Web Service and Desktop Client show different Result for same Measure

[skasper]

Hi,

I am facing a strange situation:

• I created a PowerBI report using the Desktop Client
• The data is coming from an Excel file on SharePoint
• In the report I calculate a measure called RPE
• The value for the same measure is different in the desktop client vs. the web service (see below)

Web ServiceDesktop Client

What I did (in that order):

1. Refresh data in the web service
2. Refresh data in the client
3. Refresh preview data in the client
4. Refresh data in the client again
   --> all to no avail
5. Publish the refreshed report from the client to the web (replacing the Dataset)
   --> no change
6. Delete the dataset, report and dashboard from the web service
7. Publish the refreshed report from the client to the web
   --> same problem

Any ideas, how it can show different values for the same data and calculation and - more importantly - how to fix it?

Thank you.

[v-sihou-msft]

@skasper

I can't reproduce this issue. Can you share the formula of this measure?

Regards,

[skasper]

Hi Simon,

Act. RPE 2016 = [Act. Revenue]/[Employees 2016]

With

Act. Revenue = 
CALCULATE(
	SUM('All Years'[Value]);
	FILTER(tbl_categories;tbl_categories[Label]="Revenue");
	'All Years'[Type]="Actual"
)

And the number of employees based on an on-premise CRM. Counting only those, who have a contract start date before 2017 and a contract end date after 2016 (or none). 

Employees 2016 =
CALCULATE (
    COUNTA ( alm_employee[ID Employee] );
    FILTER (
        alm_employee;
        alm_employee[Contract Start].[Date] < DATEVALUE ( "01/01/17" )
    );
    FILTER (
        alm_employee;
        OR (
            alm_employee[Contract End].[Date] > DATEVALUE ( "31/12/16" );
            alm_employee[Contract End].[Date] = 0
        )
    )
)

Hope this helps. Thank you.

[skasper]

Hi @v-sihou-msft,

I now double checked the results manually. The numbers in the client are correct. There are also no additional/other filters set on the web service.

Also, if the formula were wrong, I should get wrong - but identical - results in both, the web service and the desktop client.

However, the source data and calculation are completely identical and still the result in the web service remains wrong.

[v-sihou-msft]

@skasper

I still can't reproduce this issue.

I have encountered similar issue like yours. It shows different result on Desktop and Service when connecting SSAS source. But that issue is fixed already. I suggest you create a support ticket.

Regards,

[skasper]

Ok, will do so. Meanwhile I noticed another report with the same issue. In this case there are no formulas involved. All I do is to get the field 'ID Employee' from Dynamics CRM DB (on premise) into a 'card' visual and do a COUNT in the visual settings.

In the client it counts 177 ID's and on the web only 171.

This is seriously bad as it undermines the credibility of all reports. I cannot possibly check all of them and compare the results between client and web service.

My assumption is that the problem is related to using the CRM DB as data source (if you recall, I also use it in the initially reported problem).

[Anthony1981]

Hi @skasper ! Did you find a solution ?

I have a similar problem : I developed a report with Power B.I Desktop and I published it on Power B.I Service. Problem: The data displayed in the Power B.I service is different from the ones displayed in Power B.I desktop. In Power B.I Desktop, values are aggregated by month / year. By consistency check, I'm sure that these values correspond to reality. So there is a problem in Power B.I service.

[skasper]

Hi @Anthony1981,

Unfortunately, I cannot say that I did. I eventually refrained from using these measures. The behavior of PBI service is neither consistent nor deterministic. I am very wary now and always double check any published reports. Cumbersome, to say the least.

Good news is that I have not encountered further similar issues.

Sorry I cannot help any further than that.

[Anthony1981]

Hello @skasper,

Thanks for your answer. I opened a support ticket to report the problem. I suspect a problem related to dates formats that differs in the web service compared to the desktop. While waiting for a response from the support I will apply your method and check each of my publications.

Cheers

A.