Row level security issues in desktop report that is connected to a data model in Power BI service

[FD5]

Hi there,

I am trying to apply RLS in my desktop report but having issues.

My desktop reports are connected to data models in Power BI service. The models in Power BI service are queries from our practice management system as the system itself is very old and clunky. We have an external consultant who created these models. 

I leave the models as they are but I connect to them using direct query as I merge multiple datasets in one report.

I recently found out that I can apply RLS as this was something I was trying to do as we have different departments and within departments we have user level security too.

When I apply RLS in the actual models it works with no problem but when I apply the same security in the desktop report it doesn't work.

Do you have any idea how I can make this work? or is this down to Microsoft limitations?

I would very much appreciate your help.

Many thanks

[danextian]

Hi @FD5 

When connecting to a semantic model via direct query, RLS is inherited from the semantic model and must be configured in the model itself not in the local copy of the model.

[FD5]

Thank you! I have created the roles in the semantic model but my local report (which has a different name than the semantic model I am connecting to) is still not showing the roles. Should it show the roles?

Thanks again!

[danextian · Accepted solution]

Just to confirm, you have created the roles in the semantic model being directly queried? It is only the tables that can brought in with RLS applied (if there's any) but the roles need to configured in the semantic model itself.