1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,640 Welcome back to another Knowledge Nugget. 2 00:00:01,640 --> 00:00:03,960 I'm Merco Peters from M365FM. 3 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:05,920 And today we're tackling a big question. 4 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:07,840 You've probably heard the buzz about Fabric Apps. 5 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,760 People are saying, "Fabric Apps for Places Power BI." 6 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,440 Goodbye, Power BI reports. 7 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,120 The end of business intelligence. 8 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:16,240 I've watched those videos, I've read those posts, 9 00:00:16,240 --> 00:00:17,480 so let me give you the straight answer, 10 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:19,960 the hype is real, but you need the context. 11 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,040 Is Fabric Apps really the end of Power BI? 12 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:23,040 Let's cut through it. 13 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:24,240 By the end of this episode, 14 00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:25,960 you'll know exactly what a Fabric app is 15 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:28,600 where it fits next to Power BI and whether you should care. 16 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,040 The answer isn't as simple as yes or no. 17 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:32,320 What is a Fabric app? 18 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:34,200 So let's start with the simplest definition. 19 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:36,200 A Fabric app is a managed web application 20 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,320 that runs inside Microsoft Fabric. 21 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:39,880 That word "managed" is the key. 22 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:41,600 It means Fabric handles the hard parts, 23 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:42,720 so you don't have to. 24 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:44,560 Think of it like renting a furnished apartment 25 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:46,680 versus building a house from scratch. 26 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,320 When you build a house, you're responsible for everything. 27 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,080 The foundation, the plumbing, the electrical wiring, 28 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:52,920 the permits. 29 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:54,160 When you rent a furnished apartment, 30 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,480 you walk in, the lights work, the water runs, 31 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:58,160 and you just need to bring your furniture. 32 00:00:58,160 --> 00:00:59,280 Fabric apps is like that. 33 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,320 Microsoft provides the backend, the servers, 34 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,360 the database, the security, the hosting, 35 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:04,720 and you just build the front end. 36 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:06,520 The part people actually see and interact with. 37 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:07,360 Here's the thing. 38 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,760 Fabric apps is a new item type in Fabric workspaces. 39 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,200 If you've used Fabric before, 40 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:12,520 you've probably seen items like 41 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,240 Lake Houses, notebooks, or Power BI reports. 42 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,200 Fabric apps sits right alongside those. 43 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,960 It's just another kind of thing you can create in a workspace. 44 00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:22,760 But instead of storing data or running transformations, 45 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:24,120 it's for building applications. 46 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:25,200 You get two main options. 47 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:26,680 First, the data app. 48 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,240 This connects directly to an existing Power BI 49 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:30,000 semantic model. 50 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:31,480 So if you've already built a data model 51 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:32,880 with measures and relationships, 52 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:34,720 you can plug a Fabric app right into it. 53 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:36,120 Second, the blank app. 54 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:38,600 This one comes with its own SQL database 55 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:40,640 and you define the schema yourself. 56 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:42,640 Both are useful, just for different scenarios. 57 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:43,720 So why does this matter? 58 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,560 Before Fabric apps, if you wanted to build a data-driven web 59 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:48,920 application, you had to manage a lot of stuff yourself. 60 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:52,360 You needed a server and API, authentication and hosting. 61 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:53,800 That's a lot of moving parts. 62 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,040 And each one is a potential point of failure. 63 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:58,160 Fabric apps packages all of that into one service. 64 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,960 And you create the app and Fabric sets up everything automatically. 65 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,400 You get a SQL database, a GraphQL API, authentication 66 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,840 through Microsoft Entra ID and static hosting 67 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,560 for your front-end files, all of it, out of the box. 68 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:11,040 What this means for you is simple. 69 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:12,800 You can build a real working application 70 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,800 without being a full stack developer. 71 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:16,600 You don't need to know how to set up a server, 72 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,480 configure an API gateway, or manage user sessions. 73 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:20,880 Fabric handles all of that. 74 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,920 You just need to focus on the part that matters. 75 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:27,360 What your app looks like and what it does. 76 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:28,360 The building blocks. 77 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,040 Let's break down those four pieces I mentioned, 78 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:31,520 because this is where you'll really understand 79 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,840 what Fabric apps is doing behind the scenes. 80 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,480 First up is the SQL database, the place where your app's data 81 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:36,840 lives. 82 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:39,520 It's a transactional database, so it handles reads and writes. 83 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,800 You can insert new records, update existing ones, 84 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:42,880 or delete things. 85 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,520 It works exactly like a normal SQL server database. 