Testing Security & Validating RLS in Power BI

Once you have defined Row-Level Security (RLS) roles and authored DAX filters in Power BI Desktop, you must test and validate the security rules thoroughly before deploying the report to production. Publishing untested RLS rules can expose sensitive financial figures or salary records to unauthorized personnel.

1. The "View as" Feature in Power BI Desktop

Power BI Desktop includes a built-in simulation tool called View as (formerly "Test as role") that allows developers to experience the report through the eyes of any role or specific user:

Steps to Test a Static Role:

1. 1
   In Power BI Desktop, go to the Modeling ribbon tab.
2. 2
   Click View as (located directly next to Manage Roles).
3. 3
   Check the box corresponding to the role you wish to validate (e.g., North_Region_Manager).
4. 4
   Click OK.
5. 5
   Observe the top notification banner: "Now viewing as: North_Region_Manager".
6. 6
   Inspect all cards, charts, and matrices. Verify that:

• Only North region records appear.
• Total cards reflect only North regional metrics.
• Slicers only display options relevant to that role.

1. 1
   To return to standard view, click Stop viewing on the yellow top banner.

2. Testing Security in the Power BI Service

Testing inside Power BI Desktop validates the DAX formula logic. However, you must also test role membership in the Power BI cloud:

1. 1
   Open app.powerbi.com and navigate to your workspace.
2. 2
   Locate the dataset, click More options (...), and select Security.
3. 3
   Hover over the role name, click the three dots (...), and select Test as role.
4. 4
   Power BI will open the live report with that role's security context applied.
5. 5
   You can also type a colleague's email address into the header search bar to test how dynamic RLS evaluates their specific permissions.

3. Critical Security Gotcha: Workspace Permissions