524 - Power BI tips
May 1, 2026
Fabric's Most Underrated Features - Ep.524 - Power BI tips
In Episode 524 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
Databricks, Fabric, Development and Vibe - Ep.523 - Power BI tips
Apr 29, 2026
Databricks, Fabric, Development and Vibe - Ep.523 - Power BI tips
In Episode 523 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
Improving Your AI Skills for Fabric - Ep.522 - Power BI tips
Apr 24, 2026
Improving Your AI Skills for Fabric - Ep.522 - Power BI tips
In Episode 522 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
Looking at AI Assisted Development - Ep.521 - Power BI tips
Apr 22, 2026
Looking at AI Assisted Development - Ep.521 - Power BI tips
In Episode 521 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
Why I'm Burning Down Every SaaS Tool In My Business
Apr 21, 2026
Why I'm Burning Down Every SaaS Tool In My Business
A hard look at why rigid SaaS stacks are breaking down, how AI agents are becoming the new interface layer, and what that means for teams building on Microsoft Fabric and Power BI.
Overfed and Sick Golden Datasets - Ep. 520 - Power BI tips
Apr 17, 2026
Overfed and Sick Golden Datasets - Ep. 520 - Power BI tips
In Episode 520 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
Enhancing PBI Reports: Marketing Insights Integration - Ep. 519 - Power BI tips
Apr 15, 2026
Enhancing PBI Reports: Marketing Insights Integration - Ep. 519 - Power BI tips
In Episode 519 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
FABCON 2026 Recap Part 2 - Ep.518 - Power BI tips
Apr 10, 2026
FABCON 2026 Recap Part 2 - Ep.518 - Power BI tips
In Episode 518 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
FABCON 2026 Recap Part 1 - Ep.517 - Power BI tips
Apr 8, 2026
FABCON 2026 Recap Part 1 - Ep.517 - Power BI tips
In Episode 517 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
Subscriptions as a Silent Hero - Ep. 516 - Power BI tips
Apr 3, 2026
Subscriptions as a Silent Hero - Ep. 516 - Power BI tips
In Episode 516 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.
DAX Complexity & Power Query ETL Tips - Ep. 515
Apr 1, 2026
DAX Complexity & Power Query ETL Tips - Ep. 515
In Episode 515 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.