Salesforce Reports and Power BI Desktop - only returns first 10,000 reports in alphabetical order

[AnthonyB]

I have a number of Salesforce reports I want to use as data sources in Power BI.

As an organization, we have close to 20,000 reports sitting in our Salesforce instance.

I am using Power BI Desktop Version: 2.64.5285.741 64-bit (November 2018).

I understand the Salesforce API limit of 10,000 rows.

In Power BI Desktop, when I use Salesforce Reports connector to get data, it returns the first 10,000 reports in alphabetical order. Unfortunately, we have close to 20,000 reports and the reports I need to use are not in this first 10,000. I do not want to rename them all with a prefix to 'force' them to the top of the alpha order 🙂

In Power BI web, when I use the Salesforce Reports service content pack, it returns the list of reports with the reports I most recently accessed at the top of the list, which is great as I can easily select all of the reports I want to use as data sources.

I do not see any way in PBI Desktop to have it return the list of Salesforce reports based on my last access.

Is this correct? Or have I missed some way to achieve this?

[ReportGuru]

Hi @AnthonyB , were you able to find a solution? As a workaround, maybe you can try to make your connection using an external connector. I've tried windsor.ai, supermetrics and funnel.io. I stayed with windsor because it is much cheaper so just to let you know other options. Also, it uses the Salesforce Objects connector so I think you wont have that problem with rows limit. In case you wonder, to make the connection first search for the Salesforce connector in the data sources list:

After that, just grant access to your Salesforce account using your credentials, then on preview and destination page you will see a preview of your Salesforce fields:

 There just select the fields you need. It is also compatible with custom fields and custom objects, so you'll be able to export them through windsor.  Finally, just select PBI as your data destination and finally just copy and paste the url on PBI --> Get Data --> Web --> Paste the url. 

[v-yuezhe-msft]

@AnthonyB,

As your post, salesforce report connector in Power BI Desktop only returns first 10000 reporrs. I am afraid that you would need to rename the required reports to make them appear in top order.

Regards,
Lydia

[AnthonyB]

Thanks Lydia!

Would it be possible for the Salesforce Connector in Power BI Desktop to have the same option as the PBI Web content pack where it can import 10,000 based on most recently accessed?

This would:

1. Solve my problem

2. Provide consistency between PBI Web and Desktop

I appreciate that this is a feature request and not something that could be solved immediately.

It is very frustrating as renaming all of the Salesforce reports I use isn't really an option (number of reports and report naming standards we use), and I really need to use PBI Desktop for further data massaging that I can't do directly in PBI Web.

[chrislinke]

As a workaround, I load any generic report (whatever appears in the list) to build the links / data source to NEX, and edit the 'target report' once linked. 

I achieve this by right-clicking on the data source and 'editing' the generic report, and swapping the 'source' report code in top formula bar with the one I want.

Not a neat fix, but a work around for you that may save you time in other applications. Note my screenshots are from Excel, but Power BI is similar.

[v-yuezhe-msft · Accepted solution]

@AnthonyB,

For the above feature request, I would recommend you submit it in Power BI ideas forum.

Regards,
Lydia