Automatic Data refresh support for on premise SQL server

[gjadal]

I have a report that is getting data from Azure sql and published on the powerbi site. I understand that whenever data is updated in the azure sql, the report data will get refreshed. Is this the case with an on premise sql server too or do I need to do anything specific?

[greggyb]

The Enterprise Gateway allows a DirectQuery connection to SQL Server, Azure SQL DB, Azure SQL DW, and SAP HANA, as well as live connections to SSAS MD and SSAS Tabular.

If you use one of these connection types, then every interaction with a report fires off a fresh query against the data source. The concept of refreshing a report goes away - every interaction is live against whatever data exists in the source.

If you import the data rather than using one of the connection types above, then you must schedule the refresh of that dataset through the Power BI Service, up to 8 times per day.

[gjadal]

So when I use Power BI Desktop and use 'Get Data' to connect to a sql server table and load that data, create my report and publish the report, does that mean the connection is setup and any further changes to the data in the sql server table will automatically be shown in the power bi report?

Or do I still need to setup the gateway?

[greggyb · Accepted solution]

There is no automatic data refresh as you describe, using a push idiom. Everything is a pull from Power BI Service.

With an imported data model, you'll need to set up the Personal Gateway, and schedule your refresh in the Power BI Service.

With a DirectQuery or live connection to a SQL or SSAS source, the query is generated by Power BI Service with every report interaction.

These setups do not permit changes to an Azure or on-prem data source to propagate changes to datasets in Power BI Service. All action is initiated from Power BI Service.

The exception is a streaming dataset using Azure Event Hub to push a streaming data source to a live dashboard / report, or using the Power BI REST API to push data programmatically to a dataset in Power BI Service. You would know if you were utilizing one of these methods.

[kael]

HI, 

I am using Power BI Rest API. The problem is that I still have to press "refresh" to se the result. 

How can I get automatic refresh in Power BI using  Power BI Rest API?

Regards Karl

[heitzmanjared]

Using the REST API for this is kind of clunky, but it's what I'm currently doing. Assuming you already have some kind of automated task pushing data to Power BI using the API, you will only see real time (meaning you don't have to press refresh) changes to your data if you have pinned report elements to a DASHBOARD. Currently there is no such thing as a real time report.