Forum Discussion
Automatic dataset refresh from Excel data source on Sharepoint
nhenri ,
If you are using on-premises SharePoint, gateway is required. If your are using SharePoint online, gateway is not required, just change data source of your Power BI report in Power BI Desktop.
Regards,Lydia
edhans Anonymous
Thank you guys! I guess I learnt what "on-premise" files means :-). My company indeed uses its own servers for our cloud based Office365 deployment.
Based on your feedback, I understand that I don't have any other choices: I need to deploy a gateway.
Thanks again to nail it down quickly.
nhenri ,
If you are using on-premises SharePoint, gateway is required. If your are using SharePoint online, gateway is not required, just change data source of your Power BI report in Power BI Desktop.
Regards,
Lydia
I've been confused on this for quite some time searching for the difference between SharePoint Online and SharePoint On-premises and why I'm receiving a "Dataset requires a proper configured Gateway..." error like above. This thread is the closest to any information I can find out on the difference but still don't have all the information!! I wish there was an article to provide the SharePoint difference AND how to resolve the Gateway issue. (Troubleshooting Gateways from docs.microsoft.com didn't help).
Via Desktop, when you 'Get Data' and select SharePoint Folder - then access the datasets (all separate excel files stored in a SP Folder), once you publish to the Service, you receive the Gateway error message. It sounds like you need a Gateway IF you Get data this way. However, if I use via Desktop 'Get Data" and select 'Online Service' and Select 'SharePoint Online List'. That's the only thing you can use - a list on Sharepoint, it will auto-refresh the data in the service. What I need is to use indiviual excel files stored within a Document Library folder. It's almost like there isn't an option to use individual excel files stored on a SharePoint Document Library via Online so that I won't need a Gateway? If you know how to do this, please drop in the instructions. I've read so many articles & threads but nothing seems to pinpoint a solution on this issue.
1. This doesn't work without a Gateway? https://powerbi.tips/2016/09/loading-excel-files-from-sharepoint/
2. You don't need a Gateway but can't access individual excel files in a SP Doc Libarary unless you use OData? (have yet to try this) https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Integrations-with-Files-and/Fetch-Live-data-from-Sharepoint-Online-List-and-publish-it-as-a/td-p/111679
3. Another idea with Sharepoint; Use Sharepoint - Teams and it will work like OneDrive but in SharePoint?? https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/service-comma-separated-value-files
Bottom line, I have excel & csv files stored in a SharePoint Document Library. Those files are updated weekly via a Microsoft Flow that overlays the files each week. The PBI reports were created via Desktop and Published out to Power Bi Service. I need Power Bi Service to REFRESH the reports (Dataset) automatically WITHOUT me having to go into Destop, hit Refresh and then Publish again to the Service overlaying my existing reports.
AWentzEco - SHarepoint Online and Sharepoint on Prem are the same basic product, at least from the end user perspective. If publishing Power BI reports though you have to know which you have.
When writing a report in the Desktop, if you are at work, it will connect with no issues to both On Prem and Online, because you are there. But once published, the Service has no way to get to your on prem server without a gateway. It can connect to Sharepoint Online with no gateway, you just need to add your credentials.
If you are getting a "needs gateway error" you must have on prem for your data source, and you need a gateway so the service can reach it. Think of the gateway as a VPN that allows the service to get to on prem resources. Can be anything almost. SQL Server, Sharepoint on Prem, network drives, Access databases, etc.
edhans Thanks for the clarification. This definitely helps. But I'm still confused on how to access SharePoint Online when using 'Get Data' via Desktop. It's like the only option is a SharePoint List - but there must be a way to use SharePoint Online, then use/link to individual files stored in a Doc Library. I cannot find any instructions on how to do this....but there must be a way. That way, I would be linked to SharePoint Online and can use the Refresh in Service.
***Updated****
Ok, I stand to be corrected. I created the Data Source links quite a while ago. I thought I originally went in and linked via SharePoint folder, then changed "SharePoint.Files" to "SharePoint.Contents" - found the Folder, grabbed each file individually.
Looking back at my Queries for each table, it appears I connected via 'Text/Csv' since all I have is:
Source = Csv.Document(Files.Contents("C:\Myinfo....") for each one.
With connecting via SharePoint the steps should have been:
Source = SharePoint.Contents("https://....)
Navigation = #"Your Document Library Name{[Name=".."]}[Content]
Imported CSV = Csv.Document....
Which I believe will actually allow for a Refresh on the Service without a Gateway. (That was a lot of research effort for such an idiot mistake on my part.) Rule #1, always look back at your Source Step...
