Skip to main content
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Get Fabric Certified for FREE during Fabric Data Days. Don't miss your chance! Learn more

Reply
Anonymous
Not applicable

Azure SQL Managed Instance with Power BI

Our organization is considering moving to Azure SQL managed instance. We are wondering how does Power BI interact with Azure SQL Managed. Here are a few questions I had:

 

1. Will Power BI desktop will able to connect to Azure SQL Managed using DirectQuery?

2. Will we still need to have a gateway to connect PBI service to PBI desktop for enabling scheduled refreshes?

 

Thanks,

HV

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Anonymous
Not applicable

@amitchandak  Thank you.

 

I was worried because Managed is not exactly cloud but our SQL Server on-prem DB managed on Azure Cloud via virtual network. The virtual network part got me questioning if the refreshes will work the same way as on cloud.

 

Thanks,

HV

View solution in original post

8 REPLIES 8
Quest
Advocate I
Advocate I

We are facing the same issue.

Works fine in Desktop, but once published to Power BI Online, the dataset cannot refresh.

Can someone help with a resolution to the same.

amitchandak
Super User
Super User

refer :

https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Power-Query/Azure-SQL-Server-Managed-Instance/m-p/376246

https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/5953/create-power-bi-connection-to-azure-sql-database/

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/blog/securing-the-connection-between-power-bi-and-azure-sql-databa...

 

Appreciate your Kudos. In case, this is the solution you are looking for, mark it as the Solution.
In case it does not help, please provide additional information and mark me with @

Thanks. My Recent Blogs -Decoding Direct Query - Time Intelligence, Winner Coloring on MAP, HR Analytics, Power BI Working with Non-Standard TimeAnd Comparing Data Across Date Ranges
Connect on Linkedin

Share with Power BI Enthusiasts: Full Power BI Video (20 Hours) YouTube
Microsoft Fabric Series 60+ Videos YouTube
Microsoft Fabric Hindi End to End YouTube
Anonymous
Not applicable

Thanks @amitchandak 

 

I went through the documentation. It was very helpful. The one question I still have is about scheduled refreshes. Does power BI scheduled refreshes work directly (since Azure SQL Managed is on cloud) or will it need a gateway to do so?

 

Best,

HV

Refer :https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/refresh-data#accessing-cloud-data-sources

"Datasets that use cloud data sources, such as Azure SQL DB, don't require a data gateway if Power BI can establish a direct network connection to the source. Accordingly, you can manage the configuration of these data sources by using the Data source credentials section in the dataset settings. As the following screenshot shows, you don't need to configure a gateway connection."

Share with Power BI Enthusiasts: Full Power BI Video (20 Hours) YouTube
Microsoft Fabric Series 60+ Videos YouTube
Microsoft Fabric Hindi End to End YouTube
Anonymous
Not applicable

@amitchandak  Thank you.

 

I was worried because Managed is not exactly cloud but our SQL Server on-prem DB managed on Azure Cloud via virtual network. The virtual network part got me questioning if the refreshes will work the same way as on cloud.

 

Thanks,

HV

Has anyone actually gotten PowerBI DirectQuery to work with Azure Managed Instance? We recently had to upgrade from SQL DB to managed instance, and we cannot get our PowerBI DirectQuery to connect like it used to. Wondering if there are extra firewall / security rules we need to circumvent now that it's managed instance?

Have you managed to get this working yet?
My organization is having some trouble also establishing a connetion in PowerBI when published.

Desktop is working fine.

Anonymous
Not applicable

HI @JWHND ,

 

Sorry to bump an old post, but I'm having the exact same issue. Works fine in Desktop, but once published to Power BI Online the data credentials are incorrect and the dataset cannot refresh. Have you been able to solve this?

Helpful resources

Announcements
Fabric Data Days Carousel

Fabric Data Days

Advance your Data & AI career with 50 days of live learning, contests, hands-on challenges, study groups & certifications and more!

October Power BI Update Carousel

Power BI Monthly Update - October 2025

Check out the October 2025 Power BI update to learn about new features.

FabCon Atlanta 2026 carousel

FabCon Atlanta 2026

Join us at FabCon Atlanta, March 16-20, for the ultimate Fabric, Power BI, AI and SQL community-led event. Save $200 with code FABCOMM.

Top Solution Authors