PBI Report Refresh Not Updating Power Query Editor Data

[ISDG]

Hi - we use an Excel Sheet from SharePoint as a data source. When the Excel sheet is updated and we refresh the PBI report on the desktop, the report refreshes okay but we also have to open the Query editor and refresh the Preview in order to get the update. Is this a necessary step - to refresh the query editor too? Thanks

[ISDG]

Thank you for the reply. The report displays the updated dated immediately. When we open Power Query, we have to click on the specific table and click Refresh Preview before it will show the updated data. Why is the new data not showing in Power Query before doing a preview refresh?

[Idrissshatila · Accepted solution]

@ISDG ,

Power query is for transforming the data and it doesn't actually store all the data, it shows only a sample of your data in order for you to transform it, it won't fit to show all the data.

so every time you want to see the updated data in power query you need to refresh it, and this doesn't mean the your report won't be updated unless you go and refresh the power query view.

[kaylaquijas]

I figured it out! This thread helped me pinpoint what was going on.

I checked the box below in the desktop dataset, saved it, and published it. Then, in Excel, I hit refresh, and everything magically aligned with the Power BI data online. 

[ISDG]

Makes sense, thank you!

[christinepayton]

Only if you're doing something in Power Query. It caches the data to make things faster. If you want to refresh the report, use the refresh button in the main toolbar (not in PQ). You probably want to just publish and schedule refresh though.

[kaylaquijas]

@christinepayton I'm experiencing the same issue. My Excel file is hooked up to a Power BI data set using Power Query. When I hit refresh, Excel tells me the refresh is complete, but the data doesn't actually refresh; it's as if it's frozen in time from when I initially made the connection via Power Query. I'm not able to enable background refresh (see screenshot). 

What do you mean when you say "use the refresh button in the main toolbar"?

[christinepayton]

Oh, if your datasource is a Power BI dataset, then the data connection is "live" to the PBI dataset (now called semantic model). That's why refresh is disabled. You would need to refresh the PBI semantic model to get your data to update. Usually people schedule the refresh on that. 

[kaylaquijas]

Yes, our semantic model is scheduled to refresh every morning. This is why it didn't make sense that the Excel Power Query wasn't refreshing when I manually hit refresh. After I ticked that box in the desktop dataset, everything refreshed, and all was right in the world. Thanks! 

[ISDG]

OK, I understand now!

[Idrissshatila]

Hello @ISDG ,

No it's not necessary to refresh the query editor, because when you refresh power bi desktop it start the refresh from power query and import the refreshed data.