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andersrisan
New Member

Replacing Excel file causing "Files contains corruped data"

I have created a Power BI model, which is connected to four excel-files. Sometimes I need to update the excel files. I download a need excel file from my source, and give it the correct name and place it in the correct folder. However, Power Bi returns that the file is corrupted. If I open the excel file, and close it, and then refresh the Power Bi dashboard, the problem is solved. Why is it so, and how can I overcome this problem? The exel file is dowloaded as an excel file, and the content in the file is not formatted as a table. 

2 REPLIES 2
Adamboer
Responsive Resident
Responsive Resident

There could be several reasons why Power BI is returning a "corrupted file" error when you update your Excel files. One possibility is that the file format or structure may have changed, causing compatibility issues with the Power BI model. Another possibility is that the Excel file may be locked for editing or have some other security settings that prevent Power BI from accessing it.

To overcome this problem, you can try a few things:

  1. Ensure that the Excel file is saved in a compatible format that Power BI can read, such as .xlsx or .csv.

  2. Make sure that the Excel file is not open in another application or locked for editing by another user.

  3. Check the data connections in Power BI to make sure they are pointing to the correct file location and file name.

  4. Try refreshing the Power BI dashboard after opening and closing the Excel file to see if that resolves the issue.

  5. You can also try converting the data in the Excel file into a table format to make it easier for Power BI to read the data.

If none of these solutions work, you may need to reach out to Power BI support or an IT specialist to help you diagnose and resolve the issue.

Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi,
suggestion "4. Try refreshing the Power BI dashboard after opening and closing the Excel file to see if that resolves the issue." works, but is there a way that I can replace my files and update my PowerBI model without having to open each Excel-file?

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