Change Data Source Settings Without Refreshing Before Publishing

Hi ngoodweiler 

It’s quite challenging, if not impossible, to change data source settings in Power BI Desktop without triggering a refresh, especially with Python scripts involved.

Workarounds to Try:
Parameterize the Server: Set up parameters for your SQL server connection in Power BI Service. Publish the report as-is (with the old SQL settings), then update the server location in Power BI Service under Settings > Datasets > Parameters. Note, though, that applying parameters in Desktop may still prompt a refresh.

Remove Python Temporarily: As a last resort, create a version of the report without Python scripts. This will allow you to update the data sources, then re-add the Python scripts after publishing.

In short, Power BI doesn’t natively support changing data sources without some refresh initiation.