86 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:47,920 So if you've used that before, you already know the drill. 87 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:49,800 The difference here is you don't have to set it up. 88 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,360 Fabric creates it automatically when you create the app. 89 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,120 Next is the GraphQL API. 90 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,520 Think of this as the messenger between your apps front 91 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:57,920 end and the database. 92 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:01,000 When your app needs to show data, it sends a query through the API 93 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,160 and the API fetches that data from the database 94 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:04,160 and sends it back. 95 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,800 When a user submits a form or updates a record, 96 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,200 the API takes that data and writes it to the database. 97 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,480 GraphQL is a modern way of building APIs. 98 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,600 You ask for exactly the data you need, nothing more, 99 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,680 nothing less, efficient and flexible. 100 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,400 Then there's authentication handled by Microsoft EntraID, 101 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,880 which used to be called Azure Active Directory. 102 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:23,360 When someone tries to use your app, 103 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:25,760 they have to sign in with their Microsoft Work or School 104 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:26,280 account. 105 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:28,200 Fabric handles the entire login process. 106 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,600 It checks that the person is who they say they are 107 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,320 and confirms they have permission to access the app. 108 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,760 You don't need to build a login screen, manage passwords, 109 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:37,320 or worry about security. 110 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:38,360 It's all built in. 111 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:40,280 Finally, static hosting. 112 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,320 This is where your apps front end files live. 113 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,840 The HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that make up the user interface. 114 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:47,680 Fabric serves these files from a URL, 115 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,400 so users can access the app from their browser. 116 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:52,520 When you make changes, you deploy the new files 117 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,160 and Fabric updates the hosted version automatically. 118 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:56,120 Now, here's the thing. 119 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,200 You don't need to become a developer to use this. 120 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,160 The templates handle most of the setup. 121 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:01,400 When you create a new Fabric app, 122 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,200 you can start from a template that already 123 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,160 has authentication wired up, the API configured, 124 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:07,640 and a basic front-end structure. 125 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:08,640 You just customize it. 126 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,600 The rule magic is that these pieces work together automatically. 127 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,320 You create the app and Fabric provisions the database, 128 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:16,720 sets up the API, configures authentication, 129 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,120 and prepares the hosting all in the background. 130 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:20,640 You don't have to connect them manually 131 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:22,840 or write configuration files. 132 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:23,600 It just works. 133 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:24,520 So those are the pieces. 134 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,320 But how do they actually connect to the data you already have? 135 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,480 That's what we'll cover next, how it connects to your data. 136 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:33,600 So you've got this app with a database, an API, 137 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:35,440 authentication, and hosting. 138 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,200 But where does your actual data come from? 139 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:38,600 Because honestly, you probably already 140 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:40,480 have data sitting somewhere in Fabric. 141 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,120 Maybe you've got a semantic model with carefully built measures. 142 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:44,800 Maybe you've got data in a lake house. 143 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,120 Fabric apps doesn't make you start from scratch. 144 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:48,880 It connects to what you already have, 145 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:50,280 and there are two ways to do it. 146 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:52,360 Option one is the data app template. 147 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,680 This connects your app directly to an existing Power BI 148 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:55,600 semantic model. 149 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,000 All those measures you build, all those relationships 150 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,840 you defined, all those calculations, 151 00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:02,360 they're available to your app through DAX queries. 152 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,200 Your app can show the exact same numbers as your Power BI report. 153 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:06,800 But in a completely custom interface, 154 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,960 you're not limited to Power BI's visual controls. 155 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,880 You can build your own charts, layouts, and interactions. 156 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,480 The data underneath is the same-governed trusted model 157 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:15,600 you already have. 158 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:17,040 This is powerful because you don't have 159 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,040 to rebuild your business logic. 160 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,840 If you've spent months getting a measure exactly right, 161 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,400 calculating revenue the way your finance team wants it, 162 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,720 handling currency conversions, applying the correct filters, 163 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:29,040 that work carries over. 164 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,600 Your app just queries the model and gets the right answer. 165 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,280 And because it's the same model, your Power BI report 166 00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:36,360 and your Fabric app will always agree. 