SaaS Live Connection Refresh: Desktop, Service, or doesn't matter?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

Everything I have read seems to say that SaaS sources (the one we are using in particular is Salesforce) do not require a gateway because they are a live connection. They therefore also don't require a scheduled refresh. However, the documentation states that this is if the report is built using BI Service.

If a user creates a report in BI DESKTOP, connects only to a SaaS source (Salesforce) and no other sources (nothing on-prem or local), how does refresh work exactly?

1) Will the report automatically refresh daily with no need to set up a daily scheduled refresh? If so, how close to "real-time" is the refresh?

2) Is there any need to set up a gateway? Will the report still refresh if the report owner is out of office and her machine is shut down?

We are trying to troubleshoot an issue with a report created by a user in desktop which we believe connects only to Salesforce but doesn't seem to be refreshing now that she is out of office.

[v-jiascu-msft]

Hi @Anonymous,

Firstly, I'm afraid the concept "Live Connection" is taken by #live-connections. So the scenario here isn't "Live Connection". The SaaS sources are usually hosted in the cloud which the Power BI can access directly. That's why the gateway isn't needed. The gateway is used to connect the on-premises data. 

1. We have to refresh the report in the Desktop manually by hitting the "Refresh" button. The main reason I think is Desktop is used to create reports rather than to be consumed by end users.

2. Desktop can't use the gateway. It also doesn't need one. The Desktop can connect to the data source directly. The report won't be refreshed automatically in Desktop.

Best Regards,

Dale

[Anonymous]

Hi @v-jiascu-msft,

Thanks for replying. So if a report using solely Salesforce as a data source is created in BI Desktop, the only option for refresh is to refresh it manually in desktop?

I guess what I am still not understanding is how a report using Salesforce as a data source can be refreshed automatically, at least on some type of refresh schedule.

[v-jiascu-msft]

Hi @Anonymous,

1. Yes, as I mentioned in my last post, the Desktop is a self-service tool for developers who build reports (most of the time), which means the Desktop contents don't intend to be consumed by the end users.

2. If you publish the report the Power BI Service, the refresh will be applied automatically. Please refer to power-bi/refresh-data.

>>>In many cases, you don’t need to do anything at all. Some data, like from a Salesforce or Marketo content pack is automatically refreshed for you.

Best Regards,

Dale