Differences between Datasets and Reports

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I'm having some trouble with my dataset and a report I've built using the dataset. I've published the dataset to a workspace, and then open up PowerBI and connect to my dataset via the PowerBI Dataset option. The data connects correctly and I'm able to see all the tables in the model with the varying fields, however if I try to create a chart in the application which also houses the model dataset, I'm successful and the fields appear correctly in my chart. Yet when I try to do the exact same thing in the report which is connected to the published dataset - but not housing it - those same fields don't create the same table.

What's more, when I publish a dummy of the chart I'm trying to create, even in the file that holds the model, and refresh it from the workspace, some of my field appear, but others don't.

If anyone could shed any light on how the model/dataset file and a report file using the model/dataset work, that'd be greatly appreciated. I'm confused that A) Model file builds the chart I want correctly, Report file does not and B) When refreshing the Model file from the workspace, two out of three of my fields disappear and require a couple of refreshes to get them to appear.

The model is vast but the two tables in question use a many to many relationship and connect via a date field, 'Calendar Month Start' and 'Date'. One table contains various different type periods, and the other contains financial targets (and a date field).

Thanks,

Jake

[Anonymous]

Hi Ibendlin,

Thanks very much for your reply, and apologies for my delay; I didn't get a notification.

What you say above makes sense, but I'm still unclear on how fields can work in the PBIX model but not in the report file providing I've done as you say (publish both files, then schedule after). Everything I'm doing at the moment is in Desktop, let's leave the workspace for now.

A little more context to my issue, I have a standard TimePeriod table which is joined to a financial targets table via the Calendar Start Date field. The cardinality is many to many. To test the model, I built the chart in my PBIX file and everything was fine. I then published the model and opened a new project and connected to it, when I then created the same chart, the data wasn't showing (table and fields were available but they yielded nothing on the visual). Coming from a Tableau background, my mind went to the relationship but given it acted as expected in the PBIX, but I'm doubtful as it was working as intended in the model file when I created a chart.

Since then I deleted the targets table which was stored outside PowerBI and replicated the table inside the application. Still though, when using the fields within the model file, things show up, but after I've published the model and create a new project using the model, the charts don't work. The first image is a picture of the chart using the PBIX, the second is the exact same conditions but in the new report file.

At the moment, these are both via the desktop application.

[lbendlin]

The cardinality is many to many

You want a 1:* relationship from the calendar table to the fact table, with single direction.

[Anonymous]

It has to be many to many I believe, as there's a region column in the Targets table, so each region has a target per month. Setting the cardinality to anything other than many-to-many produces an error.

It also works as intended in the model file, but not in the report. Surely if the cardinality was incorrect the model simply wouldn't serve up what I need in either file?

Here's a dummy of what the two tables look like, I've tested these outside the main model (which is vast), and pretty sure the relationship is configured correctly... though perhaps I need to bring in another fact table.

             

[lbendlin]

The cardinality is many to many

You want a 1:* relationship from the calendar table to the fact table, with single direction.

[lbendlin]

Cut your issue into smaller, more manageable chunks.

A PBIX file contains both the dataset data sources and their relationships  (aka the data model) and the user interface definitions (aka the report).  Once you publish that to a workspace they will be shown separately (but you can still download the PBIX from the workspace through either, and the components will be reunited).

If you refresh the dataset, either via schedule or ad hoc that will only change the data. It will neither change the data model nor the report.

If you are on a premium workspace and you have created an app and give your users access to the dataset via the app then there is another complexity.  The workspace dataset and the app dataset (as well as the workspace report and the app report) can get out of sync if you publish the PBIX to the workspace but then do not update the app. 

So do give access through the app, but remember to update the app if you made meta data changes.