OKVIZ Pro Custom Visuals FAQ


What are OKVIZ Pro custom visuals?

The OKVIZ Pro custom visuals are components that extend the visualization capabilities of Power BI. They provide technical support and advanced features not available in free custom visuals.

 

Licensing

What licensing system do you use?

The OKVIZ Pro custom visuals are already licensed when you download them. You do not have to enter a license key or activation code. It just works!

Can I copy the licensed component in the Organizational Custom Visuals repository?

Yes, we strongly suggest installing OKVIZ Pro custom visuals in the Organizational Custom Visuals repository of your Power BI tenant. This way, all the users in the company will be able to use the licensed component and every Power BI report will automatically update the custom visuals as soon as they are updated in the Organizational Custom Visuals repository.
The following articles provide more information:

What is the advantage of using the Organizational Custom Visuals repository for the licensed components?

Once you install the component in the Organizational Custom Visuals repository, all the users within the company can use the licensed component without entering a license key. Moreover, any update made to the component in the Organizational Custom Visuals repository automatically updates the components in all the reports using it.

Where should I include the licensing info?

License details are only requested during registration on the OKVIZ website. No further action is required and the downloaded component can be used by any user in the company, according to licensing terms.

Do you have a license key to share with users?

No, there is no license key to apply to the component. This way, no sensitive information is shared across multiple users like the activation key of a software component.

Should I download a new version of the component when the trial expires?
Should I update the trial component in all the reports once I purchase the licensed component?

No. All trial components downloaded after February 1, 2019 will automatically activate the features after the trial period, if the subscription is confirmed on okviz.com and an Internet connection is available. In case the component is being used on Power BI Server or if Telemetry is disabled, an updated version of the component can be downloaded and installed in the Organizational Custom Visuals repository. This way, all the reports are automatically updated with the licensed version.

Do you provide lifetime licenses?

No, the license follows a subscription-based model. Custom visuals require updates to keep the components up-to-date in the Power BI platform. Therefore, continuous maintenance is required to guarantee product quality and support.

Do I need to license a separate Power BI Premium capacity used for test purposes only?

No. You do not need additional OKVIZ Pro licenses in the following cases:

OR

What is the license required for Power BI Report Server?

You can choose whatever is more convenient between a user license and a server license. If you choose a user license, you need a tier that includes all the users that access one or more Power BI Report Server instance. If you choose a server license, you need a P1 node license for each server running Power BI Report Server.

Can I use the licensed custom visual in Power BI Embedded?

Yes, you can use a licensed OKVIZ Pro custom visual in a report published through Power BI Embedded. However, you can save money on licensing by getting a “per-site embedded” license if it is less expensive.

What is the “per-site embedded” licensing?

The “embedded” licensing is available when using the licensed component in a Power BI Embedded environment. The licensing cost is per-site and the component cannot be used in a regular Power BI report published on Power BI Report Server or on Power BI Service (powerbi.com).

 

Technical

Why you do not support IAP features?

The Power BI custom visuals with in-app purchase features require the user to include a license key in each instance of each report where the custom visual is being used. This is not practical, and we are looking forward to an improved experience for IAP features in Power BI custom visuals. We will then be able to support them.

Can I avoid publishing a component in the Organizational Store?

Yes, you can use an OKVIZ Pro custom visual in a report without publishing it in the Organizational Custom Visuals repository. However, we strongly discourage you from doing so, because you would then have to manually update the component in every report in the future.

Do I have access to the source code of the component?

We can provide a read-only access to the source code of the component for auditing and security review purposes only, after you sign an NDA. We do not provide the source code of the components under any other circumstances.

If there is a regression with a new version of a custom visual, how can I revert to a previous version?

Customers with an active paid subscription have access to a private area where all the previous versions of licensed OKVIZ Pro custom visuals are available. By installing a previous version of the custom visual in the Organizational Store, all the reports automatically revert their behavior to that version.

Can I embed a report with an OKVIZ Pro custom visual in SharePoint?

Yes, you can embed Power BI reports that include OKVIZ Pro custom visuals in SharePoint, within the licensing terms of your subscription.

Can I share a report that uses an OKVIZ Pro custom visual on a public website?

Yes, you can publicly share Power BI reports that include OKVIZ Pro custom visuals, if the report is freely accessible and hosted on powerbi.com. Only the Power BI users using the report must be licensed. You do not need a license for users using a public report.

