Automatic vs Scheduled Refresh

[swan16]

Hi All,

Can someone please clarify the difference between an automatic and scheudled refresh besides the fact that automatic only works on DirectQuery? Thanks.

[v-luwang-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @swan16 ,

In a nutshell, as its name suggests, the Auto page refresh feature lets you set the scheduled refresh of the specific page in the report, Auto page feature works only for DirectQuery storage mode (and Live Connection to some extent). No Import mode is supported.There are two different types,Fixed interval and  Change detection.We need to configure it by Power BI Desktop. To learn more details about Automatic page refresh in Power BI,refer:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/create-reports/desktop-automatic-page-refresh 

https://data-mozart.com/auto-page-refresh-in-power-bi-everything-you-need-to-know/ 

And about schedule refresh，It needs to be configured on Power BI Service. import data source is also applicable, when import mode, you can configure the maximum number of refresh times a day is 8, if you have a premium license, you can refresh up to 48 times a day.

And about direct query and live connection,Power BI does not import data over connections that operate in DirectQuery/LiveConnect mode. Instead, the dataset returns results from the underlying data source whenever a report or dashboard queries the dataset. Power BI transforms and forwards the queries to the data source.

Although DirectQuery mode and LiveConnect mode are similar in that Power BI forwards the queries to the source, it is important to note that Power BI does not have to transform queries in LiveConnect mode. The queries go directly to the Analysis Services instance hosting the database without consuming resources on shared capacity or a Premium capacity.

Because Power BI does not import the data, you don't need to run a data refresh. However, Power BI still performs tile refreshes and possibly report refreshes, as the next section on refresh types explains. A tile is a report visual pinned to a dashboard, and dashboard tile refreshes happen about every hour so that the tiles show recent results. You can change the schedule in the dataset settings, as in the screenshot below, or force a dashboard update manually by using the Refresh now option.

To learn more details ,refer:https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/refresh-data 

Best Regards

Lucien

[PijushRoy]

HI @swan16 

In addition @amitchandak post
I would like to suggest you two video for more understanding 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ip7mKUdwRg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDIsCVB7mnI

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[amitchandak]

@swan16 , scheduled refresh is one you plan for import mode dataset

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/refresh-data

Automatic means scheduled refresh?