Power BI refresh query

[pbix]

Hello, 

A bit of a newbie-level question 🙂

I have a desktop power bi project.

I imported data into this file from SQL server at 9AM this morning 

I have published this to the Power BI service.

I have set the dashboard to refresh in the Power BI service every day at 4AM.

(Here's my question...)

Will the dashboard I uploaded automatically update at 4AM tomorrow morning? E.g. pull new data into the dashboard that has been recorded during today?

Thanks!

pbix

[MattAllington · Accepted solution]

1 yes

Edit:  I haven't changed my answers below but I am now not so sure. I would like someone from MS to validate. 

It is not clear to me if replication of data is included or if it is only direct connect. What happens when you try it?

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-power-bi-pro-content-what-is-it/

2 yes and no.  You need a pro license for this but it is because you are using a gateway 

3 yes and no.  As above, if you have a gateway you need a pro licence. But only for the person administering (I believe). Licenses are cheap and personally I consider it good to pay for things you value, especially when it is cheap. Optionally you could use a product like Power update http://xbi.com.au/update to refresh loacally and automatically push the pbix to the server. This software costs $500 + 20% maintenance so a single power bi licence is still good value. 

[MattAllington]

Do you have a gateway?  When you refresh on desktop, you have access to your sql server. Power bi service needs access to the server too if you want it to refresh. 

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-gateway-onprem/

Dont be scared by he enterprise gateway - it is easy to use. 

[pbix]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the reply - yes we've got Enterprise gateway installed. I'm a little confused about how data is refreshed between sources...

A couple of questions if you don't mind?

1) Is my understanding of the below scenario correct?

I IMPORT (not direct query) data from on-prem a SQL Server into a Power BI Desktop file. I publish this file to the Power BI service. I schedule this dataset to refresh every day at 5AM. The dashboard will update automatically with the most recent data?

2) Because I am sucking data out of our on-prem database into the Power BI service, this will require a Pro license?

3) In the scenario above, is there a way of refreshing the data nightly with a Free license?

Thanks!

Pbix

[MattAllington · Accepted solution]

1 yes

Edit:  I haven't changed my answers below but I am now not so sure. I would like someone from MS to validate. 

It is not clear to me if replication of data is included or if it is only direct connect. What happens when you try it?

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-power-bi-pro-content-what-is-it/

2 yes and no.  You need a pro license for this but it is because you are using a gateway 

3 yes and no.  As above, if you have a gateway you need a pro licence. But only for the person administering (I believe). Licenses are cheap and personally I consider it good to pay for things you value, especially when it is cheap. Optionally you could use a product like Power update http://xbi.com.au/update to refresh loacally and automatically push the pbix to the server. This software costs $500 + 20% maintenance so a single power bi licence is still good value. 

[pbix]

Hi Matt, 

Thanks again for taking the time to reply. 

Re 1: Thanks

Re: 2: Thanks for the clarification - just so I've got the right idea is it your understanding that the following scenario is correct?

I am the administrator responsible for managing the gateway and Power BI desktop file and have a pro license. I import (not DQ) data from an on-prem data source into this document. I upload this document into the Power BI service. I schedule a nightly refresh. This report will then be refreshed nightly and I can share this with free-tier license users?

Re 3: Totally agree. Power BI is a great product. However I need to maximise what our team can do with both Pro and Free licenses so am keen to explore how I can push as much data out to our staff via the free license model, complementing this with Pro users as required. 

Thanks alot, 

Pbix

[MattAllington]

I still don't have a clear answer on 2.  I hope Adam or someone from MS will reply.  I am clear that if you want to use On Premise through a gateway then it is Pro content.  What is not clear to me is if once per day refresh via a Gateway is also Pro - it needs some from MS to confirm. @v-ljerr-msft do you know?

[v-ljerr-msft]

Hi @MattAllington,

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What is not clear to me is if once per day refresh via a Gateway is also Pro - it needs some from MS to confirm. @v-ljerr-msft do you know?

Yes, if you schedule a refresh via a Gateway, it is Pro content, no matter how frequently the refresh is.

However, if you're connecting to an Online datasource(like facebook) directly without a Gateway, you can schedule a daily refresh(once per day) on it, it is free and can be shared with Free user. In the same scenario, if you schedule it more frequently than daily, it becomes Pro content and cannot be shared with Free user.

Regards

[pbix]

Hi @v-ljerr-msft,

Could you also confirm whether the following scenario requires every user to have a Pro license?

I am the Power BI administrator and have a pro license. I create a new power bi desktop project and set up a report. I IMPORT (not DQ) data from an on prem SQL server. I upload the report to the Power BI service. I set the gateway to refresh nightly.

Can I then share this report/dashboard with Free-tier license holders? Or does everyone who views this report/dashboard need to have a Pro license?

Thanks alot :),

Pbix

[v-ljerr-msft]

Hi @pbix,

As you're connecting to on-premises data source using gateway(this is Pro content), the report/dashboard cannot be shared with Free Users. Every user needs to have a Pro license in this scenario

Regards

[pbix]

Thanks very much @v-ljerr-msft and @MattAllington for taking the time to answer.

On the on-prem gateway point - is this the same where data is pushed to Azure? I.e. If the data source was an Azure-hosted database which Power BI connects to to refresh itself automatically/nightly - would this still require all users of the dashboard to have a pro license to view the dashboard's content?

Thanks!

[v-ljerr-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @pbix,

Sorry for the delay response.

On the on-prem gateway point - is this the same where data is pushed to Azure? I.e. If the data source was an Azure-hosted database which Power BI connects to to refresh itself automatically/nightly - would this still require all users of the dashboard to have a pro license to view the dashboard's content?

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In this scenario, no gateway is needed to connect to Azure Databases. However, Pro license is still needed.

Regards

[MattAllington]

@GuyInACube Adam can you clarify if once per day replication to onpremise sql server using a gateway I suggest pro content. It is not clear in this blog post. https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-power-bi-pro-content-what-is-it/

Can you also coordinate to have the article updated to make it clear. 

Thanks

Matt