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Compare editions: add a full feature matrix, keep scenarios separate
Connectivity is no longer the main difference between the editions, so the page
now has two parts: the scenario matrix it always had, minus the three feature
rows that had drifted into it, and a new feature matrix covering editing and
refreshing, modeling features, the AI governance and audit controls, and the
licensing and support benefits, plus a list of what every edition includes.
The matrix is taken from the license-driven feature switches, so it also records
that Trial and Consultancy licenses carry the Enterprise feature set, and that an
upgrade takes effect without restarting.
Modeling Restrictions gains a Desktop column and no longer implies that
DirectQuery is restricted by the Tabular Editor 3 edition - that one depends on
the server - and says what happens when a model acquires a restricted feature
while it is open.
Copy file name to clipboardExpand all lines: content/getting-started/editions.md
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@@ -17,9 +17,14 @@ This document provides an overview and comparison of the different editions of T
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> [!NOTE]
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> Tabular Editor 3 licenses are **per developer**. In other words, only the persons who use the Tabular Editor 3 product will need a license.
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The editions differ in two ways: **which data modeling scenarios** they support - that is, where the model you are editing may live - and **which features** are available once it is open. The two sections below cover each in turn. Anything not listed in either is available in every edition.
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> [!TIP]
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> Upgrading a license takes effect straight away. Activate the new key under **Help > About Tabular Editor**, and the features it unlocks are available without restarting Tabular Editor 3.
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## Supported Data Modeling Scenarios
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The main difference between the various editions of Tabular Editor 3, is which types of tabular data modeling scenarios they support. To understand this difference, consider that Analysis Services (Tabular) exists in a number of different "flavors":
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The first difference between the editions is which types of tabular data modeling scenarios they support. To understand this difference, consider that Analysis Services (Tabular) exists in a number of different "flavors":
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- Power BI Desktop (make sure you understand the [limitations](xref:desktop-limitations))
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- Power BI Premium through the XMLA Endpoint (Premium Per User, **Premium Capacity [A, EM or P SKUs]**, **Fabric Capacity [F SKUs]**)
@@ -55,62 +60,103 @@ Please refer to the matrix below for the full overview of supported scenarios:
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|Power BI Premium Capacity (P SKUs)|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Power BI Embedded Capacity (A/EM SKUs)|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
\***Note:** Enterprise Edition is required if the Analysis Services data model contains perspectives or tables with multiple partitions (does not apply to Power BI Desktop or Power BI Premium Per User models).
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\*\***Note:** Supported file formats are: **.pbip** (Power BI Project) **.pbit** (Power BI Template), **.bim** (Analysis Services model metadata), **.vpax** (VertiPaq Analyzer) and **database.json** (Tabular Editor folder structure), **TMDL** (Tabular Model Definition Language).
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\*\*\***Note:** Workspace Mode allows Tabular Editor 3 to simultaneously save model metadata to disk and synchronize a database on any of the editions of Analysis Services or Power BI supported by the Tabular Editor 3 edition purchased.
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## Modeling Restrictions
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## Feature availability
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We restrict a few data modeling operations inside Tabular Editor 3 as well, corresponding to the restrictions on certain Microsoft service tiers (Azure Analysis Services *Basic Tier*, SQL Server Analysis Services *Standard Edition*, and Power BI *Premium-Per-User*).
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Beyond the scenarios above, these are the features whose availability depends on the edition. Trial and Consultancy licenses carry the Enterprise Edition feature set.
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Specifically, [Azure AS Basic Tier and SQL Server Standard Edition does not support perspectives, multiple partitions or DirectQuery](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/analysis-services/), and as such, SSAS/Azure AS models using these features require TE3 Enterprise Edition.
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### Editing and refreshing
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Similarly, [Power BI Premium-Per-User workspaces do not support Direct Lake datasets](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/enterprise/directlake-overview#prerequisites), which is why Power BI models using this feature also requires TE3 Enterprise Edition.
