🆘 Issue with Enabling Incremental Refresh in Power BI (DirectQuery Mode from SQL Server)

[Sreethar_14]

Hi Community,

I'm facing an issue with enabling Incremental Refresh in Power BI, despite following every step outlined in the official Microsoft documentation:
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/incremental-refresh-overview

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✅ My Setup:

• Data Source: SQL Server

• Connection Mode: DirectQuery

• Power BI Desktop Version: (Add your version here)

• Table: Superstore

• Created two date/time parameters:

  • Start 2016 → 3/1/2016 12:00:00 am

  • End 2016 → 31/12/2016 12:00:00 am

• Applied filter on a date column using:

  • >= Start 2016

  • < End 2016

• Data type for date column: Date/Time

• Verified all parameter and query steps match Microsoft's guidelines.

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❌ Problem:

When I go to Model View > Incremental Refresh, the toggle remains disabled, and I see the message:

“Before you can set up incremental refresh on this table, you need to set up parameters.”

Even after multiple retries and clean setups, the issue persists. Screenshots attached for better clarity.

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🔍 What I've Tried:

• Verified the parameters are of type Date/Time

• Checked if filters are applied at the table level in Power Query

• Refreshed metadata, restarted Power BI

• Tried both default and custom parameter names

• Ensured correct filter logic (>= Start, < End)

• Ensured that the table is not in DirectQuery + live combination

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📝 Ask:

Could someone from the community or Power BI team please advise:

• Is Incremental Refresh supported in DirectQuery mode for SQL Server?

• If not, is there a recommended workaround?

• If yes, what could be the reason the toggle is still not activating?
  
  
  

  Thanks in advance for your help!

  Best regards,
  Sreethar M B

[Anonymous]

Hi @Sreethar_14,

Just a gentle reminder  has your issue been resolved? If so, we’d be grateful if you could mark the solution that worked as Accepted Solution, or feel free to share your own if you found a different fix.

This not only closes the loop on your query but also helps others in the community solve similar issues faster.

Thank you for your time and feedback!

Best,

Prasanna Kumar

[Anonymous]

Hi @Sreethar_14,

Just following up to see if the solution provided was helpful in resolving your issue. Please feel free to let us know if you need any further assistance.

If the response addressed your query, kindly mark it as Accepted Solution and click Yes if you found it helpful — this will benefit others in the community as well.

Best regards,

Prasanna Kumar

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi @Sreethar_14,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Fabric Forum Community.

incremental refresh is not supported in DirectQuery mode for SQL Server. To use it, you must switch to Import mode or configure a hybrid model using Power BI Premium.

If you find this response helpful, please consider marking it as the accepted solution and giving it a thumbs-up to support others in the community.

Thank you & Regards,
Prasanna kumar

[pankajnamekar25]

Hello @Sreethar_14 

Here is the details video which will help you end to end

https://youtu.be/Kui_1G6kQIQ?si=q_LMjOyi7qFOmXrW

Thanks,
 Pankaj Namekar | LinkedIn

If this solution helps, please accept it and give a kudos (Like), it would be greatly appreciated.

[hnguy71]

Hi @Sreethar_14 

You need to change your mode from DirectQuery to Import mode. Add the filter for the date ranges then close and apply. For the default date ranges, I usually keep it to the same day then when setting up your incremental refresh policy, that's where I change it to specific month.

Then, on the optional settings you can enable the refresh with realtime in DirectQuery, but be wary as this can only work on Premium workspaces.

If you're already using DirectQuery from the beginning, I don't see a need to use incremental refresh. However.... what I think you're probably looking for is called Dynamic M Query. You can find more information on it here:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/desktop-dynamic-m-query-parameters