Missing Parameter section in PowerBI Report Server report

[pasquale_ceglie]

Hello everyone, I'm having a problem that is driving me crazy with parameter management in PowerBI Report Server. I have a report developed with PowerBI Desktop Report Server (May 2025) that uses a parameter that contains the path from which to read some files. When I publish the report in PowerBI Report Server the section to manage parameters DOES NOT APPEAR. The parameter is correctly used in the queries and I have enabled loading for the parameter.

I hope someone can give me some useful info.

Regards

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P.

[pasquale_ceglie]

Hi @v-sgandrathi and thanks for your reply. As you can see the parameter p_Year was created at Power Query level and used as a filter in another query.

The parameter p_Year is also enabled for loading at report level to visualize it in a Card.

but the Parameter section is still missing

Best regards

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @pasquale_ceglie,

Thank you for the followup!
Yor're correct your parameter is a Power Query parameter. It’s being used in another query and enabled for load, which makes it visible in the report itself. However, the point is that Power BI Report Server does not expose Power Query parameters in the “Manage ->Parameters” section unless the parameter is specifically used in a way that allows runtime interactivity, such as prompting the user when the report loads.

Even though the parameter is active and functional inside Power Query, PBIRS treats it as static unless it's tied to a mechanism that supports user input or model-level integration. That’s why the “Parameters” pane doesn’t show up in the Manage view.

If you want the parameter to be visible and user-controllable in Power BI Report Server, the recommended solution is to use a What-If parameter instead. This is created from the Modeling tab in Power BI Desktop and integrates directly into the data model. It allows users to interact with a slicer on the report to change values at runtime, and this interaction is fully supported in PBIRS.

To implement it:

Go to the Modeling tab > choose New Parameter > select What If Parameter.

Define the range of values (e.g., year range), and Power BI will generate a table and a slicer automatically.

Use the generated measure in your report’s DAX logic or as a filter.

Publish the report, the slicer will remain interactive on the Report Server, without needing the Parameters section.

This works well for user-driven parameter control within PBIRS.

If this solution worked for you, kindly mark it as Accept as Solution and feel free to give a Kudos, it would be much appreciated!

Thank you,

Sahasra

Communtiy Support Team.

[pasquale_ceglie]

Thanks for your support but in my real case a whatif parameter in not the solution.

In my real case I'm using a power query parameter to define dynamically the path of the source file (in my case csv file) and so I need a parameter that could be modified on published report. Look at following example

but the Parameters section (in Manage menu) does't appear.

[v-sgandrathi · Accepted solution]

Hi @pasquale_ceglie,

Thank you for the clarification. Since you're using a Power Query parameter to define the file path dynamically and plan to change it after publishing the report to Power BI Report Server, note that PBIRS does not expose Power Query parameters in the "Manage > Parameters" pane. These parameters are fixed during report publishing and cannot be modified from the server UI. Given your scenario requires dynamic path control post-publish and What-If parameters are not suitable, here are a few alternatives:

Create a config source (Excel, CSV, or SQL table) with the file path. Load it into Power Query and reference it in your logic. This way, you can change the path externally without republishing the report.
Maintain separate PBIX files with hardcoded path values and publish them individually. This supports different paths when direct interactivity isn't possible.

If none of the above workarounds meet your needs, we recommend opening a Microsoft support ticket. This will allow the engineering team to investigate the issue in detail and provide a resolution or guidance.
To raise a support ticket for Fabric and Power BI, kindly follow the steps outlined in the following guide:
How to create a Fabric and Power BI Support ticket - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Problem solved? Hit “Accept as Solution” and high-five me with a Kudos! Others will thank you later!

Thank you,

Sahasra

Community Support Team.

[aki723]

I am looking for a solution using parameters to change between sql servers in the data source e.g. when moving a report development from dev  to test and then to prod where the SQL server used is changing whilst everything else remains the same.  
In PBI service (cloud) version of desktop it works well but not for power bi report server . Any solutions , work around or ideas ?  
It seems we can not publish a power bi desktop report to the report server and then switch the sql server connection string to point to prod .  

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @aki723,

You’re correct, Power BI Report Server (PBIRS) doesn’t currently support changing Power Query parameters or connection strings after publishing. These values are fixed at publish time, unlike in the Power BI Service where they remain editable.

A few workarounds you can try include using a configuration table (SQL, Excel, or CSV) that stores the server name and referencing it in Power Query so you can update it externally, or maintaining separate PBIX files for each environment (Dev, Test, Prod) with the correct connection settings. Some teams also use a stored procedure or view that dynamically switches the data source based on an environment flag.

This limitation is known and has been raised by multiple users. I recommend voting for it on the
Fabric Ideas - Microsoft Fabric Community so the product team can consider it for future updates.

Thank you.

[pasquale_ceglie]

Hi @v-sgandrathi , I thank you infinitely, but all this in my opinion makes no sense.
What's the point of allowing you to enter a parameter and not being able to change it once it's published?
I have opened a support request to Microsoft and I hope they give me a solution

Regards

--

P.

[v-sgandrathi]

HI @pasquale_ceglie,

It does seem inconsistent to allow parameter creation but not support modifying them after publishing. This is a known limitation in Power BI Report Server, and it's a concern that many users have raised as well.
Your feedback is appreciated. I suggest submitting it to the Power BI Ideas forum and raising a support ticket to inform the product team.

Thank you.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @pasquale_ceglie,

We are following up once again regarding your query. Could you please confirm if the issue has been resolved through the support ticket with Microsoft?

If the issue has been resolved, we kindly request you to share the resolution or key insights here to help others in the community. If we don’t hear back, we’ll go ahead and close this thread.

Should you need further assistance in the future, we encourage you to reach out via the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum and create a new thread. We’ll be happy to help.

Thank you for your understanding and participation.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @pasquale_ceglie,

Thanks for reaching out to the Microsoft Fabric Community forum.

Power BI Report Server will display the Parameters management section only if the parameter is used in the report in a manner that makes it relevant to the data model or visuals, not merely within Power Query.

To address this:

Ensure the parameter is created as a Power Query parameter and utilized in a loaded query (not just in a reference or disabled step).

Consider creating a What-If parameter from the Modeling tab, which directly integrates with the report model and visuals, ensuring visibility on the server.

After completing these steps, re-upload the report, and the Parameters section should appear under the Manage options in PBIRS.

If this solution worked for you, kindly mark it as Accept as Solution and feel free to give a Kudos, it would be much appreciated!

Thank you,

Sahasra

Communtiy Support Team.