Edit Queries grayed out - How can I view the source data in Excel and append data to this source?

[Dali748]

I still have access to an intern's account who no longer works here.  He created a report in "Service" under his "personal workspace" so there isn't an option to download the *.pbix file.  So I ended up going to "Desktop" and I was able to select the same dataset he used in "Service" and I recreated the reports and published them to a "group workspace"; so I can edit the reports in the future and we can delete his account.

My issue is how do I update data in this dataset?  I can't go under "Edit Queries" in "Desktop" because it's grayed out.  If I click on "Refresh" it looks like it refreshes properly but I have no idea where the source file is that it's refreshing from.

I tried going back into "Service" under "Settings > Datasets" and when I click on that dataset all I see is the following.

Refresh can't be scheduled because the data set doesn't contain any data model connections, or is a worksheet or linked table. To schedule refresh, the data must be loaded into the data model.

Parameters haven't been defined for this dataset yet. If you want to set parameters, use the Query Editor.

Why is it so difficult to just get to the actual source data so I can continue to update it with new data?

If my company deletes this intern's Microsoft account, will this dataset also get deleted and not work with the new "group workspace" report I just created?

Thank you!

[Dali748]

I still have access to an intern's account who no longer works here.  He created a report in "Service" under his "personal workspace" so there isn't an option to download the *.pbix file.  So I ended up going to "Desktop" and I was able to select the same dataset he used in "Service" and I recreated the reports and published them to a "group workspace"; so I can edit the reports in the future and we can delete his account.

My issue is how do I update data in this dataset?  I can't go under "Edit Queries" in "Desktop" because it's grayed out.  If I click on "Refresh" it looks like it refreshes properly but I have no idea where the source file is that it's refreshing from.

I tried going back into "Service" under "Settings > Datasets" and when I click on that dataset all I see is the following.

Refresh can't be scheduled because the data set doesn't contain any data model connections, or is a worksheet or linked table. To schedule refresh, the data must be loaded into the data model.

Parameters haven't been defined for this dataset yet. If you want to set parameters, use the Query Editor.

Why is it so difficult to just get to the actual source data so I can continue to update it with new data?

If my company deletes this intern's Microsoft account, will this dataset also get deleted and not work with the new "group workspace" report I just created?

Thank you!

[v-juanli-msft]

Hi @Dali748 

If you don't need to change the data model, just need to recreate visuals or reports, 

I would suggest the creator of the report to republish the report from Power BI Desktop to an App workspace where you are a member with edit permission.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/service-collaborate-power-bi-workspace

In your scenario, when connecting to power bi dataset with power bi desktop,

it is a live connection, so edit queries doesn't support.

For your requirements, " I can edit the reports in the future and we can delete his account",

You could use the PowerShell script below to take over the dataset in the Power BI Service.
This will allow you to keep everything as is, but change the Owner. 

https://github.com/Azure-Samples/powerbi-powershell/blob/master/takeover-dataset.ps1

Best Regards
Maggie

Community Support Team _ Maggie Li
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[BrandyG_iTalent]

@v-juanli-msft - You are making a post to a user in the "Removed Posts" board, which is a private area.

This user made two posts because his post was marked as spam. I unmarked them, and at the users request, removed one of the posts.

Please see the thread here: https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Edit-Queries-grayed-out-How-can-I-view-the-source-data-in-E...

[PANDAmonium]

It sounds like they might have created a new report on an existing dataset. If so...

1. While logged in with their account in My Workspace, go to Reports
2. For that report under actions click the "View Related" It'll show what dataset the report is using
3. Go to the Datasets tab (not in settings but in My Workspace)
4. For that dataset under Actions, click the ellipsis and select download pbix.
5. Republish the dataset and report and in group/app workspace
6. Open your report in Power BI Desktop. Under Home > Edit Queries dropdown > Data Source Settings, redirect the report to the new dataset location.

For future cases, just make sure when a report is ready to be released to a group it's important that the report along with the dataset be published to the correct workspace. Personal workspaces are just that, personal. You can also create a dev workspace to publish WIPs to, but be careful for any security concerns. Hope this helps. If not, screenshots would be helpful to better understand the issue.

[Anonymous]

HI @Dali748 ,

If you were able to recreate the report that means you have access to the dataset. And this has nothing to do with the intern's Account.

Now if edit queries is grayed out that means you have limited access to play with your data.

You will have to request the person who provided the dataset to give you an access to edit queries. Also the refresh is set by the person who owns the dataset(view)

Thanks,

Tejaswi

[Dali748]

@Anonymous  Thank you for the reply!

I'm logged in both Power BI "Service" and "Desktop" with the intern's account; so I should have full access to the dataset since he's the one that created it.

In "Desktop" I just selected the dataset and then recreated the report view, but I can't seem to find a way to actually see the dataset in "Edit Queries" because it's grayed out and I'm sure I have full access since I'm logged in as the intern who created it.

Could it be because he initially created this dataset from "Service" and not "Desktop"?

[Anonymous]

Hi @Dali748 ,

I meant from where is your data coming. Which source? you will have to check with that.

I had similar problem with limited access and my source was SAP HANA database. I requested to give me an access to the database and this resolved my problem.

May be this helps you!

Thanks,

Tejaswi

[Dali748]

@Anonymous My data source seems to come from an Excel file

[Anonymous]

Hi @Dali748 ,

Did you also try this option of downloading the .pbix file? click on three dots .

Or else you would have to open a new desktop file and use that excel as a source for your reports.

Thanks,

Tejaswi

[v-yuta-msft]

@Dali748 ,

If you connect to the power bi dataset, you can't edit the dataset in power query because it's in live connection mode. So if you want to modify the dataset or change the data model, you need to download the pbix file from power bi service and publish to replace the current dataset. Click File-> Download Report(Preview) to download the pbix file.

 

Community Support Team _ Jimmy Tao

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[Dali748]

@v-yuta-msft That's another issue I'm having, based on my research online since he created this report from "Service" it doesn't give me an option to download the *.pbix file, it's grayed out.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/service-export-to-pbix#considerations-and-troubleshooting

[Dali748]

When I try to do the "Analyze in Excel" option on this dataset, the *.odc file downloads but when I try to open it I get a message saying "Excel cannot find OLAP cube Model..." but on datasets where I can download the *.pbix file I can open the *.odc file fine.

[v-yuta-msft]

@Dali748 ,

I think the limitation section has described the reason why you can't download the pbix file:

• To download the file, you must have edit access to the report.
• The report must have been created by using Power BI Desktop and published to the Power BI service, or the .pbix file must have been uploaded to the Power BI service.
• Reports must be published or updated after November 23, 2016. Reports published earlier aren't downloadable.
• This feature won't work with reports and content packs originally created in the Power BI service.
• Always use the latest version of Power BI Desktop when you open downloaded files. Downloaded .pbix files might not open in non-current versions of Power BI Desktop.
• If your administrator has turned off the ability to download data, this feature won't be visible in the Power BI service.
• Datasets with incremental refresh can't be downloaded to a .pbix file.

Community Support Team _ Jimmy Tao

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.