Forum Discussion
Question on How and where source data is changed
From what I've learned so far you can add the same source data file, an xlsx file, only once to PowerBI no matter if you are using workspaces.
Assume that I load (using Power BI Desktop) the file Financial Sample.xlsx , which I have in a directory within OneDrive - Business, and I use Transform to make some data changes and then next make a report. Lastly I share the report so it's accessible in Power BI (The service). If I then within PowerBI The Service try to go to a different workspace and load that same xlsx file from the same location it say's I can't because it's already been uploaded elsewhere. My question is if I use that same Financial Sample.xlsx file for a Report in another project are the trasnformations I made intially when loading the file going to them be applied to any reports that use Financial Sample.xlsx as a source? Or are the changes/edits done via transform tied to teh report and not the Financial Sample.xlsx source file?
When an XLSX file is Imported into PowertBI Desktop
10 Replies
You should be able to connect multiple PBI items, what are the steps you're using to connect?
In any event PBI doesn't write to excel so transforms should be on the copy within PBI's native data storage.
edcarden
Hello,I am going to take a stab at this, but someone should correct me if I'm wrong.
When you upload a report to Service for the first time, you won't get a notification. If you re-publish the same report, you'll get a warning "This will affect x amount of other reports" before you publish because service recognizes the data set, not the report.
You could duplicate the xls file in SharePoint (I'm aware, not best practive), rename it, and then author another report from there.
Best,
Cam
*One Drive not SharePoint
Aditonal info on what I did might help. Using Powert BI Desktop I imported (but alaso transfomred) data from the samele file from Microsft, Financial Sample.xlsx . I then created a report with multiple visualizatiosn, saved and then published. Next I wnet to teh power BI Service, and went to teh Workspace I created for this MS Following Along Training course and it prompted me to get data from the Financial Sample.xlsx which is in my OneDriovbe loctaion where POwer BI Service can get to it. When I di this I was told the file already had been imporeted so my question is if I try and build a new report that is unrelated to the one I published but which uses the same Financial Sample.xlsx source file will the transformations made the first time be carried over to this report too? I'm guessing that the transformations are never associated with the xlsx file but I've seen stranger things in Power BI so I don't assume anymore.
"When I di this I was told the file already had been imporeted"
This is the bit that's confusing me, it shouldn't matter what else is looking at it. This leads me to beleive you did something that involves uploading excel to PBI which is a feature I've never used. That said, if the question is (and you'll excuse the paraphrasing) "how do I re-use these transforms I did here for other reports" then the answer is to do the transforms in a dataflow, in Service, vs PBI Desktop. Connect all your reports to this dataflow, only the dataflow connects to excel, and excel remains unchanging.
In power BUI Desktop
1) Get Data ( an xlsx file stored in OneDirve Bussines ) but hit Transfomr on the Naviagtor screen (after select xlsx file) to made some changes to columns like date type, rounding, ect.
2) Create Report
3) PUblish Report - to power bi service
Switch to Power BI Service
1) View existing publsihed rpeort
2) Go to a new/different workspace and hit Upload
3) Select the same xlsx file locate don OneDrive as outlined while working in Power BI Desktop - Get msg that "Workbook Already Exists". NOTE: That looking at what all is in teh workspace there is no instance of the xlsx file shown
I don't know of any simplert way to explain what I did and the msg I got doing it. If I make a copy of the xlsx file I got data form while in Power BI Desktop and then go to the Power BI Service it WILL let me upload that copy of the file.
So my question is since I can't uploade/import that same xlsx file again whill the transfomrations I made while in Powert BI Desktop carry over to any report that tries to use that Excel workbook as a source for the report?
