Single data model referred by multiple reports

[Sidhant]

Hi everyone,
In the past couple of weeks, I was going through Power BI report creation progrmatically (i.e. creation of schema {tables and its respective columns}, visual creation by inferring a Metadata sheet) for which I made use of pbip format. So the Power BI Desktop project contains : a Report folder, Semantic folder, pbip file and gitignore
(Referred the following: PBIP Documentation )
So now the thing is I am able to create a Power BI report using Python script  (so the first step is done), but the problem can arise in future if there are 1000-2000 reports (or even more that are to be created, and assume if 60% have the same/refer to the data model (same table) and the rest have have different data models, so in my current approach what will happen is it will create the pbip report structure for all the reports (so for the majority reports which refer/have a common data model we will end up creating data model for all which may be redundant). So right now the report structure looks like:

So the report schema (data model: tables and columns, measures are created inside the model.bim file which is a TMSL {Tabular Model Scripting Language}; this has been created through my automation script). Right now the we are having the model.bim file within the SemanticModel folder of a report. So I was thinking is there a way that we can create a data model outside the report structure and then refer it within our reports.
I came across one forum which somewhat had similar requirement, which was as follows:
Multiple Reports with a single semantic model in PBI Service
And one of the response pointed out to the following documentation:
Connect to semantic models in Power BI service 
So the above thing is done through BI service wherein what I understood was that we need to create a report and its respective Semantic model and then publish it to a workspace which later is used by other reports through 'live' connection  apart from this is there any other way (through code or anything else).

So anyone has any inputs or suggestion regarding this topic it will be helpful, and if any additional information is needed do let me know I will be happy to share that as well.

Regards,
Sidhant.

[v-prasare]

@Sidhant, As we haven’t heard back from you, we wanted to kindly follow up to check if the solution provided for your issue worked? or let us know if you need any further assistance here?

@rajendraongole1  Thanks for your prompt response

Thanks,

Prashanth Are

MS Fabric community support

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly and give Kudos if helped you resolve your query

[Sidhant]

Hi @v-prasare ,
Just posted my comment (I have noted the one approach which @rajendraongole1 had mentioned in his response), so if you can assist w.r.t. my latest comment you can add in your points. Also I did not get : '@burakkaragoz, @suparnababu8  Thanks for your prompt response; as I did not see these individuals response for this query'

Regards,
Sidhant.

[v-prasare · Accepted solution]

Hi @Sidhant,

As you and @rajendraongole1 pointed out, the currently supported and recommended approach is to publish a semantic model to a Power BI workspace and have other reports connect to it via a live connection this helps with centralization, governance, and reusability.

I’d encourage you to submit your detailed feedback and ideas via Microsoft's official feedback channels, such as the Microsoft Fabric Ideas. Feedback submitted here is often reviewed by the product teams and can lead to meaningful improvement.

Thanks,

Prashanth Are

MS Fabric community support.

[Sidhant]

Hi @v-prasare ,
Thanks for the suggestion I have posted the details on the Idea forum, will hope for a positive response.

Regards,
Sidhant.

[v-prasare]

@Sidhant, Thanks for the update. please keep posted here if any updates here.

[rajendraongole1]

Hi @Sidhant - PBIP currently does not support referencing a shared or external semantic model folder across multiple report projects directly on the file system. Each .pbip project expects its own SemanticModel folder containing a model.bim.

you can publish the shared semantic model to a Power BI workspace.
New .pbip reports are created using a Live Connection to that semantic model.
When exporting such a report to PBIP, it will not contain a SemanticModel folder, but just the Report folder + .pbip file.This is the only officially supported way to reuse models across reports currently.

Check the above and i hope this helps.

[Sidhant]

Hi @rajendraongole1 & @v-prasare  ,
Thanks for the response, so what you are saying is every report needs to have its own model.bim file. and we just upload our semantic model onto Power BI service (Fabric) and then the reports that are referencing they can do that by using live Connection.
But I was thinking is there any way that we can have a structure like:
Structure that I was referring to
Since I am thinking of automating the report creation process, so if 'n' reports are having the same model.bim (i.e. the same schema structure; only the report is making use of different columns).
The other question I had is it possible to have something like:

As I planning to create a Power BI Report through some script (Python) based on the MetaData (like the table and column details, what visuals are required).

Regards,
Sidhant.