To Desktop or Not to Desktop that is the question

[masplin]

currently I have a large excel model that is linked to the Power BI app for creating visualisations. However the excel model is extremely improtant because it allows very complex detailled analysis that isn't possible in the app. Addiitonally I am exporting using evalaute sumamrise tables of cusotmer data that are using for mail merge purproses (these are pulling fields from several powerpivot tables to create the output. I am trying to decide if my current setrup i.e. excel plus Power BI app is the correct solution as a number of peole are pushing me to use the desktop. so a couple of questions

1. I have succesfully imported one of my models into desktp and can see all my fields and measures.  However if i now add  anew measure to excel and reimport it wipes out the visualisations i had created.  so my impression is that the import function is designed to move form an excel model to desktop and then work only in desktop?  so if I want to also have an excle model I woudl have to duplicate al lmy measures. i.e the impt cannot update a desktop model with new features only overwrite and start agian.

2. If the above is true it might stil lbe workable if there is some function to do evaluate summarise exports to excel. I can see the abilty to cut and paste data, but is there a way to query the desktop model and output tables simialr to the avaluate summarise dax command?  I've read something about using Dax studio.

3. Lastly the question is why use Desktop if my excel/Power BI combination is working?  What extra do I get for swithcing to a Desktop/Power BI combination and then the agro of getting data back into Excel when I need it.

Thnaks for any advice

Mike

[Greg_Deckler · Accepted solution]

1. Correct.

2. You can query the analysis services tabular instance that underlies the Desktop. There are blog articles on how to do it and it involves using DAXStudio to track down the instance

3. If your Excel/Power BI is working, you may not need to switch to Desktop unless you want the visuals, custom visuals and other functionality that Desktop provides over and above Excel.