167 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,880 No more, the report says one thing, but the app says another. 168 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:41,480 Option two is the blank app template. 169 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,880 This one creates its own SQL database inside the app. 170 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,160 You define your schema using TypeScript in the code 171 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,760 and Fabric creates the database tables for you automatically. 172 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:51,720 This is the right choice when you're building an app 173 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,560 that needs to store its own data, maybe a to-do list, 174 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,760 an inventory tracker, a simple CRM. 175 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:58,640 The data lives in the app's database 176 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:00,920 and your app reads and writes to it directly. 177 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:02,200 Here's something interesting. 178 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:05,440 That SQL database also has a read-only analytics endpoint. 179 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:07,960 Fabric automatically mirrors a copy of your operational data 180 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,120 into one lake and that endpoint sits on top of that copy. 181 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:12,920 So while your app is doing transactional work, 182 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:14,760 creating orders, updating records, 183 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,880 the analytics endpoint lets you build Power BI reports 184 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,760 on that same data without affecting your app's performance. 185 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,000 It's like getting a reporting layer for free. 186 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,960 So to summarize, if you already have a semantic model, 187 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:27,680 use the data app template. 188 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,360 If you're building something new that needs its own storage, 189 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,200 use the blank app template. 190 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:33,800 Both paths lead to the same place, 191 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,400 a working application connected to your data. 192 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:38,320 Fabric apps versus Power BI. 193 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,720 Fabric apps and Power BI aren't replacements. 194 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:41,520 They're complimentary. 195 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,120 They do different things, so you use both where they fit. 196 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:45,880 Power BI is a business intelligence tool. 197 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,680 It's built for governed reporting, ad hoc analysis, 198 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:50,880 and sharing insights across your organization. 199 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:52,440 When you need to slice data by region 200 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:54,640 and drill into a specific product category, 201 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,120 Power BI does that better than anything else. 202 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,240 When your finance team leads paginated reports, Power BI has that. 203 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,480 When executives want to ask questions in plain English, 204 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,560 Power BI has natural language queries. 205 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,040 It's a mature product with years of development. 206 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,080 Fabric apps is an application development tool. 207 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,560 It's built for custom, user, experiences on top of your data. 208 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,920 When warehouse workers need a form to update inventory levels, 209 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:15,840 that's a fabric app. 210 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:18,040 When you need a dashboard with custom animations 211 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,160 and a layout that matches your brand guidelines, 212 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:21,080 that's a fabric app. 213 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,200 When you need something that feels like a real application, 214 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,480 not a report, that's where Fabric apps comes in. 215 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:27,120 Think of it like a modern office building. 216 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,640 Power BI is the conference room where you analyze data. 217 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,440 You look at the numbers, explore, find insights. 218 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,960 Fabric apps is the front desk where you interact, 219 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,960 enter data, checkers status, complete a task, 220 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,280 different purposes, different experiences, 221 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:42,520 where Power BI shines is analysis. 222 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,840 Cross filtering, drill through natural language queries, 223 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:46,240 paginated reports. 224 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:47,920 These features took years to build. 225 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:49,600 Fabric apps doesn't have them yet, 226 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:51,400 and it probably never will in the same way. 227 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:52,640 That's not what it's for. 228 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:54,600 Where Fabric apps shines is custom experiences. 229 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:56,000 You control the layout completely, 230 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,400 you can add animations, build custom navigation, 231 00:07:58,400 --> 00:07:59,880 create interactions that aren't possible 232 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:01,120 in Power BI's canvas. 233 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:01,920 And here's the key. 234 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:03,960 You can write data back to the database. 235 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:05,680 Power BI reports are read only. 236 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,720 In a Fabric app, users can update records, 237 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:09,520 submit forms, change data. 238 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:10,960 Here's the insight that matters. 239 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,240 The semantic model becomes the shared foundation. 240 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,440 Both tools can use the same governed data. 241 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,920 You build your model once and then Power BI reports 242 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:19,560 and Fabric apps both pull from it. 243 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,680 Your measures are consistent, your security rules are consistent, 244 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:24,680 your data is consistent, the model becomes 245 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:26,080 the single source of truth. 