Why the live connection to an existing semantic model creates a new model after publishing report?

[rdlhrvy]

Just first time happening. We have an existing report and duplicated it and the we change duplicate connection to another semantic model. After publishing it the report creates a new model as well. 

Image below where the window to change the connection to point to a new semantic model

After publishing it creates a new model. There should be only report and not the model

Lineage will look like this

We are expecting to be the lineage like this

[Pragati11]

HI @rdlhrvy ,

Based on your description above what I understand is:

You are pointing the duplicated report to a new semantic model. (that's what your description says above)

The moment you do it, it's not the original semantic model, it is a new one. You are just pointing the original report to a new semantic model.

Therefore, when you publish the report, a new semantic model is publisged along with your report.

[rdlhrvy]

Isn't that when you publish with live connection to a semantic model it won't create a model (model that is connected to a semantic model) 

It should be like the last image the new report will just have connection to existing semantic model and not like the second to the last that there is a new model in the middle of report (existing model -> new model -> report)

[Pragati11]

HI @rdlhrvy ,

Live connection doesn't work this way.

In your scenario, your duplicated report doesn't point to the already published semantic model.

It now points to a new semantic model. Therefore when you publish this duplicated report, it publishes report with new semantic model. Because this new semantic model doesn't exist in Power BI service.

If incase you duplicated the report and just republished it with new name, it would have just published the report (not semantic model), because it points to semantic model which is already in PBI service.

Live connection is just one of the ways of connecting to a semantic model.

Hope that helps.

[rdlhrvy]

Hi @Pragati11 

Sorry I might need to clarify. The new duplicated report is connected to another existing Semantic model

Semantic Model 1 - Report 1

Semantic Mode 2 - Report 2

Duplicated Report 1 renamed to Report 3 and connect to Semantic Model 2

Should result like this if I am not mistakem

Semantic Model 1 - Report 1

Semantic Model 2 - Report 2

Semantic Model 2 - Report 3(duplicated from report1)

But it turns out

Semantic Model 1 - Report 1

Semantic Model 2 - Report 2

Semantic Model 2 - New Model created named Report 3 -  Report 3(duplicated from report1)

"We didn't no any modifications with the report, just download then change the connection to other existing model and published"

[Pragati11]

Hi @rdlhrvy 

For me it seems to work.

My question would be how are you pointing to SEMANTIC MODEL 2 in the new report?

Your screenshot doesn't look right as it is about changing datasource connection but not about pointing to another published semantic model. (SEMANTIC MODEL 2)

When I do this at my end, I just go to Data Source Settings in PBI Desktop and select another publihed semantic model from the list shown to me something like below and my report to it:

[rdlhrvy]

Hi @Pragati11 

I did some testing and this screenshot would only show to new created model.  This is the steps I did

1. created a new report connected to Model 1
2. download report 1
3. rename report 1 to report 2
4. change report 2 connection to model 2

it will look this screenshot when I do change

For existing report we have changing connection will look like this 

We never had any issue like this before. The last time we did the same process was last month. We just started having this issue this month. We are out of ideas how to resolve this 😞 

[Pragati11]

HI @rdlhrvy ,

I am still not sure why you are following the 2nd screenshot as a process to modify semnatic model. It should be the 1st screenshot that should be followed as a process.

The second screenshot is about modifying datasource connection and not about pointing to existing published another semantic model.

Can you tell me how did you downlaod the exitsing report from Power BI Service?

I mean which option did you choose?

I will choose the highlighted option to make sure it is live connected.

[rdlhrvy]

The first screenshot never pop up but instead the second screenshot popup. I did tests with November 2023, April 2024 and May 2024 versions of PBI Desktop everything behave the same

I change connection through File ->Options and Settings -> Data source settings

 the SQL Server Analysis Services database popup and not the OneLake data hub

[Pragati11]

HI @rdlhrvy ,

I am really not sure then as my workspace where my semnatic models reside exist in a PPU license.
I have tried similar scenario for a semantic model where SQL SErver Database is my datasource and still don't see the 2nd screenshot like yours.

2 questions here:

- what is the datasource behind ths semantic model?

- What Power BI licensing are you using?

[rdlhrvy]

Datasource is Redshift

Power BI License - Premium P3 license

[rdlhrvy]

@Pragati11 I think I know now what is happening. The report was created originally with SQL Server Analysis Service connection and not Power BI. For some reason the SSAS Connection now behave differently and it creates a new model and not creating direct connection to Existing model when published. 

I am not sure how to change connection from SSAS to Power BI. We have quite a few reports that is using SSAS connection that was created about 2 years ago. and start causing issues now when publishing