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|Feature|Desktop|Business|Enterprise|
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|---|---|---|---|
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|[Save with supporting files](xref:save-with-supporting-files) for Fabric|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|[Advanced Refresh dialog](xref:advanced-refresh) and [refresh override profiles](xref:refresh-overrides)|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Automatic metadata backups on save and deploy|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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Ordinary refresh commands, and everything else in the refresh menu, are available in every edition. The three rows above are unavailable in Desktop Edition because that edition works only against a live Power BI Desktop model, with no model files of its own.
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|Model type|Feature|Business|Enterprise|
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### Modeling features
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|Feature|Desktop|Business|Enterprise|
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|---|---|---|---|
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|Azure AS / SSAS|Perspectives|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Azure AS / SSAS|Multiple partitions|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Azure AS / SSAS|DirectQuery*|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
|Perspectives in an Analysis Services model\*|N/A|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Tables with multiple partitions in an Analysis Services model\*|N/A|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Perspectives and multiple partitions in a Power BI model|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Direct Lake tables|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|[Semantic Bridge](xref:semantic-bridge) for Databricks Metric Views|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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\***Note:**Analysis Services on SQL Server Standard Edition pre-2019 does not support DirectQuery. Nor does Azure AS Basic Tier. [Learn more](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/analysis-services/analysis-services-features-by-edition?view=asallproducts-allversions#tabular-models).
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\***Note:**Desktop Edition cannot open Analysis Services models at all, which is why these two rows do not apply to it. See [Modeling Restrictions](#modeling-restrictions) below for what happens when a model uses one of these features on an edition that does not allow it.
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\*\***Note:** Perspectives and multiple partitions are available in Business Edition for Power BI models, but the model's `CompatibilityMode` must be set to `PowerBI`. See [Change compatibility mode](xref:change-compatibility-mode) for instructions.
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The Semantic Bridge row covers the **Import from Metric View YAML...** command and the `SemanticBridge` object in [C# scripts](xref:csharp-scripts); on a lower edition the menu item is not shown, and a script that reaches for the service reports that it is unavailable at your license level.
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If you attempt to open a model that uses one or more of the modeling restrictions listed above, while on a TE3 Business Edition license, you will see the error message below:
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### AI Assistant, MCP server and administrator policies
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The [AI Assistant](xref:ai-assistant) and the [MCP server](xref:mcp-server) themselves are available in every edition. What Enterprise Edition adds is the ability to govern them centrally, and a record of what they did.
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|Feature|Desktop|Business|Enterprise|
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|---|---|---|---|
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|AI Assistant and MCP server|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|General administrator [policies](xref:policies), such as turning off updates, telemetry, scripts, macros or AI entirely|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Capping what the AI Assistant and the MCP server may reach, per resource|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Locking the AI provider, endpoint, model, organization and project, or restricting them to an allowlist|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Publishing Custom Instructions for the organization, and ruling out the ones a user keeps|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Withholding individual MCP tools, and fixing the MCP server port|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Allowing only C# scripts and macros that stay within the model (`BlockUnsafeScripts`)|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|A local audit record of AI Assistant and MCP server activity|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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> [!IMPORTANT]
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> The Enterprise policies are never quietly ignored on an edition that is not licensed for them. If any of their values is set on a machine running Desktop or Business Edition, the AI Assistant and the MCP server refuse to start and name the values that require Enterprise Edition, and a `BlockUnsafeScripts` value stops every script and macro from running until an Enterprise license is activated. Roll them out against the licenses you actually have. See @policies.
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Apart from the modeling restrictions above, the editions differ only in the administrator controls described below.
|**Help > Dedicated Support** for contacting our support team directly|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Simultaneous installations per user|1|2|3|
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Most of the [policies](xref:policies) an IT department can deploy - turning off updates, error reports, telemetry, C# scripts, macros, the web DAX formatter, the DAX Optimizer integration, the DAX Package Manager or all AI functionality - apply in every edition of Tabular Editor 3.
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The DAX Optimizer *integration* itself is in every edition; what Enterprise Edition adds is eligibility for a redemption code that gives you DAX Optimizer access at no extra cost.
