integration with live source

[Rishabh_THB]

i am currently using a powerbi pro trial account. i want to make a report through an sql server. Now once i have made the report and published it to have and after that scheduled a refresh, how will powerbi do the refresh action? Would it consume live data direclty from my sql server data source and then update my report or will it first download the data from the data source and then integrate that data with the report? 

[v-yuezhe-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Rishabh_THB，

Firstly, it is possible that a you get quick real time data from the source. You would need to use streaming dataset, and create real-time dashboard, for more details, please check this article: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-service-real-time-streaming/

Secondly, currently, Power BI still performs a complete refresh of the data each time it refreshes. What you describe is incremental refresh, this feature is not available in Power BI, an idea about this issue has been submitted in this link, please vote it up.

Thirdly, refresh will fail when the connection is lost.

Thanks,
Lydia Zhang

[v-yuezhe-msft]

Hi @Rishabh_THB,

Whenever you refresh data in a dataset, Power BI uses information in the dataset to connect to the data sources defined for it, query for updated data, and then loads the updated data into the dataset.

You can take a look at this article about how gateway works to refresh your dataset.

Thanks,
Lydia Zhang

[Rishabh_THB]

Hello Lydia

Thanks for a quick response. Just a few more questions.

1.  Is it possible to run a live query on the data set in POWERBI while refreshing the data, so that instead of uploading the whole data again and again, we get a quick real time data from the source? 

2.  Is it possible for PowerBI to append data to an existing model instead of refreshing or reloading the data completely. 

3.  What will happend if someone the connection gets lost in the middle of data refreshment?

[v-yuezhe-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Rishabh_THB，

Firstly, it is possible that a you get quick real time data from the source. You would need to use streaming dataset, and create real-time dashboard, for more details, please check this article: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-service-real-time-streaming/

Secondly, currently, Power BI still performs a complete refresh of the data each time it refreshes. What you describe is incremental refresh, this feature is not available in Power BI, an idea about this issue has been submitted in this link, please vote it up.

Thirdly, refresh will fail when the connection is lost.

Thanks,
Lydia Zhang

[Rishabh_THB]

In response to the answer to my third query, Whether the refreshment of data will start automatically once the connection is back or whether the powerBi will miss that particular scheduled refreshment timing (due to loss in connection during the refreshment time) and will refresh datas to upcoming scheduled timings?
For example: I have set my refresment timings to 6:00 pm and 10 pm and during 6 pm my connection got lost. And lets say the connection is back at 8:00 pm. Now will the powerbi first do the data refreshment corresponding to 6 pm timings and then do the 10 pm refreshment or will it skip the 6pm refreshment timing and will only respond to the upcoming timing, which is 10 pm.  

[v-yuezhe-msft]

Hi @Rishabh_THB,

What refresh frequency do you set? Power BI will respond to the upcoming timing.

Thanks,
Lydia Zhang

[Rishabh_THB]

Hello
I got the idea. Right now i'm facing another issue with data refresh. I have used DirectQuery to get data through sql server. I have also used on premises data gateway and connected my live server with it.

Now once i have made the report and scheduled a refresh of 30 min, i published the report to web. What i'm getting on the web page is an error with no visualization. Also the data doesn't get updated even after repeated automatic refresh and my online server on which i'm running the query has already updated the data and this new data was supposed to be visible in my report. 

Please help !!!

[v-yuezhe-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Rishabh_THB,

Please open a new thread about the above new issue.

Thanks,
Lydia Zhang