Direct Query Power BI Dataset : Permissions

[Riran]

Hello,

I'm testing the DirectQuery to Power BI Datasets in our organisation at the moment and am trying to understand the permissions required in order to effectively use the 'Make change...' option.

We have a several centrally controlled and curated data model published as datasets in a single workspace - the idea being that all the 'golden source' datasets are stored in a single location my team can manage. Analysts outside of my team can't access the workspace but have 'build' permissions on these datasets so can connect to them and create reports which they then publish in their own reporting workspaces.

I've enabled the preview feature for direct query to Power BI datasets, and have myself been able to connect to one of these models and then create a local version which I can edit and add to. However, when I've tested this with some of the analysts in the business they get a permission error when trying to do the same. The only difference between us appears to be that I'm Admin of the central dataset workspace, whereas the Analysts only access them through having read/build permission on the individual datasets themselves.

Is Workspace membership a requirement? At what level - for example is 'Viewer' enough? 

It's a great feature, but I'm finding it a little frustrating at the moment if I have to give access to a centrally controlled dataset workspace to everyone instead of managing permissions on a dataset by dataset basis.

[lbendlin]

Checked with my tenant admins - they did not touch anything there when the composite model was rolled out.  We have not extensively tested the "make changes"  part yet - will report back if I find anything.

[lbendlin]

The users of your dataset also need build access to the inherited dataset.  As I understand it this requirement is being disputed as excessive at the moment.

[Riran]

Thanks for the reply. As mentioned, the users have build access to the dataset and are able to connect to it and build their own reports from it. It's only when trying to use the new preview features that a permission problem appears. 

I'm assuming there must be a tenant setting I've missed somewhere.

[lbendlin]

Is this on Premium or not?  On Premium you would give (at least on the surface) access to the app, not the workspace/dataset (but it is still problematic as you need to make sure each user of your dataset als has permissions to the datasets your dataset connects to via direct query.

[Riran]

We are using Premium yes. It's this feature that we're having issues with:

https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Share-your-thoughts-on-DirectQuery-for-Power-BI-datasets-an...