Does Auto Refresh from Excel on Sharepoint still work if using Get Data -> Web??

[danielwo]

Hi all,

I have an xls file on SharePoint teamsite as I want to leaverage the Auto Refresh feature.

However, I would like to know if Auto Refresh still works if I connect to the xls using the method of Get Data -> Web instead of Get Data -> SharePoint Folder???? 

[v-yuezhe-msft · Accepted solution]

@danielwo,

Firstly, refreshing against a .xls file is not supported. As stated in this article, Power BI supports importing or connecting to workbooks created in Excel 2007 and later. Workbooks must be saved as .xlsx or .xlsm file type. You would need to change Excel file from .xls to .xlsx.

Secondly, if you want to make OneDrive hourly refresh work after making changes to the Excel file, you would need to directly connect to the Excel file stored on SharePoint Online folder from Power BI Service rather from Power BI Desktop.

However, when you connect to the Excel file via Get Data -> Web entry in Power BI Desktop, you would need to store the PBIX file in SharePoint online, then connect to the PBIX file via "Get Data->Files->SharePoint Team Sites" entry in Power BI Service in order for automatic refresh to work. And in this case, when you add new measures, change column names, or edit visualizations in Power BI Desktop file, once you save, those changes will be updated in Power BI , usually within about an hour. When you make changes in the Excel file, you can only manually refresh the dataset by using Refresh now or set up a refresh schedule by using Schedule Refresh. For more details, please review this article.

Regards,
Lydia

[danielwo]

Hi Lydia,

I actually meant xlsx file.

Anyway, the info you provided is very helpful.  Thanks so much.

[v-yuezhe-msft]

@danielwo,

If your issue is solved, please mark my reply as answer, that way, other community members would easily find the solution when they get same issues.

Regards,