A DirectQuery connection is required error

Hi OWG25 ,

Based on the error messages you're seeing, the problem is almost certainly that your Power BI file is built as a Composite Model, meaning it connects to an existing semantic model or dataflow that's already published in the Power BI Service. The error "You don't have permissions to the underlying external dataset" means you lack the specific Build permission required for that foundational dataset, even if you have general access to the workspace it resides in. Think of it as having a key to the main building but not the specific locked room inside that your report needs to access. This is why Power BI prompts for a DirectQuery connection; it's trying to talk to that external model and failing due to this permissions gap.

To fix this, you first need to identify the exact source dataset. You can do this by opening the Power Query Editor in your PBIX file, selecting the problematic table, and looking at the Source step in the Applied Steps pane. This will show you the name of the underlying semantic model and its workspace. Once you've identified it, you will need to contact the owner of that source dataset and ask them to grant you Build permission. They can do this by navigating to that dataset in the Power BI Service, selecting "Manage permissions," and adding your account.

After you have confirmed that the correct permissions have been granted, the final step is to refresh your credentials within Power BI Desktop. Go to File > Options and settings > Data source settings. Find the connection that points to the Power BI dataset, select it, and click Clear Permissions, then Edit Permissions to sign in again. This action forces Power BI Desktop to re-authenticate with your newly updated access rights. Once this is done, the connection should be re-established, allowing you to access the table and disable its load as you originally intended, resolving the refresh issue without having to rebuild your report.

Best regards,