Skip to content
datastudyguides

DP-600 · 1.2.2 · Maintain a data analytics solution

PBIP projects

Create and manage a Power BI Desktop project (.pbip)

stores the report and as readable text files, making Power BI projects easier to version with Git and CI/CD.

The core idea

Power BI Desktop project structure with separate Report and SemanticModel folders, text-based definitions, an optional PBIP pointer file, and a gitignore for local files.

A separates the report and into text-based folders. That makes source-control diffs readable and enables code editors and CI/CD.

The semantic model is stored as files or a single model.bim. The report folder contains definition.pbir and its report definition.

The .pbip file is only a convenient pointer. Local settings and cache files are excluded from Git by default.

Key points

  • Project: report and model live in separate folders
  • Model: or model.bim stores semantic definitions
  • Report: definition.pbir links the report to its model
  • Git: localSettings.json and stay ignored

Click an underlined term for a one-line explanation, or see them all in the glossary .

Exam trap

The . file is only a . The definitions live in the Report and SemanticModel folders, and you can open the report from its definition.pbir instead.

Sources · 3 Microsoft Learn pages Show ▾

Checked on October 4, 2026. Report a problem

Go deeper on Microsoft Learn

Checked against Microsoft Learn on October 4, 2026. Report a problem with this card

How well do you know this?