Grouping data in dev environment and production environment

[hale]

Hi,

I would like to set up a group in a dimension table (Staff). The issue is I use deployment pipeline and my dataset in each stage and desktop is using a different data source connection. Therefore the data that I use to group in Desktop doesnt have the exact data that I have in Production.

For example: the end goal is to group Staff1, Staff2 and Staff3 to a group in production dataset so the report user can use. However, in the desktop file, my dataset only have Staff1, Staff3, Staff4... Staff2 only exists in Production dataset.

How do I set that up?

[hale]

Thanks for the reply.
My current set up is desktop file connect to test database only. Production database can only be accessed inside company network via on-premises gateway. Once the dataset is published from dev computer, it will then be moving through pipelines and when it reaches the Prd workspace, it has all correct connection. It has been working perfectly until the need of grouping staff together (test db and Prd db have slightly different staff list).

I hope this makes sense now.

[lbendlin]

Production database can only be accessed inside company network via on-premises gateway.

If it can be accessed via gateway then it more than likely can also be accessed via Power BI Desktop. Gateway cluster members are pretty much headless Power BI Desktops.

[hale]

we are trying to limit access to PRD database directly, hence the setup. Most of the cases, we are fine, we use test database to build the schema and then once the data is deployed to the end of deployment pipeline, it can use that schema to retrieve the Prd data. Now the grouping feature of Power BI use the actual data, so we havent found a way to "dynamically" do it, hence the question. I was thinking about a staff grouping table from an Excel file so that I can have 1 for test environment and 1 for Prd. However, not sure if the grouping feature can be "dynamic" that way.

[lbendlin · Accepted solution]

where I come from we call this "wash me but don't make me wet". 

One way to work around this is to make regular copies of the production environment into the DR environment and then point DEV and ITG to the DR environment.

[lbendlin]

What makes you need that?  Do you not trust your report design?

You can decide for each of your data sources if you want to get the data from a "pure" environment or if you want to mix and match. For example you could point all your workspaces to the production version of the Staff data source.