246 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,320 Both tools are just different ways of interacting with it. 247 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,000 So when you hear goodbye Power BI, 248 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,040 what people really mean is, hello, more options. 249 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:34,800 They're not saying Power BI is dead, 250 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:37,440 they're saying they have another way to build on their data. 251 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:39,680 And for Power BI users, here's the real takeaway. 252 00:08:39,680 --> 00:08:42,280 Your skills become more valuable, not less. 253 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:45,000 Data modeling, DAX, understanding business logic, 254 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,600 these are the foundation that makes Fabric apps work. 255 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:49,480 Without a good semantic model, your Fabric app 256 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:50,760 has nothing to connect to. 257 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:52,200 The people who understand the data 258 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,040 will be the ones building the best apps. 259 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:56,440 What you can actually build? 260 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:57,600 Let's make this real. 261 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,520 What does a Fabric app actually look like in practice? 262 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:02,240 What kind of things can you build with it? 263 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:04,800 One common use case is an inventory management dashboard 264 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:05,840 with write back. 265 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:07,480 Imagine you're running a warehouse. 266 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,880 Products come in and go out, stock levels change throughout the day. 267 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,360 In a traditional Power BI report, you can see the data, 268 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:14,640 but you can't act on it. 269 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:16,120 If you notice a product is running low, 270 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:18,680 you have to open a separate system to place an order. 271 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:20,560 With a Fabric app, you build a dashboard 272 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:23,080 where you click a button in the stock updates right there. 273 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:24,560 The data flows back to the database. 274 00:09:24,560 --> 00:09:26,360 The next time someone opens the report, 275 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:27,680 the numbers have changed. 276 00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:29,880 Another example is internal operational dashboards 277 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:31,200 for specific teams. 278 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,040 HR might want a tool for tracking employee onboarding. 279 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,280 Finance might want a dashboard for expensive approvals. 280 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,560 Logistics might want a real time view of shipments. 281 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:40,440 These are things you could build with Power BI, 282 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:41,720 but they'd be read only. 283 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,120 With a Fabric app, each team gets a custom interface 284 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:45,720 that matches how they actually work. 285 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:47,480 Forms, buttons, status updates, 286 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:49,640 and it feels like a real application, not a report. 287 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:51,000 There's also rapid prototyping. 288 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:52,800 This is where Fabric apps really shines. 289 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:54,760 You can go from an idea to a working app 290 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:56,200 in hours instead of weeks. 291 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,560 Let's say your team needs a tool to track customer feedback. 292 00:09:59,560 --> 00:10:01,760 In the old world, you'd submit a request to IT, 293 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:03,800 wait for a developer to become available, 294 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:04,880 go through a design review, 295 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:06,880 and eventually get something months later. 296 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:09,520 With Fabric apps, you can build a prototype in an afternoon. 297 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,120 It might not be perfect, but it's good enough 298 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,280 to test with real users and get feedback. 299 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,000 And if it works, you can polish it into a production app. 300 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,040 Data exploration tools are another good fit. 301 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:21,080 If you've got a semantic model with lots of interesting data, 302 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,160 you can build a custom interface for exploring it. 303 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,040 Maybe you want a dashboard that lets executives browse sales data 304 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,000 by region with a clean layout 305 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:29,480 that matches your company's branding. 306 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,360 Power BI can do this, but you're limited to its visual controls. 307 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,560 With a Fabric app, you control every pixel. 308 00:10:34,560 --> 00:10:37,200 The layout, the colors, the interactions, all custom. 309 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:38,640 Let me give you a real example. 310 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:42,280 One company used Fabric apps to build a real-time inventory tracker 311 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:43,600 for their warehouse team. 312 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,320 Before this, the warehouse team was working 313 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,640 with spreadsheets that were updated once a day. 314 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,640 By the time they saw the numbers, they were already outdated. 315 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,120 The Fabric app connected to their SQL database 316 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,160 showed livestock levels and let workers update quantities 317 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:57,240 as items moved. 318 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,000 It replaced a system that took weeks to build 319 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,520 with something that took a few days. 320 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,360 Another team built a flight tracking app. 321 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,160 They had a SQL database with flight schedules, delays, 322 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:06,280 and data assignments. 323 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:07,840 The Fabric app read from that database 324 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:10,400 and displayed everything in a clean interface. 325 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,160 As new data came in, the app updated automatically. 326 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,560 The team didn't need to manage a server or build an API. 327 00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:18,080 They just created the app, connected it to their database, 328 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:19,080 and it worked. 