Power BI Desktop Automatic Refresh

[Atif]

My excel file and Power BI report both are saved on Onedrive Personal.

In order to get the pbix file refreshed every hour I fetched data by "Get Data>Web" option using the URL https://onedrive.live.com/download?resid=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxauthkey=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&em=x&ap....

However, no refresh has taken place.

What am I missing?

[v-piga-msft]

Hi @Atif ,

As I know, if you use import mode when you get data, the data source in power bi desktop need to click refresh button to update manually. We only could set schedule refresh in power bi service.

So for your scenario, I think you need to manually click the refresh button.

Only the live connection and the direct query mode which will update automatically when you open the pbix in power bi desktop.

Best  Regards,

Cherry

[Atif]

@v-piga-msftDear Cherry,

I am fetching data in Power BI Desktop by using "Web" option thereby providing URL of the relevant file duly saved on Onedrive Personal.

This option of linking data is used when the data is prone to change and is especially used to get data from the internet.

The basic reason of creating a report in Power BI Desktop is that it allows the required transformation and create measures.

Best,

Atif

[Anonymous]

hi @Atif 

Do you have on premise power BI? gateway needs to be configured in order for report refresh.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/refresh-scheduled-refresh

thanks

[Atif]

Thanks for the response @Anonymous.

My primary concern is that my Power BI Desktop file is not getting refreshed. Although it is supposed to get updated on hourly basis.

For Power BI Service I have fetched pbix file from the Desktop. Since my excel file and pbix file both are on Onedrive Personal I received the following message.

You don't need a gateway for this dataset, because all of its data sources are in the cloud, but you can use a gateway for enhanced control over how you connect.

The Power BI Service is also supposed to get updated on hourly basis while the Schedule Refresh will take place @ 0000 hours tomorrow. Let's see if any of the two or both update work.

[jdbuchanan71]

@Atif 

Your .pbix file will not be refreshed.  When you publish to the service it makes a copy of your model.  When you set up the refresh it is the model in the service (PowerBI.com) that pulls the data.  Your .pbix will only update if you open it and hit Refresh.

[Atif]

Thanks a bunch @jdbuchanan71. 

Does this mean that files requiring some sort of transformation etc. created on the desktop version can only get refreshed manually?

Does this mean that if someone wants to have the data refreshed automatically s/he should use Power BI service and that the desired output should only be carried out in data file(s)?

Best,

Atif

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Power BI desktop is a development tool.   If you are talking about an Import model, its a static file that only updates when you update it.  Its not different to a word document or excel file.  You can't automatically refresh the static file.  You need to open it with Power BI desktop and click refresh if you want to download new information.

If you have a live connected power bi file, it will always be up to date as the data never lives in the file.

Automatic refresh on the service is different, because the service hosts the file and organises the periodic refresh.

[Atif]

Thank you! @Anonymous. 

[Atif]

@Iamnvt @Anonymous @jdbuchanan71 

Would anyone of you be willing to share a solution?