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kky1
Helper II
Helper II

Help changing a report's semantic data model

Hello - I have an existing report that has a direct query connection to a semantic data model. In the same workspace, I've developed a v2 of the semantic data model with additonal measures, etc. I've made a copy of this existing report and would like to change the data model to this v2. How do I do that? 

Below is a visual of what I'm trying to describe in case my question isn't clear:

kky1_0-1705850690108.png

I've read articles like https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/desktop-report-lifecycle-datasets?source=rec... but all I've been able to find are articles describing the opposite of what I need to do - either copying reports and keeping the old data model or creating a new report from the v2 data model. When I try Get Data - Power BI Semantic Model - add a local model, the only choices of tables to add are in the existing (old) data model and I want to add the v2 data model. 

 

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide!

@kky1 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Greg_Deckler
Community Champion
Community Champion

@kky1 Try going to Transform data and switching all of your Source steps to point to the v2 data model instead of the v1 data model. I tested this by setting up directquery queries to AdventureWorksDW2019 database and then switching them to AdventureWorksDW2022 database.



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6 REPLIES 6
Nico_S
New Member

I have a similar issue, but transform data doesn't do the trick for me. For some reason it is not recognizing that the report is already using a semantic model but at the same time I'm not able to assign a new one because it is just allowing me to create a new direct query connection by entering Server\tabular. 

I noticed that the option via transform data just exist for the originally created file. Once it is uploaded to PBI service and downloaded again for editing this option doesn't work anymore. Is there an alternative way? It seems like such a common thing to change the data connection taht it's weird it is that limited. 

Did you ever find a solution to this? I am exeriancing the same thing. Some reports pull up the data source and others just say connect ot a new model even though it is allready connected. 

The solution, as silly as it sounds is to make sure, noone ever downloads a report from power bi to edit it locally. Instead, the "valid" version always needs to be stored in the version control tool used. We're also experimenting with the git integration in power BI services to see if that improves the situation. But we havent found a way to fix the error, if its created

kky1
Helper II
Helper II

Thanks so much @Greg_Deckler - that did the trick! I guess I was afraid to click "Submit" on the pop up with the first data model tables, but once I did that went to Transform Data, I could see all the data models and was very easy to select the one I wanted. I feel a bit silly for not being able to figure it out on my own, but thank you so much for the response!! 

@kky1 Well, I wouldn't feel bad or silly, not exactly an intuitive and straight-forward way of doing it.



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Greg_Deckler
Community Champion
Community Champion

@kky1 Try going to Transform data and switching all of your Source steps to point to the v2 data model instead of the v1 data model. I tested this by setting up directquery queries to AdventureWorksDW2019 database and then switching them to AdventureWorksDW2022 database.



Follow on LinkedIn
@ me in replies or I'll lose your thread!!!
Instead of a Kudo, please vote for this idea
Become an expert!: Enterprise DNA
External Tools: MSHGQM
YouTube Channel!: Microsoft Hates Greg
Latest book!:
DAX For Humans

DAX is easy, CALCULATE makes DAX hard...

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