Power BI online not recognizing an excel file as a dataset to use in Desktop

[Anonymous]

I've uploaded an Excel file into power bi online, and there are two options. Upload into power bi, and connect the data. I've tried both methods, and no matter what, it doesn't consider that file a dataset.

So on my power bi desktop when I try to get a data set from power bi online, it finds other ones in my organization, but it doesn't allow me to use the Excel file uploaded the power bi online. As such, I can't use an incremental refresh or any type of refresh in fact on my power bi desktop... Which is an incredible nuisance

How do I get an excel file to be considered a 'dataset' so I can link it to Power BI desktop? 

[v-lili6-msft · Accepted solution]

hi  @Anonymous 

For your case, I would suggest you upload the excel file on onedrive or sharepoint, then get data in power bi desktop and then share,modeling and create report in the power bi desktop.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/desktop-use-onedrive-business-links

for you get data in power bi service, It is not a good choice for your requirement, see more deatails as below:

Import Excel data into Power BI

When you choose Import, any supported data in tables and/or a data model are imported into a new dataset in Power BI. If you have any Power View sheets, those will be re-created in Power BI as reports.

You can continue editing your workbook. When your changes are saved, they’ll be synchronized with the dataset in Power BI, usually within about an hour. If you need more immediate gratification, you can just click Publish again, and your changes are exported right then and there. Any visualizations you have in reports and dashboards will be updated, too.

Choose this option if you’ve used Get & Transform data or Power Pivot to load data into a data model, or if your workbook has Power View sheets with visualizations you want to see in Power BI.

In Excel 2016, you can also use Publish > Export. It's pretty much the same thing. To learn more, see Publish to Power BI from Excel 2016.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-excel-workbook-files

Regards,

Lin

[Anonymous]

Hello and thank you for your response. I have tried the following now, and am still having issues.

In Excel, Publish > Export workbook data into Power BI > "Workbook exported successfully". I choose to go to the workbook, and it appears in My Workspace as a dataset

The dataset appears to only have one worksheet. It's not publishing the entire workbook as a dataset, it's only publishing one sheet. I haven't figured out a way to get the entire workbook in Power BI deskop

I need it to be online so that I can schedule refresh, and refresh it as i make changes, which is why I tried to do it through OneDrive. Getting the data through my OneDrive doesn't seem to work. 

[Mariusz]

Hi @Anonymous 

You can place your file in SharePoint online folder or OneDrive and link to this file no need to upload the file to the service.

Best Regards,
Mariusz

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting it as the solution.

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