PBIX Design and Models - Master and keeping other data model design files in sync

[czedge]

Fairly new still to Power BI, and I'm working on data models and design files to make the custom dashboards.  

The vendor provides the master Design file and data model.

I have experimented with copying the "Master" data model and design and updating what I need.

- this is a large file, slow data performance, due likely to many many dashboards, and measures causing large tables. 

It has more than what I need as  I focus on other areas of the data

-when I copy the vendor design file, I try to remove what I don't need to improve performance, and I have to 'fix" some settings that don't work for me until the vendor releases that update

- I have created my own standalone design file and data model by accessing data warehouse.

With this I can update settings and they persist in my design file version. They are not lost when pulling a copy from the master.

Challenges

-vendor fixes I don't get automatically with my own design approach would have to manually sync to my design files.

Is there a better way?

I'm losing sleep as I think ahead about time to maintain all this.  I like the idea of creating my own standalone model, have control over what is in it.  But admit I'm seeing drawbacks and concerns.

Anyone has suggestions or let me how they have overcome this.    Would be greatly appreciated.

Not a developer, but I worked in IT long enough I'm concerned about having all these spin off design files and maintaining them so they are compatible with the "Master" design data model.

Thank you all!

Christine

[mpicca13]

Is the vendor staying on-board indefinitely through some sort of retainer contract? Maybe you could publish the vendors model as a dataset in the service then you can create a dataflow from his dataset. That way changes applied to his dataset will apply to your flow while giving you the ability to make your changes accordingly, keep in mind significant model changes will most likely force you to reevaluate the applied steps of your flow.

[czedge]

Thank you for the suggestion. I see it would be helpful to have a base model to use as a starting point.

Reconciling as the data models changes seems to be manual.

[mpicca13 · Accepted solution]

Don't worry, having a base model always helps as a foundation to get you started. Please mark my comment as a solution if that helped.