Permanently deleting data while preserving data derived from deleted content.

[Bo3736]

Hi, I have a problem related how to permanently delete content from a powerBI dataset while preserving data derived form the dataset. This is for GDPR reasons.

We have a dataset containing information about E-mail including the recipient of the mail. We extract specific information from the recipient field in power query using an if function. The problem is that we are required by GDPR to delete the actual recipient field and certain other fields. I cannot find a way to do that while still preserving the derived columns. I can delete it with a step from the query editor, but access to the file simply allows me to delete that step to restore the data.

Essentially I would like to be able to delete the recipient, sender and content column from below in such a way that I cannot restore them while preserving the columns derived from the recipient column.

Recipient	sender	content	Derived column
toender@kommune.dk	xx@dk	xxx	Kommune
viborg@kommune.dk	xx@dk	xxx	Kommune
Lars@michelsen.dk	xx@dk	xxx	NA

The only solution I can see it to use an external tool (Excel is probably not optimal, but would work) to create  the derived columns and delete the original, but I wonder if there is a way to do it purely from PowerBI

Does anyone know a solution?

Sincerelly Bo Rydeng

[johnt75]

One option might be to do it in a dataflow. If you create the derived column and then delete the underlying columns noone using the dataflow would be able to undelete them, they would just have access to the data you presented to them.

[Bo3736]

Thanks, I'm not experienced using dataflows, but it functions just like query editor right? So the end users wouldn't be able to access the data but I and other people with edit access to the dataflows would still be able to restore the data right? The requirement I'm faced with is that the data has to be completely gone from our system and cannot be accessible to me or the system admins or anyone.

[johnt75 · Accepted solution]

I don't think Power BI is the answer then, I think you'll need to come up with a solution at the source.

[Bo3736]

Thanks, I was afraid of that, but I wanted to check with people who knew more than me to make sure.