What Are Sensitivity Labels?
Sensitivity labels help organizations control:
- Who can access or share reports
- Whether content can be downloaded or exported
- How confidential information is handled
These labels can be applied to files such as PDFs, Excel workbooks, and Power BI reports.
Applying Sensitivity Labels in Power BI
To begin, sensitivity labels must be:
1. Created and configured in Microsoft Purview Compliance Center
2. Enabled within Power BI Admin Portal
Step-by-Step Setup
1. Enable Sensitivity Labels in Power BI
Go to:
Power BI Admin Portal → Information Protection
Enable labels and choose scope: entire organization or specific groups.
2. Explore Existing Labels
In Power BI Service:
- Navigate to a workspace
- Look for the "Sensitivity" column
- Open a report to view or change the current label
Hovering over the label gives a description. Changing the label may require permission and justification, depending on organizational policies.
3. Create a New Sensitivity Label (In Compliance Center)
Navigate to:
Microsoft Purview → Compliance Center → Information Protection → Labels
1. Create a new label (e.g., “Private”)
2. Set:
- Name and display name
- Description for users and admins
- Color coding (optional)
4. Configure Encryption & Restrictions
Define:
- Encryption rules (e.g., restrict download, enforce login)
- Expiration settings (e.g., after specific date)
- Offline access
- User/group permissions (e.g., only certain users can open data)
5. Add Label to a Policy
Once created, the label must be added to a policy to become visible in Power BI.
1. Go to Label Policies
2. Edit an existing policy or create a new one
3. Add the new label
Note: It can take up to 24 hours for new labels to appear.
Applying a Label in Power BI
Once synced, apply a label:
- In the report/workspace settings
- Under “Sensitivity” section
How Labels Enforce Protection
Example 1: Export to Excel
When a Power BI report with a sensitivity label is exported:
- The Excel file inherits the label
- Restrictions follow the file
Example 2: Using Sensitive Datasets in Excel
When connecting Excel to a Power BI dataset:
- Sensitivity label appears in Excel
- Users may see a banner indicating restricted content
- Watermarks and restrictions apply automatically
Example 3: Upgrading to Higher Sensitivity
If you upgrade a dataset label to “Highly Confidential”:
- Excel connected files update accordingly
- The most restrictive label always takes precedence
Summary
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Feature
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Description
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Sensitivity Labels
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Mark reports/files to protect confidential data
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Compliance Center
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Create, manage, and assign sensitivity labels
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Power BI Integration
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Labels follow content through export and external use
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Restrictions
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Control download, sharing, and visibility rights
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Final Thoughts
- Permissions matter: Not all users can apply or change labels
- Labels can include watermarks and expiration
- Labels travel with content across Power BI and Microsoft 365
Sensitivity labels are a key component of data governance, helping ensure sensitive Power BI content is only accessed and shared according to company policy.
Hope you like it!
Give it a try and see how it works for you! I’d love to hear what you think or see how you use this trick in your own reports.