329 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,000 The key insight here is that these are apps 330 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,760 that would have taken weeks or months to build from scratch. 331 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:25,520 Now they're possible in a few days. 332 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:27,280 That's the promise of Fabric apps. 333 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:29,600 Not that it replaces everything you already do, 334 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,480 but that it makes new things possible. 335 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:33,640 The limitations. 336 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:35,920 Now before you start planning your next big project, 337 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:37,200 let's talk about the boundaries. 338 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:39,120 Fabric apps is powerful, but it's not magic 339 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,040 and it's not ready for everything just yet. 340 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:42,720 The biggest thing to know is that fabric apps 341 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:43,920 is still in public preview. 342 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,200 That means things can change, features can break, 343 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,080 and the documentation might not be complete. 344 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:49,920 Microsoft is still figuring out what works. 345 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:51,680 So if you build something today, 346 00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:52,840 you might have to rebuild it 347 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:55,120 when the feature reaches general availability. 348 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:56,840 That's the nature of preview software. 349 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:57,840 It's great for learning, 350 00:11:57,840 --> 00:11:59,600 but you probably don't want to bet your entire business 351 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:00,600 on it just yet. 352 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:01,760 Second limitation. 353 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:04,760 Authentication is limited to EntraID single sign on. 354 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,520 The Microsoft login system for work and school accounts. 355 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,400 You cannot add guest users, allow anonymous access, 356 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:12,320 or use a custom authentication provider. 357 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,240 This means your apps are only for internal users. 358 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:16,080 You can't share them with customers or partners. 359 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:17,880 If you need a customer facing dashboard, 360 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,200 power BI embedded is still the way to go. 361 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,280 Fabric apps is for your organization's people 362 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,280 and only your organization's people. 363 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:25,480 Third, cost. 364 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:27,680 Fabric apps runs on your existing fabric capacity, 365 00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:28,880 but it's not free. 366 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:30,680 Every query, every API call, 367 00:12:30,680 --> 00:12:34,280 every file served consumes capacity units or CUs. 368 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:35,920 If you're on a small plan like F2, 369 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,040 which costs about $260 a month, 370 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,000 you need to watch your usage carefully. 371 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,000 A few heavy queries can eat up your capacity quickly, 372 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:44,600 and if you're using AI coding agents 373 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,000 to help build your app, those costs tokens too. 374 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,960 You can burn through a monthly budget faster than you'd expect. 375 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:52,280 Fourth, no built-in support for complex, 376 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,000 multi-step transactions or stored procedures. 377 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:56,320 If your app needs to do something 378 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,640 like charge a credit card, update inventory, 379 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:00,920 and send a confirmation email as a single operation, 380 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,920 Fabric apps doesn't handle that natively. 381 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:04,320 You need to build that logic yourself 382 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:05,520 or use a different tool. 383 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:07,200 Fifth, consistency. 384 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,000 When you use AI to generate your app, 385 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,160 every prompt produces a different result. 386 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,640 The same prompt can give you a completely different layout, 387 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:15,400 different colors and different behavior. 388 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:16,760 If you're building multiple apps, 389 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:18,280 they might look nothing alike. 390 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:20,400 You can fix this by defining a design system 391 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:22,200 and being very specific in your prompts, 392 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:23,400 but it takes effort. 393 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,000 And finally, front-end development 394 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,080 still requires some understanding of code. 395 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:30,160 Even with AI help, you need to know enough to guide the process. 396 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:31,720 The AI can write the code, 397 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:33,440 but you need to be able to tell it what you want 398 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:34,960 and recognize when it's gone wrong. 399 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:36,840 If you've never written a line of JavaScript, 400 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:38,360 you'll find this challenging. 401 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:39,480 So what does this mean for you? 402 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,240 Fabric apps is powerful, but it's not a silver bullet. 403 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:43,800 Go in with realistic expectations. 404 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:46,160 Use it for internal tools, prototypes, and apps 405 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:47,800 where you control authentication. 406 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,640 And don't abandon Power BI. 407 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:53,960 It's still the right tool for governed reporting and analysis. 408 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:55,520 How the pieces fit together. 409 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:57,720 Let's step back and look at the whole picture. 410 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,960 This is where the RHA moment happens. 411 00:13:59,960 --> 00:14:01,720 Fabric apps isn't a single product. 