Quickest way to separate a PBIX into semantic model and Report

[msprog]

hi

I have been given a PBIX powerbi file. The dataset has 3 tables. All 3 in import mode. As for the visuals that are built from this, There are 5 visual tabs in the report, each tab having 5 visuals. Now i have been asked to separate the dataset out as a semantic model, publish the semantic model to a dedicated model workspace in powerBi and then use PBI desktop to connect to this semantic model and recreate the 5 tabs in the original pbix. Basically, we want to separate out the dataset and then reuse it for different visualisations. what is the easiest way to achieve this please? I don't want to recreate the original 5 visual tabs manually so looking for a quick solution to build a thin report same as the original .

Thanks

[v-echaithra]

Hi @msprog ,

As we haven’t heard back from you, we wanted to kindly follow up to check if the solution provided for the issue worked? or Let us know if you need any further assistance?
If our response addressed, please mark it as Accept as solution and click Yes if you found it helpful.

Regards,
Chaithra.

[freginier · Accepted solution]

Okay, this is a very common and recommended practice in Power BI for better governance, reusability, and performance. The good news is that Power BI Desktop has a feature that makes recreating the visuals very straightforward, avoiding manual rebuilding.

Here's the easiest step-by-step approach:

Part 1: Create and Publish the Semantic Model

1. Open the Original PBIX File: Open your original.pbix file in Power BI Desktop.
2. Save a Copy for the Semantic Model:
   • Go to File > Save As.
   • Save this file with a new, distinct name, something like MyProject_SemanticModel.pbix.
   • Crucially: This new file will become your semantic model.
3. Remove All Report Pages (in the MyProject_SemanticModel.pbix file):
   • In MyProject_SemanticModel.pbix, navigate to each report page (tab at the bottom).
   • Right-click on the page tab and select Delete Page.
   • Repeat this for all 5 visual tabs.
   • Ensure you only have the data model left: This means all your tables, relationships, measures, and calculated columns should remain intact in the Data and Model views. You should not have any report pages/visuals.
4. Publish the Semantic Model:
   • With MyProject_SemanticModel.pbix open, go to the Home tab in Power BI Desktop.
   • Click Publish.
   • Select your "dedicated model workspace" in the Power BI Service.
   • Click Select.
   • This will publish your dataset (semantic model) to the Power BI Service.

Part 2: Create the Thin Report by Connecting and Copying Visuals

This is the key part to avoid manual recreation.

1. Create a NEW Blank Power BI Desktop File:
   • Open a fresh, blank Power BI Desktop instance (do not open any existing files).
2. Connect to the Published Semantic Model:
   • From the Home tab in this new blank file, click Get Data.
   • Select Power BI semantic models (or Power BI datasets in older versions).
   • In the "Power BI semantic models" window, browse or search for the semantic model you just published (e.g., MyProject_SemanticModel).
   • Select it and click Connect.
   • This file is now a "thin report" connected live to your semantic model.
3. Save this New Thin Report File:
   • Go to File > Save As.
   • Save this file with a name like MyProject_ThinReport.pbix.
4. Open the Original PBIX File (Again):
   • Now, open your original.pbix file (the one with the visuals you want to replicate). You will have two Power BI Desktop windows open simultaneously: your MyProject_ThinReport.pbix (connected live) and your original.pbix.
5. Copy and Paste Pages:
   • In your original.pbix file, go to the first report page you want to copy.
   • Right-click on the page tab at the bottom of the canvas.
   • Select Copy page.
   • Switch to your MyProject_ThinReport.pbix file (the new blank one connected to the semantic model).
   • Right-click on any existing page tab (e.g., "Page 1") or in the blank area next to the page tabs.
   • Select Paste page.
   • Power BI Desktop is smart enough to re-link these visuals to the connected semantic model, provided the column and measure names are identical. Since you published the semantic model directly from the original PBIX, the names will match perfectly, and the visuals should appear correctly.
6. Repeat for all 5 Tabs:
   • Repeat the "Copy page" from original.pbix and "Paste page" into MyProject_ThinReport.pbix for all 5 of your visual tabs.
7. Verify and Publish the Thin Report:
   • Once all pages are copied, thoroughly check each visual on each tab in MyProject_ThinReport.pbix to ensure they are displaying correctly and interacting with the semantic model as expected.
   • Save MyProject_ThinReport.pbix.
   • Publish this MyProject_ThinReport.pbix to your desired report workspace in the Power BI Service (this could be the same as your semantic model workspace or a different one, depending on your organization's structure).

This method leverages the Power BI Desktop's copy/paste page functionality, which automatically re-links visuals to the live semantic model, making the process of separating and recreating the report extremely efficient.

[roryayres]

During Part 1 Step 3, how do I delete ALL the visuals? I am unable to delete "Page 1" and when I publish an empty report is published alongside my model. Or is this expected?

Additionally, has the Copy option been removed from Desktop Power BI when right clicking on visual tabs, or is this a security setting?