Import Power Pivot (DataModel) into Power Bi

[adriansuteu]

How am I supposed to import a DataModel into Power BI?

I have created a data model and marked it as a Date Table. You can see it in the image below.

But after I save it as Excel Workbook, when I try to import this workbook into Power BI, the software only recognizes the empty sheet from the actual workbook, not the data model.

[waltheed]

Hi adriansuteu,

You should not select Get Data on the start screen, but close the start screen, so that you have an empty pbix file.

Then go to File - Import - Excel Workbook Contents, and select your excel file that contains your Power Pivot Model (Excel Data Model).

Then it will create the model inside Power BI Desktop.

It will contain the data and the connections to the source.

[Anonymous]

Does PowerBI refresh the data from the data source as needed? Or does data become static in PowerBI freezing to reflect the version in effect the moment you import it from PowerPivot?

[Anonymous]

Is there a way to do it vice versa, as in importing data models and relationships built in Power BI into Microsoft Excel ? 

[MattAllington]

No, it only goes the other way. But you can publish the PBI to powerbi.com and use Analyze in Excel (with a pro account) or you could use my local host workbook technique to do a similar thing on your pc. Analyze In Excel Without PowerBi.com

[jaygill]

Hey there!

I have a question for you. i've already imported existing power pivot data model in to power BI. 

But i have some done measure and made changes to original power pivot model. Now when i refresh power BI model it's not updating.

Can you help? 

[MRussett]

I am also curious about this.  My organization generates monthly power pivot reports that come from various databases I do not have direct access too.   However I can download the XLSX and import the data structure into PowerBI really nicely.   It would be nice if I could download the new report each month and update my PowerBI... however re-importing erases all the customizations I have made in PBI

[majdya]

You are life saver

[adriansuteu · Accepted solution]

I figured it out after all.

I think that the problem was that I was trying to import the file from Azure as it was (CSV format) in PowerBi.

Solution: I have created a new Query in Excel (Data-New Query), selected that CSV file with the date table and save it after that.

Then I have imported the new Excel format file into PowerBi

Thanks for your replies,

Adrian

[mahimabedi]

How i can i import a data model for a xlsm file stored on OneDrive? The web connector doesnt seem to bring in the data model and the file> import option only let me select a file onprem locally

[MattAllington]

I know you can't import a data model from na XLSM file to Power BI Desktop. Maybe it is the same here. I simply save the file in XLSX format before importing

[Sean]

The latest question here by @mahimabedi seems to be a Duplicate Post

[Sean]

@adriansuteu If you are looking for your content (pivot tables/charts etc..) - not the Data Model which should be there!

Note that only Power View Sheets get imported!

So anything not visualized with Power View will NOT be there - you will have to recreate it.

[MattAllington]

It's on the file menu. From memory, File/Import Data or something like that.