Table copied from directquery is not updating

[Testeri]

Hi,

I have imported multiple tables from a semantic model that is in the Service. Then I have created copies from those tables ( Copied_table_A = Semantic_table_A) so that I can see the content and can add needed extra columns to copied tables. I have just noticed that the content of copied tables have not updated over a month. It worked many months before that. They should be updated daily when semantic model is updated. 

If I create new table in the same .pbix file (New_copied_table_A = Semantic_table_A) all data is there.

The problem is in Desktop and in published reports in Service.

Does anyone know why the original copied tables are not working anymore and how to fix this?

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @Testeri,

Just wanted to follow up and confirm that everything has been going well on this. Please let me know if there’s anything from our end.
Please feel free to reach out Microsoft fabric community forum.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @Testeri,

Thank you @Shubham_rai955, @ajaybabuinturi, @DataVitalizer for the response to the query.

Has your issue been resolved?
If the response provided by the community member addressed your query, could you please confirm? It helps us ensure that the solutions provided are effective and beneficial for everyone. 

Thank you for your understanding!

[Shubham_rai955]

When you create copies of tables from a semantic model in Power BI Desktop (like Copied_table_A = Semantic_table_A), these copied tables are calculated tables that are evaluated only during data refreshes. If your copied tables have not updated for a long time but new copies work fine, the most likely causes are:

• The original copied tables are not refreshing properly due to cache or metadata sync issues with the semantic model.

• There may be schema changes or column renames in the semantic model that break the copied tables, preventing refresh.

• Power BI sometimes does not automatically detect changes in calculated tables referencing a semantic model, so manual refresh or model metadata refresh is needed.

• The refresh process might be incomplete or failing silently, leaving old data in place.

How to fix this:

• Open Power BI Desktop, go to the semantic model tables view, and click the refresh icon in the model editing pane to force metadata and data sync.

• If refresh issues persist, delete and recreate the copied tables, as you noticed new copies update correctly.

• Regularly check for schema changes in the semantic model and update your copied tables accordingly.

• Ensure your dataset refresh completes successfully without errors in both Desktop and Service.

• Alternatively, consider using calculated columns or measures on original tables instead of copying whole tables for added columns, reducing refresh complexity.

[Testeri]

Hi and thanks @ajaybabuinturi for the info.

Are there any information that will it return to like it was? Current method means that you have to create tables every day again and again and create additional columns to those and change all measures related to copied tables. Not very reasonable...

So how should I handle situation when directquery semantic table is needed for "template" and then need to add own columns to it and the table needs to be up to date when data refreshes? There must be many users that have to do what I have to do.

Does this current way affect only Desktop app? Will the Service scheduled refresh still work in the future like it does now?

[ajaybabuinturi]

Hi @Testeri,
I am not sure how it will works for your business requirement but I am doing this,
1. Open your report on desktop application which is connected to other semantic model/self-serve from Power BI service. 
2. Switch from “Live” to DirectQuery for PBI dataset and Analysis Services mode. 
3. Now you can create local calculated tables and merge them with imported or other data sources.
4. This will helps you to keep live data connection and creating your own local DAX tables.

Else, if your transformations are complex, Instead of connecting live, import the semantic model’s data using Analyze in Excel / DAX query export then bring that into Power BI as an import model. You will get full control and can create all tables, measures, and columns freely.

Thanks,
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[ajaybabuinturi]

Hi @Testeri,

Yes, this is a known issue that can happen when working with DirectQuery or Live Connected semantic models in Power BI Desktop or Service. When you connect to a semantic model in Power BI Service (Live connection / DirectQuery for PBI datasets) and then you create local tables(Copied_table_A = Semantic_table_A) those copied tables are static snapshots, meaning Power BI materializes them once when they’re created. They do not refresh automatically when the underlying semantic model updates. It looks like they’re dynamic references, but they’re not. 

In older versions of Power BI Desktop, sometimes the copied tables refreshed implicitly during dataset refreshes or file reopens, an unintended behavior. After updates (especially from July–September 2025 releases), Microsoft changed how query folding and caching works for connected semantic models, so those derived tables no longer auto update.

Calculated tables and their data only updates when the DAX expression is re evaluated, which happens only on model refresh in Import mode. But when the source is a Live or DirectQuery semantic model, calculated tables are evaluated once at creation, then cached.

Thanks,
If you found this solution helpful, please consider giving it a Like👍 and marking it as Accepted Solution✔. This helps improve visibility for others who may be encountering/facing same questions/issues.

[Testeri]

There are similar thread: https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Desktop/DirectQuery-doesn-t-update-data-Power-bi-Desktop/m... 

I will test older version. Not very good method though.

[Testeri]

Didn't test that older version yet but it appears that data is refreshing correctly in the Service with scheduled refresh but in Desktop it will not update when refreshing all. So it might be related to that other thread in above post.

[DataVitalizer]

Hi @Testeri 

Your copied tables aren’t refreshing because once you duplicate a table in Power BI, it’s basically just a frozen snapshot, It doesn’t stay connected to the original model anymore that’s why when you make a brand‑new copy, it shows the latest data, but the old ones stay stuck.

To fix it, either recreate those copies or set them up as calculated tables that always point back to the live model.

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[Testeri]

But isn't it a calculated table when it's created: new table -> Table_A = Semantic_table_A. New tables have following icon:

And like I said, this has worked until now...

[MFelix]

Hi @Testeri ,

Not sure if I understand your problem but have you checked in the service if the schedulle refresh for some reason is turn off? Or if there is any error happening when you refresh that specific new_copied_table_a?

It can be the case that you have changes in the original semantic model that may be breaking the copied one, removing columns, renaming them, something like that and for that reason the models aren't refreshing.

[Testeri]

Hi, refresh is working ok in service for the semantic model. No errors, no changes to semantic model.