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The controls that govern *how* a feature may be used, rather than whether it exists at all, require Enterprise Edition:
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### Available in every edition
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| Control | Business | Enterprise |
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| Capping what the AI Assistant and the MCP server may reach, per resource |<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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| Locking the AI provider, endpoint, model and organization, or restricting them to an allowlist |<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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| Publishing Custom Instructions for the organization, and ruling out the user's own |<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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| Withholding individual MCP tools, and fixing the MCP server port |<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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| Allowing only C# scripts and macros that stay within the model (`BlockUnsafeScripts`) |<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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| A local audit record of AI Assistant and MCP server activity |<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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Everything else is the same whichever edition you hold, including the DAX editor and IntelliSense-like [code assist](xref:code-actions), [DAX queries](xref:dax-query) and the [DAX debugger](xref:dax-debugger), [DAX scripts](xref:dax-scripts) and [user-defined functions](xref:udfs), [C# scripts](xref:csharp-scripts) and [macros](xref:macros), the [Best Practice Analyzer](xref:using-bpa) with its [built-in rules](xref:built-in-bpa-rules), the [Perspective Editor](xref:perspective-editor), the [Metadata Translation Editor](xref:metadata-translation-editor), the [Calendar Editor](xref:calendars), [table groups](xref:table-groups), [diagrams](xref:diagram-view), [data preview](xref:table-preview) and [pivot grids](xref:pivot-grid), the VertiPaq Analyzer integration, the [DAX Package Manager](xref:dax-package-manager), the [Table Import Wizard](xref:import-tables) and [unsaved change indicators](xref:unsaved-changes).
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These policies are never quietly ignored on an edition that is not licensed for them. If any of their values is set on a machine running Desktop or Business Edition, the AI Assistant and the MCP server refuse to start and say which values require Enterprise Edition, and a `BlockUnsafeScripts` value stops every script and macro from running until an Enterprise license is activated. Set them against the licenses you actually have. See @policies.
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## Modeling Restrictions
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We restrict a few data modeling operations inside Tabular Editor 3 as well, corresponding to the restrictions on certain Microsoft service tiers (Azure Analysis Services *Basic Tier*, SQL Server Analysis Services *Standard Edition*, and Power BI *Premium-Per-User*).
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Specifically, [Azure AS Basic Tier and SQL Server Standard Edition do not support perspectives or multiple partitions](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/analysis-services/), and as such, SSAS/Azure AS models using these features require TE3 Enterprise Edition. DirectQuery is not restricted by your Tabular Editor 3 edition at all: whether you can use it depends on the server the model is hosted on.
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Similarly, [Power BI Premium-Per-User workspaces do not support Direct Lake datasets](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/enterprise/directlake-overview#prerequisites), which is why Power BI models using this feature also requires TE3 Enterprise Edition.
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|Model type|Feature|Desktop|Business|Enterprise|
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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|Azure AS / SSAS|Perspectives|N/A|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Azure AS / SSAS|Multiple partitions|N/A|<spanclass="emoji">❌</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
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|Azure AS / SSAS|DirectQuery*|N/A|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|<spanclass="emoji">✔</span>|
\***Note:** Analysis Services on SQL Server Standard Edition pre-2019 does not support DirectQuery. Nor does Azure AS Basic Tier. [Learn more](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/analysis-services/analysis-services-features-by-edition?view=asallproducts-allversions#tabular-models).
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\*\***Note:** Perspectives and multiple partitions are available in Business Edition for Power BI models, but the model's `CompatibilityMode` must be set to `PowerBI`. See [Change compatibility mode](xref:change-compatibility-mode) for instructions.
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Desktop Edition works only against a live Power BI Desktop model, which is why the Analysis Services rows do not apply to it.
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If you attempt to open a model that uses one or more of the modeling restrictions listed above, while on a TE3 Business Edition license, you will see the error message below:
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A model that acquires one of these while you are editing it is not silently mangled either: the save is refused, and the message names the feature and, for multiple partitions, the tables in question. Adding a perspective to an Analysis Services model is prevented up front - the **Perspectives** folder is not shown in the TOM Explorer and the command to create one is unavailable.
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> [!IMPORTANT]
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> Tabular Editor can only be used as an external tool for Power BI Desktop when the Power BI report (.pbix, .pbip or .pbit) file contains a data model (Import, DirectQuery or Composite). **Reports using Live connection are not supported** since these reports do not contain a data model. [More information](xref:desktop-limitations).
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