How To: Delete Sensitive Columns?

[rahul_dhamnani]

Hi Guys!

I am new to PowerBI and my company needs to know few things for sure before we can start publishing reports. I am using DirectQuery to query my database and bring few tables from SQL database. Due to sensitivity of data, I want to avoid bringing few columns into PowerBI. 

The option I see as a easy fix: bring tables in and then delete columns that I do not require. For this option, I want to know if - using DirectQuery/Import function I bring entire table in and delete few sensitive columns, will that result in PowerBI not bringing those columns into its environment in anyway. And if I publish these reports, am I 100% sure those deleted columns wont get published in anyway? Specially, in-case of Import function.

Other easy fix: write custom SQL for bring in tables. 

Which would be the best suggested option considering the sensitivity of data? 

Thanks for your help!!

Best, 
Rahul Dhamnani

[v-shex-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @rahul_dhamnani,

Just for some expand of smoupre's point, in "direct query" mode, you can also use "Table.SelectColumns" function to hide the sensitive columns.

Add a custom steps and use table.selectcolumns to choose the displayed columns.

Reference:

Table.SelectColumns

Regards,

Xiaoxin Sheng

[Greg_Deckler]

If you use Import, you can remove the columns as part of the Power Query and they will not be imported into the model. In DirectQuery, you would have to write SQL.