Expression.Error: The name 'PowerBI.Dataflows' wasn't recognized. Make sure it's spelled correctly.

[Artie]

Hi,

I did make up a report that uses a Dataflow called "fact_Sales". I was able to save it and publish it successfully.  However, when one of my peers tried to open it from his computer, he got this error: "Expression.Error: The name 'PowerBI.Dataflows' wasn't recognized. Make sure it's spelled correctly."

I thought it was a security issue, so the security report was cleared from this desktop. The credentials were refreshed but the error remained.

We created a blank query having Dataflows as the data source and it worked. We tried to copy/paste the M code generated from this new query into the old one, but it did not work (not sure if each query has hidden code). So at the end we build a new query that worked.

When I opened the report from my desktop, I got the same error. No changes were made to the report.

What may be driving this error?

Thanks.

[v-shex-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Artie ,

In fact, power bi desktop also require credentials to authorize and get correspond dataflow.
In query editor, it will direct invoke stored credentials to get correspond user id to find out workspace id and 'dataflow id' list.(obviously, these credentials not exist in other users' computers)

Regards,

Xiaoxin Sheng

[v-shex-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Artie ,

In fact, power bi desktop also require credentials to authorize and get correspond dataflow.
In query editor, it will direct invoke stored credentials to get correspond user id to find out workspace id and 'dataflow id' list.(obviously, these credentials not exist in other users' computers)

Regards,

Xiaoxin Sheng

[Artie · Accepted solution]

Hi Xiaoxin,

Thank you for the reply. I did try the Credentials refresh but it didn't work for me. Something that sounds weird to me is the expression "the name ... wasn't recognized", like if the source type didn't exist.

By doing some trials and errors, I found out that by going to the applied step "Source", then hitting Refresh Preview, somehow Power Query connects to the Dataflows.

We need to run the steps above each time the person who refreshes the report changes.

Perhaps not a scientific solution, but it worked.

Thank you!