Should I use Power BI as a database?

[Anonymous]

Hi, our 3rd party platform is providing us with a set-of 90 text files each day, each file contains data (changes to tables from their database) from our cloud CRM platform.

Should I take these 90 files and append them to each other each day in Power BI? So that I have 90 tables in Power BI.

Or is it better practice for me to put these files into an Access database each day, and then to report from the Access database each day using Power BI?

Thanks

[V-pazhen-msft]

@Anonymous 

You could combines the 90 files in power bi desktop using get data=> folder function. You need to make sure the files have the same structure. 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/desktop-combine-binaries
https://powerbi.tips/2016/06/loading-data-from-folder/

Best,
Paul

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much, that's very helpful.

Do you know if it's then possible to append another 90 files from a folder the next day, and next day?

[MFelix]

Hi @Anonymous ,

If the files are always saved on the same folder you can append as many files as there are in the folder and subfolders, as long as they have the same format.

However I must reinforce that you can have performance issues on update, just making a simple 100 days calculation you will have 9.000 files to append, using the folder option when the query is run it makes the full treatment of each file every time, depending on the information and treatments you are making to your information you can run into trouble and time outs.

Not saying not to use this option just advising that depending on the contents of your data the best way is not always treat the information on PBI.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, MFelix.

[az38]

Hi @Anonymous 

If I understand you correct Get Data from folder which contains of the same format files would be great solution for you.

you can read aboit this here https://powerbi.tips/2016/06/loading-data-from-folder/

do not hesitate to give a kudo to useful posts and mark solutions as solution

[MFelix]

Hi @Anonymous ,

As you know PBI is a Business inteligence tool, although you are abble to make big data treatment I believe that in some case the best option is to get the data treated on the source of the data and not trough Power BI because when updating the information it will take a long time and you will have performance issues.

In this case taking into account that you have 90 daily files with updates I can imagine that your data will scale up really fast, I would treat these files outside PBI and then link the final result to make the PBI analisys.

Regards,

MFelix