topic Re: Data Sources: Not possible to use a shared data source (connection string) like in SSRS? in Report Server

Data Sources: Not possible to use a shared data source (connection string) like in SSRS?

sasdfasdfsad — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:44:53 GMT

Migrating SSRS to the Power BI service as a Paginated Report, is there not a way to use a shared "Data Source" (the connection string not a sementic model like what PBI Desktop uses)?

If I have 50 reports that all connect to the same database on SSRS the reports all use that Data Source with the connection string to Dev/Test/Prod and we need to update that database name or string, etc... in SSRS we just edit that data source connection.

However in the PBI Service there does not seem to be a way to share a connection string that way so if I need to update a server name I have to open each and every report and then change it, save, re-publish.

Pipelines don't have that functionality for the paginated reports so is there anyway to handle this?

Thank you

Re: Data Sources: Not possible to use a shared data source (connection string) like in SSRS?

Zanqueta — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:40:43 GMT

Hi sasdfasdfsad,

My suggestion is to consider the following key point first: the Power BI service does not currently support shared data sources in the same way that SSRS does.

In SSRS you can have:

A shared data source object (connection string, credentials, etc.)
Many reports binding to that same shared data source
One edit to the shared data source that immediately affects all dependent reports

In the Power BI service for paginated reports (.rdl), there is no equivalent shared data source object that multiple paginated reports can reference directly. Microsoft’s own migration guidance explicitly notes that when you migrate SSRS RDLs, shared data sources and shared datasets are converted into embedded data sources and datasets inside each paginated report.

To answer your question:

“Is there not a way to use a shared ‘Data Source’ (the connection string) in the Power BI service for paginated reports, like in SSRS?”

No, the Power BI service does not currently provide a shared Data Source object for paginated reports in the same way as SSRS. When migrating, shared data sources are converted to embedded data sources inside each report.

“If I have to change a server name, do I really have to open every report?”

Not necessarily, if you:
- Parameterise the connection string (server, database, etc.), and
- Use deployment pipeline rules (or an external deployment script) to adjust those parameters per environment.

If this response was helpful in any way, I’d gladly accept a 👍much like the joy of seeing a DAX measure work first time without needing another FILTER.

Please mark it as the correct solution. It helps other community members find their way faster (and saves them from another endless loop 🌀.

Re: Data Sources: Not possible to use a shared data source (connection string) like in SSRS?

sasdfasdfsad — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:55:26 GMT

The deployment pipelines don't support parameters for paginated reports sadly 😞

Re: Data Sources: Not possible to use a shared data source (connection string) like in SSRS?

cengizhanarslan — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 17:45:08 GMT

In SSRS/Report Server you can centrally manage an .rds shared data source and repoint Dev/Test/Prod in one place. In Power BI Service (workspace-based paginated reports) there isn’t an equivalent “single shared connection-string object” that multiple RDLs inherit from and that you can edit once to update all reports.

Re: Data Sources: Not possible to use a shared data source (connection string) like in SSRS?

v-saisrao-msft — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:09:47 GMT

Hi sasdfasdfsad,

Have you had a chance to review the solution we shared by Zanqueta cengizhanarslan? If the issue persists, feel free to reply so we can help further.

Thank you.