Forum Discussion
Data source error when importing data from Access
Hi, when I import table data from an Access database (17 columns, 184 rows), one of the columns shows all values as error. I am then presented with this error in the Query Editor:
DataSource.Error: An error happened while reading data from the provider: 'Conversion failed because the Decimal data value overflowed the type specified for the Decimal value part in the consumer's buffer.'
The data type associated with this particluar column in Access is Calculated with the values being decimal numbers. There are other columns containg whole numbers that appear as Calculated. Their values appear in the Query editor as 0 however there is no associated error displayed.
I can see the correct data when I inspect the table directly in Access and I can also see the correct data if I import the table into Excel. Not sure what is going on here and I cannot find much looking online.
Just to make sure I wasn't expecting too much, I downloaded a trial of Tableau Desktop and all data imports correctly. This suggests it is a Power BI issue.
Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
Thanks.
Adam
5 Replies
Quick question, how you are connecting to MS Access form PowerBI?
From the Get Data button, select Access Database, then browse to the file. The file is located on local machine in the Desktop folder. All other values come across except calculated fields.
Hi grittoa,
Based on my test, calculated fields in Access databased can be displayed correctly after being imported into Power BI.
To the error message, 'the Decimal data value overflowed the type specified for the Decimal value part in the consumer's buffer', it seems that the actual values didn't match the decimal data type supported by Power BI. As is stated in this article, the Decimal Number type can handle negative values from -1.79E +308 through -2.23E -308, 0, and positive values from 2.23E -308 through 1.79E + 308. The largest value that can be represented in a Decimal Number type is 15 digits long. So, please check the data values in Access database.
Besides, the error points out conversion failure, in query editors, under the applied steps, delete the "Changed Type" step to see whether issue persists.
For more analysis, please share your source data.
Best regards,
Yuliana GuThank you to those who replied. I am no longer going to use Power BI for this initiative and have not progressed trobleshooting this issue.
I am also having this same issue. Access is rounding my numbers so there are no more than 2 decimal points but I am getting the same
"DataSource.Error: An error happened while reading data from the provider: 'Conversion failed because the Decimal data value overflowed the type specified for the Decimal value part in the consumer's buffer."
