Power BI (Free) Refresh Frequency

[Luxilon]

Hello,

This is in refernce to the Power BI Free version:

1. Created an Excel Power Pivot Connection via SQL Server which adds to the Data Model via query
2. Saved the Excel Workbook to OneDrive-Business
3. In Power BI (online), used the Get Data>From File>OneDrive-Business option
4. Created a Report from the Data Set
5. Used 'Pine Live Page' to create Dashboard

Now to my question: the Data Set/Report/Dashboard only seems to referesh when I open the Excel Workbook and press "Refresh All." I belive I read the OneDrive option would query the connection and refresh the dashboard hourly without having to open the Excel workbook. Am I missing something? 

[GilbertQ · Accepted solution]

Hi @Luxilon,

@DSimma is correct in that you still need to update your Excel file from your SQL Server Source. And that is what you do when you manually click refresh.

The only option that I can think of is to use Power Update which does have a free version for 1 file refresh, which will open your file, update it, and upload it to OneDrive for Business.

[Luxilon]

Power Update is the perfect solution! Works like a charm. 

[Luxilon]

@DSimma

@GilbertQ

Okay, that makes. Per the David Iseminger quote below, I was also under the impression that Power BI would, however, copy the connection string, and query the database to update the Dataset/Dashboard:

Advantages of using OneDrive/Sharepoint

"You can refresh on the dataset in the Power BI service. When you manually refresh, or schedule refresh, on the dataset, Power BI connects directly to the external data sources to query for updated data it then loads into the dataset. Refreshing a dataset from within Power BI does not refresh the data in the workbook on OneDrive, or SharePoint Online."

[Luxilon]

@DSimma

@GilbertQ

FYI: This appears to be my issue. The only difference is that I used the 'Import Excel Data into Power BI' option.

Awareness

  We have identified an issue preventing data refresh for Excel files in Power BI and Office 365 Excel Services. Within Power BI, the affected excel files use the 'Connect, manage, and view Excel in Power BI' option. Data for affected files will not refresh until a fix is deployed. A workaround is to open the affected file from it's OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online location in Excel Desktop, refresh, and save it. The updated data will be visible in Power BI within 15 minutes of saving the file. Power BI team is working with the Excel Services team to deploy a fix. Next Update @ 03/20/2017 12:00 PST

[Luxilon]

::Crickets::

[DSimma]

So it sounds like Power BI is syncing with the One Drive and MS says this should sync around hourly.

But what is syncing your One Drive with your SQL Data? I am pretty sure it is just you opening the Excel file and pressing refresh. Unsure on that side of the fence.