Prerequisites

Accounts and plans

You need:

• A GitHub account.
• A GitHub Copilot plan that supports VS Code Chat and agent mode.
• Access to custom instructions, custom agents, prompt files, skills, MCP, and Copilot CLI for the customization labs.
• A paid Copilot plan, or an organization policy that enables access, for Copilot code review in Lab 12 and Copilot cloud agent in Lab 13.

If you use Copilot Business or Enterprise, ask an organization owner to check these policies before the workshop:

• Copilot Chat and agent mode in the IDE.
• Repository custom instructions and path instructions.
• MCP servers in Copilot.
• Custom agents, prompt files, and skills.
• Copilot CLI access.
• Copilot code review.
• Copilot cloud agent.
• Package downloads from GitHub, npm, Python package indexes, and the Microsoft Store or your software catalog.

Hardware and operating system

Use Windows 11 23H2 or later for the full lab. Power BI Desktop is Windows only. macOS can run the file-mode path for instructions, TMDL and PBIR reading, validation, hooks, and most customization work, but it can’t open the PBIP in Desktop or run Desktop DAX tests.

Recommended hardware:

• 16 GB RAM or more.
• 10 GB free disk space.
• A network connection that can reach GitHub, npm, Python package indexes, and Microsoft download endpoints.

Tools

Tool	Minimum	Required for	Check
PowerShell	7.4	All scripts	pwsh ./scripts/Test-Prerequisites.ps1
Git	2.40	Clone, checkpoints, branches	git --version
Git core.longpaths	true on Windows	Long PBIP paths	git config --global --get core.longpaths
Python	3.12	.venv, validation, grading	python --version or py -3.12 --version
VS Code	Current stable	Copilot Chat, agents, instructions	code --version
Node.js	20 or later	Local site, npx MCP servers	node --version
Power BI Desktop	Current monthly build	PBIP, refresh, Desktop MCP, DAX tests	Windows only
GitHub CLI	2.40 or later	Pull requests, cloud agent setup labs	gh --version
Copilot CLI	Current npm package	Lab 11	copilot --version

Test-Prerequisites.ps1 is the source of truth. It reports PASS, WARN, FAIL, or SKIP and prints fix commands. It installs nothing.

What you do not need

You do not need:

• A Microsoft Fabric tenant.
• Fabric capacity.
• A Power BI workspace.
• A service principal.
• An Azure subscription.
• A live database.
• Real customer, patient, or employee data.

The model reads local synthetic CSV files and all checks run locally or in GitHub Actions.

Corporate device notes

Managed devices can block parts of the lab. Ask early if you see one of these:

• winget or Microsoft Store installs are blocked.
• VS Code extensions are restricted.
• Copilot policy disables agent mode, MCP, code review, or cloud agent.
• npm or Python package downloads require a proxy.
• PowerShell execution policy blocks scripts.
• GitHub CLI browser sign-in is blocked.
• Power BI Desktop preview features are managed by policy.

Best workshop setup

Run Lab 00 and Lab 01 before the workshop starts. That leaves the live time for model and Copilot work, not installers.