Semantic Model can not add additional data

[toadle]

Hey everybody, 

yesterday we set up a semantic model and a corresponding report in a new workspace that me and a colleague are admins for.

My colleague created everything and seems to be owner of the worspace. She also uploaded the semantic model and report from PBIX.

Now everything works for me: I can edit the report fine and also can introspect the semantic model. But the optional to add additional data is always grayed out for me. My colleague said that this is the case for every other semantic model that she creates online and for other colleagues too.

Is there a way to also enable me and others to make changes to the semantic model? We would both like to adjust the data to iterate on the report (we probably need more datasources to make it work)

Thanks for any help!

[v-pnaroju-msft]

Hi toadle,

We are following up to see if what we shared solved your issue. If you need more support, please reach out to the Microsoft Fabric community.

Thank you.

[v-pnaroju-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi toadle,

Thankyou for the follow up.

Based on my understanding, your semantic model was published from a PBIX file, which results in a read only model in the Power BI service. Models published this way cannot be edited or have new data sources added directly in the cloud. The Power Query Editor is disabled by design.

Please consider the following options, which may help resolve the issue:

1. Open the PBIX in the latest Power BI Desktop and save it to ensure it uses enhanced metadata. Request your tenant administrator to enable “Users can edit data models in the Power BI service” under Tenant settings in the Power BI Admin Portal. Republish the upgraded PBIX. After this change, users with Build + Write permissions will be able to edit the semantic model in the service.
2. If your workspace resides in Premium capacity, enable XMLA read/write and modify the model using Tabular Editor or SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

If these options are not feasible, continue maintaining the PBIX in Power BI Desktop and republish whenever changes are required.

Please refer to the links below for further information:
Edit semantic models in the Power BI service - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Semantic model connectivity and management with the XMLA endpoint in Power BI - Microsoft Fabric | M...

We hope this information helps to resolve the issue. If you have any further queries, please feel free to contact the Microsoft Fabric community.

Thank you.

[v-pnaroju-msft]

Hi toadle,

Thank you for the follow up.

Based on my understanding, the two replies are not contradictory, they describe different aspects of the same issue.

1. The reply by Kedar_Pande is correct. If the Add data control is greyed out for a user, it is often because that user does not have Build permission on the semantic model or dataset. Granting Build permission on the dataset will enable many editing actions in the service.
2. The reply by MasonMA is also correct. Certain kinds of datasets for example, live connections, thin/shared datasets, or datasets published from a PBIX file that you do not own, do not allow their data sources to be changed directly in the service. Those changes must be made in the original PBIX file and republished. In that scenario, even with Build permission, users still cannot add new data sources within the service.

The contradiction arises because the replies address different layers. One response (permission level) concerns who is allowed to make edits in the service and the other (PBIX/origin/type level) concerns what the service permits for a given dataset type. Both constraints must be satisfied for the Add data option to work. The user must have Build permission, and the dataset type must support in-service editing or adding of sources. If either condition is not met, "Add data" will be disabled.

Please follow the steps below to resolve the issue:

1. In your workspace, go to Datasets, then to Manage permissions, and ensure you have Build permission on the dataset.
2. If Build permission is already granted but "Add data" is still disabled, the dataset is likely a published (shared) or live connected dataset. In that case, open the original PBIX in Power BI Desktop, add your new data sources, and republish the file.
3. If tenant or workspace policies block editing, request that your tenant administrator review and adjust the relevant settings.

For further reference, please consult the links below:
Build Permission for Shared Semantic Models - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Manage Semantic Model Access Permissions in Power BI - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Publish from Power BI Desktop - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Connect to semantic models in Power BI - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

We hope this information helps to resolve the issue. If you have any further queries, please feel free to contact the Microsoft Fabric community.

Thank you.

[toadle]

Hey! Thanks for the detailed explanation.
OK, so - since I wrote that the datasources are published from a PBIX-file - it seems to be that this is the second issue then, whereas they are only editable locally. 

Is there any way to edit these somehow in the cloud environment or convert them to cloud-compatible data source so that colleagues indeed CAN edit the semantic model?

Cause in the context that I work in this PBIX solution has been around for quite some time now and still stands, just because the semantic model as initially been published from PBIX. Since this "no edits" limitation exists the semantic model seems to keep the "needs to be edited in the desktop app" forever. 

We'd like to change that if possible. 

When I open the semantic model there is a notice that Power Query Editor is not usable, because my user does not have full edit rights to the data connections that underlie the semantic model. Any change to fix it there?

[v-pnaroju-msft]

Thankyou, @mickey64, @MasonMA and @Kedar_Pande for your responses.

Hi toadle,

We appreciate your inquiry through the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum.

We would like to inquire whether have you got the chance to check the solutions provided by @MasonMA and @Kedar_Pande  to resolve the issue. We hope the information provided helps to clear the query. Should you have any further queries, kindly feel free to contact the Microsoft Fabric community.

Thank you.

[toadle]

Aren't these two advices contradicting? One @Kedar_Pande says it is solvable by setting permissions, whereas @MasonMA says it is not solvable. What is correct?

[Kedar_Pande]

@toadle 

This is a workspace permission issue. You need Build permission on the semantic model.

Without Build permission, the "Add data" option remains disabled even for workspace admins. This is by design in the new workspace experience.

[MasonMA]

When you publish a pbix file to Power BI Service, the semantic model/dataset is owned by the publishing user. This means the model becomes a shared dataset, and others can only connect to it, not modify it. Only the original pbix file can be used to add or modify data sources.

To make changes, you need to Edit the pbix file in Power BI Desktop (add data sources there) and Republish the updated pbix to the workspace.

[mickey64]

For your reference.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-dataset-modes-understand

[toadle]

I don't see anything that would help with my problem?