Difference between Light Blue & Dark Blue table header in Model View?

[cbschley]

In one report, I have a model that contains both Import and DirectQuery tables. The DirectQuery table has a dark-blue header, which I assume is to identify DirectQuery.

In another report, I have a model that is entirely coming from a semantic model. It doesn't say whether its DirectQuery or Import. All of these tables have a light-blue header. What is the difference?

[johnbasha33 · Accepted solution]

@cbschley 

The difference in the colors of the table headers indicates the storage mode of the tables in your Power BI dataset.

1. **Dark Blue Header (DirectQuery)**:
Tables with a dark blue header indicate that they are using DirectQuery mode. DirectQuery mode allows Power BI to query the underlying data source directly in real-time, without importing the data into the Power BI dataset. This mode is suitable for large datasets or scenarios where you need to access real-time data.

2. **Light Blue Header (Import)**:
Tables with a light blue header indicate that they are using Import mode. Import mode means that the data has been imported into the Power BI dataset during the data loading process. Power BI stores the imported data internally, allowing for faster query performance and offline access to the data. Import mode is suitable for smaller datasets or scenarios where you want to leverage Power BI's data modeling capabilities.

In your second report where all tables have light blue headers, it suggests that all tables are imported into the Power BI dataset. If you're unsure whether a table is in DirectQuery or Import mode in this report, you can check the data source settings in the Power Query Editor or the dataset settings in Power BI Desktop to verify the storage mode of each table.

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