Dataflow used On-Premise - Can't schedule refreshes

[jcampbell474]

We have a dataflow feeding an app to be used on-premise.  It refreshes fine in desktop.  But once it's uploaded to the on-site server, scheduled refresh isn't available.  

Here is the message: Scheduled Data Refresh is not available for reports. The report does not have any external data connections defined or is using an unsupported data source. 

Note: The ability to define the datasource is 'grayed out' / disabled.

Can dataflows not be scheduled to refresh in on-premise applications?

[jcampbell474]

I can't get an answer here or at Reddit.

I'm going to go on record saying that Dataflows cannot have a scheduled refresh in Report Server.  Will mark this as the correct answer later this week unless a different answer is proposed. 

[Icey · Accepted solution]

Hi @jcampbell474 ,

It is not supported to create scheduled refresh for Power BI dataflows in Power BI Report Server.

You can find here that when data source is on Power BI Service, it is not supported to set scheduled refresh,

Data source	Cached data	Scheduled refresh	Live/DirectQuery
Power BI service	No	No	No

In additions, here are some scenarios where scheduled refresh cannot be configured:

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Not all Power BI Reports can have a scheduled refresh plan created on them. The following is a list of Power BI Reports that you Can't create a scheduled refresh plan.

• Your report contains one or more Analysis Services data sources, which use a live connection.
• Your report contains one or more data sources, which use DirectQuery.
• Your report does not contain any data source. For example, data is manually entered via Enter Data or a report contains only static content like images, text, etc.

In addition to the above list, there are specific scenarios with data sources in import mode, for which you cannot create refresh plans.

• If a File or Folder data source is used and the file path is a local path (e.g. C:\Users\user\Documents), then a refresh plan cannot be created. The path must be a path the report server can connect to like a network share. For example, \myshare\Documents.
• If data source can be connected using only OAuth (e.g. Facebook, Google Analytics, Salesforce, etc.), then cache refresh plan cannot be created. At the moment, RS does not support OAuth authentication for any data source whether it is for paginated, mobile or Power BI reports.

Reference: When scheduled refresh can't be used

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Best Regards,

Icey

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[ibarrau]

Ok, now it's getting better. You should be able to schedule the power bi dataset without any isse because its source is a dataflow.

Regarding dataflow, which sources are you getting data from? is this the component you can't schedule?

[jcampbell474]

Hopefully the screenshot will help.  Data Sources is disabled because it doesn't recognize the dataflow.  My question is, should it?  It's set to Import.

[ibarrau]

That doesn't look like Power Bi Service. That looks like Power Bi Report Server hahaha.
Is that Power Bi Report Server?

I don't know much about it but I can move the post to the respective forum.

Regards

[jcampbell474]

Correct, it is on-premise.  Wasn't sure where to post since dataflows are in the service and the app is on RS.

Thank you for relocating it to the appropriate area.

[ibarrau]

Hi. Can you please try to explain again? because it doesn't make any sense.

There are no dataflow on premise, do you mean Power Query in Desktop?.

Which are your data sources in the Power Bi Desktop? Are they local or cloud?

What do you mean with "feeding an app"? Are you building a custom app embedding Power Bi? 

We need more information to help 🙂

Regards

[jcampbell474]

Q: There are no dataflow on premise, do you mean Power Query in Desktop?

A: We have both the cloud service and an on-premise environments.  Dataflows are only in the cloud (service) and can be used as a (power query) datasource in desktop.

Q: Which are your data sources in the Power Bi Desktop? Are they local or cloud?

A: The datasource is a dataflow.  New Source > Power Platform > Power BI dataflows

Q: What do you mean with "feeding an app"? Are you building a custom app embedding Power Bi? 

A: Feeding = Source.  Dataflow is the datasource for the app.  No, zero embedding.

I just want to schedule dataset refreshes, but the option is not available.  Looks to apparently be due to using a dataflow as the datasource.  (Note: Scheduled dataset refreshes in the cloud work fine.)