Scheduled automated imports into Power BI Desktop

[anisevance]

Hi all,

At my organization, we use import mode to pull a number of datasets into Power BI Desktop, where we apply some complex data transformations and modeling. This works very well for us and the downsides of using DirectQuery (performance issues and limitations in transformation and modeling are too severe for us to switch -- I desperately do not want this to turn into an import v directquery debate) are too much for us to switch.

Given this, I am wondering if anyone has discovered any ways to automate the data import into Power BI Desktop. Ideally, this is something we would happen once a day at 2 or 3 am. From what I can gather, this is not a built-in capability of Power BI Desktop. Is that accurate? And, if it is accurate, has anyone found any creative solutions?

Thanks,

Anise

[amitchandak]

@anisevance , You publish the file and schedule refresh on the Power Bi service, that is the way to use it.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/refresh-scheduled-refresh