(Step xxxx) references other queries or steps, so it may not directly access a data source.

[deanbland]

Hi, 

I keep getting this error when refreshing my data set, "(Step xxxx) references other queries or steps, so it may not directly access a data source. Please rebuild this data combination". 

There is no data combination, I am referencing one data source within the query. When I go in, delete the step it is referencing and create the same step again, it works... 

Does anybody have any clue what is happening? Is this a slight glitch with PBI? 

[481464]

Hi,

I am having the same issue and it is intermittent. Everytime the error comes up, I have to manually edit the steps, sometimes splitting up a query as I thought it would be some query delay that Power BI just can't wait. It would work after, but when I close and reopen the same file, issue comes back.

Tried clearing cache, and still intermittent.  Possible issue as well might be file paging system as my drive is a bit low.

Anyone else have this issue?

[MFelix · Accepted solution]

Hi @deanbland,

This can have several problems behind, check the documentation below with information about possible errors and examples:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-query/dealing-with-errors#other-common-step-level-errors

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-query/dataprivacyfirewall