Getting Error Unable to Connect

[ManasRout]

Hi I am owner of a report and have access for Member and I want to give permission to my collegue who has viewer access he just need to create some calculation and build some visual in power bi desktop but not transforming data as well as not edit relationship with this report. Will Viewer + Build permission dataset work in this case or my collegue also need minimum contributor or Member access in this case. He is getting the below error while opening the report I have shared this copy of a report in a folder so he can directly download from sharepoint folder How a owner give permission to a viewer access collegues to create some basic calculation.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @ManasRout,

When your colleague uses Get Data -> Power BI semantic models or Analyze in Desktop, Power BI creates a new blank PBIX file that connects only to the dataset. This is intended for reusing the semantic model, so your report pages and visuals are not included. This is the expected behavior.

If you want your colleague to work with the same report pages you created, such as editing visuals or adding new pages, they need a copy of your original PBIX. To do this without giving Contributor or Member rights, make sure they have Build permission on the dataset in the Service. Once they have Build access, they can download the report from Power BI Service using File -> Download this file or you can share the PBIX via SharePoint as before. With Build permission, Power BI Desktop can connect to the semantic model and open the report with all your pages.

This method protects your data model from changes while allowing them to create measures, edit visuals, and add new report pages based on your existing design.

Thank you.

[ManasRout]

Hi @v-sgandrathi , My collegue has only viewer permission while he is opening this report in power bi service download option is not available under file after giving build permission to him but report which I developed connected to databricks as datasource. I have given build permission in power bi service for semantic model. I made a copy of this report and share to him in teams still not able to access it is telling need unable to access semantic model contact owner of sematic model also after giving semantic model build permission access he can't able to see the semantic model when click on getData --> Semantic model. for this 3pages which I have created in this report to access  still he need Pro licenses with Member or Contributor access or not. if without licesnses it work please let me know step by step process or do he needs also member/contributor role to get all the report pages which I build.

[v-sgandrathi · Accepted solution]

Hi @ManasRout,

In Power BI, Viewer access with Build permission does not allow a user to open an existing PBIX file, view pre-built report pages, edit visuals, or add new pages in Power BI Desktop. With Viewer + Build permission, users can only create new reports from the semantic model using Get Data -> Power BI semantic models, which always starts with a blank report. Existing report pages and visuals are not accessible through this method.

Downloading a PBIX from SharePoint or Teams does not bypass security measures. Power BI Desktop still checks access against the semantic model in Power BI Service, and since a Viewer cannot reuse the dataset for editing, an error appears: Unable to access the semantic model. Contact the owner, even with Build permission.

Viewer users also cannot download PBIX files from Power BI Service, so the Download this file option is not available. They cannot see datasets under Get Data -> Semantic models either, even with Build permission. This is expected according to Power BI licensing, especially for datasets connected to external sources like Databricks.

If your colleague needs to access and edit existing report pages, modify visuals, add new pages, and create measures without changing data or relationships, the minimum requirements are:

Power BI Pro license

Contributor (or Member) role on the workspace

Build permission on the dataset

Contributor access enables report editing and PBIX download while protecting the dataset and data model. Viewer + Build permission alone does not support editing existing report pages.

Thank you and Continue using Microsoft Fabric Community Forum.

[ManasRout]

@v-sgandrathi , Thank you for the details solution.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @ManasRout,

Another important note: downloading a PBIX file from a SharePoint or Teams folder doesn’t automatically provide access to the underlying semantic model. Even if you can open the file, Power BI Desktop will still attempt to connect to the dataset in the Service, and the connection will fail without explicit Build permission on that dataset. To prevent this, share the dataset directly (or the workspace/app containing it) and have your colleague use “Get data → Power BI semantic models” or “Analyze in Desktop” from the Service, so the PBIX is created with a valid live connection.

Additionally, make sure you’re both in the same tenant and your colleague is signed into Power BI Desktop with the work account that has Build permission. If the dataset is in a different workspace, the user must be granted permissions on that dataset; access to just the report or the SharePoint file isn’t enough.

Thank you.

[ManasRout]

Hi @v-sgandrathi , If my collegues is following steps like getdata --> power bi sematic mode she is loosing the report pages which I created some of visuals in the 3pages. Please tell me is it possible how to get that report pages as well so she will edit existing page or create a new page.

[MasonMA]

Hi, 

The error “unable to access the semantic model” means your colleague does not yet have Build access on the dataset. Viewer plus Build permission on the dataset should be enough for your colleague to create their own measures, build new visuals in Power BI Desktop, and reuse your dataset without modifying relationships or transforming data. 

You need to make sure PBIX is connected to the semantic model properly and the user actually has Build permission on the dataset, not just the report file.

To grant your user model Build permission, in Power BI Service, under Manage permissions and Add user, select below option. 

[ManasRout]

Hi @MasonMA , After giving access to my collegue he can create a new pages but can't able to see the 3pages which I created. Is it possible to access these 3pages which I created and add new pages or modify the report pages which I did earlier without changing transforming dataset and model view in viewer licenses or still my collegue needs pro licenses like member or contributor role to see all the 3pages which I build as well as modify existing calculation.