Let’s be honest—change is hard. Especially when it comes to technology. So when Microsoft announced the transition from Power BI Premium to Fabric, most teams did what felt safe: they lifted and shifted.
They took their existing Power BI reports, dashboards, and datasets, and moved them over to Fabric. Job done, right?
Well… not quite.
While it’s great that organizations are embracing Fabric, there’s a quiet undercurrent of missed opportunity. Many are treating Fabric like a new storage unit for their old furniture—same stuff, just a new place. But Fabric isn’t just a new home for your data. It’s a whole new way of thinking about analytics, collaboration, and innovation.
Why Lift and Shift Feels Comfortable
Let’s start with why this is happening.
Power BI Premium users are familiar with their workflows. They know how to build reports, publish dashboards, and manage datasets. So when Fabric came along, the natural instinct was to replicate what they already knew.
And to be fair, Microsoft made it easy. The transition path is smooth, and the compatibility is strong. You can move your content with minimal disruption. That’s a win for continuity.
But here’s the catch: if you only lift and shift, you’re not really using Fabric. You’re just occupying it.
Fabric Is Not Just a New Platform—It’s a New Possibility
Think of Fabric like moving from a cozy apartment to a smart home. Sure, you can bring your old furniture. But now you’ve got voice-controlled lights, automated climate control, and a fridge that tells you when you’re out of milk.
Wouldn’t it be a shame to ignore all that?
Fabric brings together data engineering, data science, real-time analytics, and business intelligence into one unified experience. But more importantly—it’s designed to break silos. It’s built for collaboration. It’s meant to empower not just analysts, but data engineers, scientists, and decision-makers to work together in one ecosystem.
And it’s not just about capability—it’s about control. Fabric includes built-in governance features like data lineage, sensitivity labels, and role-based access control. These help organizations stay compliant, secure, and audit-ready without needing to bolt on external tools. It’s governance by design, not by afterthought.
What People Are Missing Out On
Here’s what I’ve been hearing: “We’ve moved to Fabric, but we’re still doing the same things.”
That’s like buying a smartphone and only using it to make calls.
Fabric opens doors to:
- Unified data experiences: Instead of juggling multiple tools, you can work in one environment.
- Real-time decision-making: With streaming data and lakehouses, insights can be instant.
- Cross-functional collaboration: Data engineers and analysts can finally speak the same language.
- Scalability without complexity: You don’t need to be a cloud architect to scale your data solutions.
But none of this happens automatically. You have to explore it.
So, What Should You Do Differently?
If you’ve already migrated to Fabric, that’s a great start. But now, it’s time to ask:
- Are we still working in silos?
- Are we using Fabric just to host reports?
- Have we explored how lakehouses can simplify our data architecture?
- Are our data engineers and analysts collaborating more than before?
If the answer is “not yet,” don’t worry. You’re not alone. But this is your moment to go beyond the lift and shift.
Start small. Try building a pipeline. Explore how notebooks work. Experiment with real-time data. You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight—but you do need to start thinking differently.
The Mindset Shift Matters More Than the Migration
Fabric isn’t just a tool—it’s a mindset. It’s about moving from “reporting” to “responding.” From “data storage” to “data storytelling.” From “what happened” to “what’s happening now.”
And that shift doesn’t come from a migration checklist. It comes from curiosity, experimentation, and a willingness to rethink how your team works with data.
Don’t Just Move—Evolve
If you’ve lifted and shifted to Fabric, congratulations. You’ve taken the first step.
But don’t stop there.
Fabric is your chance to evolve how your organization thinks about data. It’s your opportunity to break down walls, speed up insights, and empower more people to make smarter decisions.
So go ahead—explore. Play. Collaborate. Fabric isn’t just a new platform. It’s a new playground.
And the best part? You’re already in it.