How to build a whitelabel Power BI portal for your clients
Introduction
Clients today expect real-time access to data, not just static reports. Whether you are a consultant, agency or a SaaS provider, offering your clients interactive dasbhoards is no longer a bonus. It’s a key part of delivering value to your customers.
If you’re a marketing agency, your customers are probably asking for regular performance updates. Instead of sending spreadsheets or emails, why not offer a branded dashboards where they can check results anytime?
PowerBI is a great tool to build those dashboards, but sharing them with external users is often frustrating and straight up almost impossible through the default PowerBI service. Especially if you have customers without an Office 365 account, you’re left jumping through hoops with guest access, confusing permissions or costly workarounds.
In this blogpost we’ll show you a better way; how to build a fully branded PowerBI portal. Make client access simple, secure and scalable.
Why whitelabeling matters
In today’s competive landscape, you need to stand out. What will set you apart from the other thousand companies that provide similar services? Clients want constant insights in this fast pacing world.
Whitelabeling in the context of analytics means offering your clients a dashboard experience that looks and feels like it’s part of your own platform. Your logo, your colors, your domain. No Microsoft branding or confusing logins. Just a clean, professional interface that builds trust and reinforces your brand.
This kind of seamless experience helps you stand out from competitors. It gives clients the confidence that you’re in control of the data and the tools, and it reduces unnecessary questions or support requests.
For agencies, consultants, and SaaS providers, whitelabeling turns Power BI from a reporting tool into a strategic advantage that elevates your entire offering.
Traditional options and their limitations
Power BI is a powerful platform, but when it comes to sharing dashboards with people outside your organization—especially clients—it can get complicated fast. Microsoft offers a few options, but each comes with significant trade-offs.
Power BI embedded
Power BI Embedded is a robust option for delivering dashboards in your own application or portal. However, setting it up requires technical expertise. You’ll need to manage Azure capacity, write custom code for embedding, and handle authentication and user access logic yourself.
Publish to web
This method is often used for internal demos or public visualizations, but it’s not a serious option for client-facing reporting. It offers no security, anyone with the link can view the data, and it’s not possible to apply row-level security or user restrictions. That makes it completely unsuitable for sensitive business insights.
Azure B2B / guest access
Inviting users as guests to your Azure Active Directory can work in theory, but in practice it’s often a headache. Clients are forced to use a Microsoft account, which many don’t have. The login experience is confusing, the setup is admin-heavy, and it can result in support tickets and delays.
What to look for in a Whitelabel Power BI portal
A good whitelabel Power BI portal should be easy to set up, no coding, no Azure hassle. You want to connect your reports and start sharing within minutes.
It should offer secure user access and support Row-Level Security (RLS) so each client only sees their own data, without duplicating reports.
Branding matters too. Your logo, colors, and domain should be front and center, not Microsoft’s.
You’ll also need simple user management for both internal and external users and flexible access controls per report or group.
Finally, look for license efficiency. The best platforms let you share reports with dozens (or hundreds) of users while keeping your Power BI licensing under control.
With the right setup, you can offer clients a secure, polished dashboard experience without extra overhead.
How to build it with DataTako
Creating a professional, branded Power BI portal for your clients doesn’t have to be complicated. With DataTako, you can go from setup to sharing dashboards in under an hour, no coding, no Azure setup, and no need to manage Power BI licenses for every user.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Sign up for DataTako
Start by creating an account at https://app.datatako.com/register. You can test the platform with a free trial, no upfront commitment. Once you’re in, you’re ready to connect your Power BI environment.
Step 2: Connect your Power BI workspace
Authorize your Power BI account and select the workspace(s) you want to use. DataTako integrates directly with Microsoft’s API, making it easy to access your reports securely without needing to export or duplicate anything.
Step 3: Set up Row-Level Security (RLS)
RLS is key to ensuring each user only sees their own data. DataTako makes this simple. you define the filters in Power BI as usual, and then assign RLS roles to users directly within the platform.
Step 4: Add clients and assign reports
You can manually invite users or import them in bulk. Assign access to specific reports or groups, and segment clients by company or user group for easier management.
Step 5: Customize the Portal
Make the experience yours. Upload your logo, choose colors, and connect your own domain name. Within minutes, your clients will be logging into a platform that feels like part of your brand, not a Microsoft product.
Step 6: Send secure access to clients
Once everything’s set, invite your clients via email. They’ll get a secure login link, access only the reports you’ve shared with them, and see their filtered data, all inside a sleek, professional environment.
With DataTako, you’re not just embedding dashboards. You’re offering a premium, scalable reporting experience that strengthens your brand and simplifies client communication.
Real-world use cases
Marketing agencies
Many digital marketing agencies use DataTako to deliver automated, interactive campaign dashboards to their clients. Instead of sending spreadsheets or static PDFs, clients get secure access to a live dashboard that looks and feels like part of the agency’s own platform. This reduces client questions, increases transparency, and adds a premium feel to the service.
Business intelligence consultancies
BI consultancies use DataTako to manage report distribution for multiple clients from a single Power BI workspace. With row-level security and centralized access control, they can serve hundreds of end users without juggling licenses or setting up Azure guest accounts. It saves time, simplifies support, and scales with their client base.
Internal use in larger companies
Manufacturing companies, healthcare providers, and logistics firms use DataTako to share reports with hundreds of employees. Each user logs in to see just the data that matters to them, without needing a Power BI license or training. It’s a simple way to keep everyone aligned with minimal overhead.
Franchise and member-based organizations
Franchise networks, real estate groups, and training providers use DataTako to give each branch or member access to personalized dashboards. Everyone logs into the same portal, but only sees their own data. It keeps reporting consistent and easy to manage at scale.
Conclusion
Sharing Power BI reports with clients doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right setup, you can offer a secure, professional, and fully branded dashboard experience without getting stuck in licensing issues, technical setup, or Azure configurations.
DataTako takes care of the hard parts—embedding, user access, row-level security, and branding—so you can focus on delivering value to your clients. Whether you’re a marketing agency, BI consultant, or managing internal reporting at scale, you can get started in minutes and grow without hitting technical or financial roadblocks.
If you’re ready to streamline how you share Power BI reports and upgrade the experience for your clients or team, try DataTako free for 30 days or schedule a demo to see it in action.