 

Certification

Are the OKVIZ Pro custom visuals certified?

No, because these components are not published in the Marketplace (AppSource).

What are the limitations of a custom visual that it is not certified?

A few features are only available with certified custom visuals, like exporting to PowerPoint and displaying the custom visual in emails received as part of a user subscription to a report page. More details about certified custom visuals are available here:
Certified custom visuals

Can I obtain a certified version of the component?

You can try. Microsoft requires a custom visual to be in the marketplace as a prerequisite to be certified. However, OKVIZ components can comply with all the other certification requirements and the marketplace does not seem to be a technical limitation. This condition is similar in any company that creates custom visuals for internal use. Therefore, if your company has enough leverage and you want to ask Microsoft to certify your own version of the component, we can support you by providing Microsoft with a GitHub repository with the source code of the component you licensed from OKVIZ.

 

Privacy

Do you send any data to third-party services?

We do not send any user data. We have a Telemetry setting which, if enabled, sends anonymous data about the features used in the component. The Telemetry setting can be disabled in OKVIZ Pro custom visuals.

What is the purpose of the Telemetry setting?

We use telemetry data to better understand precisely which features are being used in OKVIZ Pro custom visuals. Telemetry only sends out anonymous data about the features used and does not send out any data from the reports and/or the underlying datasets. However, you may choose to disable the Telemetry setting in OKVIZ Pro custom visuals.

Can I disable Telemetry?

Yes, you can disable the Telemetry setting in OKVIZ Pro custom visuals.

 

Billing

When will you start charging for the free visuals?

Free visuals will always remain free.

Why should I pay for OKVIZ Pro custom visuals?

OKVIZ has been providing free custom visuals since 2015 and will continue to maintain and create new free custom visuals for Power BI. The licensing cost for OKVIZ Pro custom visuals is part of a sustainable economic model enabling OKVIZ to provide professional support to our customers, and to afford the development of additional features. The free components will remain free in the future.

Should I pay the license fee after the trial expires?

Yes, you should pay the license fee after the trial expires to use the OKVIZ Pro custom visuals. However, you may provide your credit card info when you register for the trial. The first billing cycle will be scheduled after the end of the trial period and you will be able to keep enjoying the familiar component seamlessly. You can cancel your registration at any time during the trial period at no charge.

How long is the trial period?

The trial period is 30 days, starting on the registration date when you download the OKVIZ Pro custom visual.

What happens after the trial expires?

After the trial period expires you enter into a 60-day grace-period, during which the custom visual works but displays a warning message about the trial period having ended. After the 60-day grace period, the unlicensed custom visual will stop working.

What are the subscription plans available?

Two plans are available: monthly and yearly. The licensing price depends on the number of licensed users. The yearly plan requires an advance payment of 10 months and is valid for one year. The yearly plan represents a 16% saving over the monthly plan.

What is your refund policy?

When a refund is issued, the subscription license expires immediately.

Do you offer educational discounts?

Yes, the OKVIZ Pro custom visuals are free for students (individual license), whereas teachers and schools get a 50% discount.

Do you offer discounts for Nonprofit organizations?

Yes, the OKVIZ Pro custom visuals are 50% off for Nonprofit organizations.

Do you offer discounts for governmental organizations?

Yes, the OKVIZ Pro custom visuals are 50% off for governmental organizations.

 

Miscellaneous

Do you have localized versions of the custom visuals?

No. OKVIZ Pro custom visuals are currently only available in English. However, all the messages displayed in the report can be controlled by properties of the OKVIZ Pro custom visuals.

Do you offer Premium support?

Yes, customers with an active paid subscription have access to premium support by email. We guarantee an answer by the end of the next working day. We usually respond much faster than that.

If there were a bug, how much time would it take OKVIZ to fix it?

If the bug can be resolved in the code of the OKVIZ Pro custom visual, we will usually release a new version of the component within 5 working days. If the bug depends on other services not provided by OKVIZ, then we will do our best to find a workaround, but we cannot guarantee a timely delivery for a fix.

What if OKVIZ stops operating?

We are here to stay. In the unlikely event we are forced to stop support, OKVIZ will release the source code of the components that are no longer supported as public open source projects.

How can I ask a question that is not included here?

You are welcome to email us at support@okviz.com