412 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:02,720 It's a platform. 413 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:04,880 It takes the data you already have in fabric, 414 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:08,200 your semantic models, your SQL databases, your one-leg storage, 415 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:11,000 and gives you a way to build custom experiences on top. 416 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:12,320 The connection is the key. 417 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:15,080 Your semantic model becomes the single source of truth. 418 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:18,320 Both Power BI and your fabric apps pull from the same model. 419 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:20,200 When you define a measure in that model, 420 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,320 both your report and your app use the same calculation. 421 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:25,320 When you update data in your SQL database, 422 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,800 both your app and your Power BI report reflect the change. 423 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:31,280 No more duplicating logic, no more wondering which version is correct. 424 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:34,040 This is what Microsoft means when they say end to end. 425 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,680 From data ingestion to reporting to custom applications, 426 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:37,840 all in one platform. 427 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,400 The data flows from your source systems into one-leg, 428 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:41,720 gets transformed and modeled, 429 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:43,520 and then surfaces through whatever tool 430 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:45,160 makes sense for the job. 431 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:46,880 Power BI for governed analysis, 432 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:48,840 fabric apps for custom interactions, 433 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:50,600 both build on the same foundation. 434 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,400 For a beginner, the takeaway is simple. 435 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,240 Fabric apps extends what you can do with your data. 436 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:57,240 It doesn't replace what you already have. 437 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:00,080 Think of it as adding a new room to a house you already live in. 438 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,440 The foundation is the same, the plumbing and electrical are the same, 439 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,360 but now you have a new space to use however you want. 440 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:07,440 Your next steps. 441 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,000 So where do you actually start? 442 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,720 Let me walk you through a few concrete steps. 443 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:12,360 If you have a fabric capacity, 444 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:15,280 go enable the fabric apps preview in your tenant settings. 445 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:18,000 It's in the admin portal under tenant settings. 446 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:19,960 You'll need to flip the toggle for fabric apps 447 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:23,240 and also enable the semantic model execute queries rest API 448 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:24,760 without both nothing will work. 449 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,360 Next, create a new workspace and try the blank app template. 450 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:30,520 Don't worry about building anything useful yet. 451 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:31,800 Just go through the process. 452 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,000 Create the app, look at the generated files 453 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,160 and see what gets created in your workspace. 454 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:38,440 The SQL database, the API endpoint, 455 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:39,840 the hosting configuration. 456 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:41,800 Just seeing the structure will help you understand 457 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,440 how it all fits together. 458 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:45,600 If you already have a Power BI semantic model, 459 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,000 try the data app template, 460 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:48,760 connect it to your model and see what happens 461 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:50,960 when the app reads your measures and relationships. 462 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:52,800 You don't need to write any code for this, 463 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:54,560 the template handles everything. 464 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:57,240 Then use an AI coding agent to make small changes 465 00:15:57,240 --> 00:15:59,400 at a filter, a change a color, move a chart. 466 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:01,200 The prompts cost tokens, 467 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,080 but a few small experiments will teach you more 468 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:04,600 than watching 10 tutorials. 469 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:06,840 You'll see how the AI interprets your requests 470 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:08,040 and what kind of results you get. 471 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:10,040 The most important thing you can do right now 472 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,720 is understand where fabric apps fits in your organization. 473 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,200 Identify one use case, 474 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,880 a small internal app that solves a real problem. 475 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,040 Maybe it's a dashboard your team checks every morning 476 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,040 or a form that replaces a spreadsheet. 477 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:22,120 Pick something small, 478 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,680 something you can build in a day or two and try to build it. 479 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,000 One last thing, this is the beginning of something big. 480 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,760 Fabric apps is in preview now, but it will mature. 481 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,080 Getting familiar with it now means you'll be ready 482 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:33,640 when it's ready for production. 483 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:35,320 The people who understand this tool early 484 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,800 will be the ones building the best solutions later. 485 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:38,720 So that's the system. 486 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:40,960 Fabric apps is a new way to build on your data, 487 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,320 not a replacement for the tools you already use. 488 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,320 Learn it, experiment with it, but don't abandon what works. 489 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,440 Subscribe for more plain English breakdowns 490 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:50,000 of Microsoft's data platform 491 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,680 and share this with someone who's confused about the hype, it'll help them too.