Change the connection to a different semantic model while preserving the link, sharing, etc.

[zeli]

Hello,

I need to connect the report to another semantic model. At the same time, I need to keep the same link for the report to connect and share the assembly to users. So I need the existing report to just be overwritten when connecting to a different semantic model, not create a different one. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thank you very much!

Lenka

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @zeli,

May I ask if you have resolved this issue? If so, please mark the helpful reply and accept it as the solution. This will be helpful for other community members who have similar problems to solve it faster.

Thank you.

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @zeli,

I wanted to check if you had the opportunity to review the information provided. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions. If my response has addressed your query, please accept it as a solution and give a 'Kudos' so other members can easily find it.

Thank you.

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @zeli,

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you'd like to discuss this further. If this answers your question, please Accept it as a solution and give it a 'Kudos' so others can find it easily.

Thank you.

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @zeli,

Apologies for the delayed response. Thank you for the update on the issue.

Unfortunately, Power BI Service currently does not support transferring sharing settings when switching to a new semantic model but using the overwrite method can help you keep the same report name and link.

If it's important to keep the original report's sharing settings and link, here’s a possible workaround:

• Please download the original report if you haven't already and open it in Power BI Desktop. Modify the semantic model following the steps provided earlier.
• Save and publish the updated report to the same workspace, ensuring it retains the original report's name. When prompted, overwrite the report to maintain the original link. After publishing, manually reapply the sharing settings for the new report.

If this post helps, please give us Kudos and consider accepting it as a solution to help other members find it more quickly.

Thank you.

[Poojara_D12]

Hi @zeli 

To connect your Power BI report to a new semantic model and keep the same link:

1. Update in Power BI Desktop: Change the data source to the new semantic model and adjust visuals if needed.
2. Publish to the Same Workspace: When publishing, choose Replace to overwrite the existing report and dataset.
3. Verify in Power BI Service: Check that the report reflects the new model and test visuals and refresh schedules.
4. Shared Links Stay Unchanged: The report URL remains the same for users.

This ensures a smooth transition without creating a new report.

Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution, this will help others!
If my response(s) assisted you in any way, don't forget to drop me a "Kudos" 🙂

Kind Regards,
Poojara
Data Analyst | MSBI Developer | Power BI Consultant
Consider Subscribing my YouTube for Beginners/Advance Concepts: https://youtube.com/@biconcepts?si=04iw9SYI2HN80HKS 

[zeli]

Hi,

if I do this procedure, I will not be prompted to replace the report when it is published. 

It will automatically create a new report.

Lenka

[Poojara_D12 · Accepted solution]

Hi @zeli 

If you're being automatically prompted to create a new report when you publish, it's likely due to a mismatch between the dataset or model name in Power BI Service and the new semantic model you're trying to connect.

To Fix This and Overwrite the Existing Report:

1. Ensure Dataset Names Match:

   • Ensure the new semantic model’s dataset has the same name as the existing dataset in Power BI Service.
   • If the names are different, Power BI will treat it as a new report rather than overwriting the old one.

2. Check Report and Dataset in Service:

   • Go to Power BI Service and make sure the existing report and dataset are in the same workspace.
   • When you publish, it should overwrite the dataset (if the name is the same), and the report will remain linked to that dataset.

3. Publish with the Same Dataset:

   • In Power BI Desktop, click Publish and select the workspace where the existing report is located.
   • Choose Replace if the dataset name matches.

If the dataset names are not the same or there are any structural differences in the model, Power BI will treat it as a new report and dataset.

Key Points:

• Dataset name must match for Power BI to recognize it as the same report.
• If dataset names differ, Power BI will prompt to create a new report.

Let me know if that helps clarify things!

Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution, this will help others!
If my response(s) assisted you in any way, don't forget to drop me a "Kudos" 🙂

Kind Regards,
Poojara
Data Analyst | MSBI Developer | Power BI Consultant
Consider Subscribing my YouTube for Beginners/Advance Concepts: https://youtube.com/@biconcepts?si=04iw9SYI2HN80HKS 

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @zeli,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Fabric community Forum.

To connect your report to a different semantic model while keeping the same link, follow these steps:

• Open your dataset in Power BI Desktop.
• Navigate to the Get Data option.
• Select Power BI Semantic Model from the options available.

When you select this option, you will be redirected to the Power BI service in your workspace. There, you will see all your existing semantic models. You can then connect to your desired semantic model.

By following these steps, you can overwrite the existing report when connecting to a different semantic model without creating a new one.

After publishing your report to Microsoft Fabric Service, you can see your semantic model in Power BI Service. To share it, follow these steps:

• Click on the Share option.
• Click on the three dots (…).
• Select the Copy Semantic Model Link option.

You will see the copy link that you can share. 

If this post helps, then please give us 'Kudos' and consider Accept it as a solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Thank you.

[zeli]

Hi,

Thank you for your advice. But even after this procedure, a new report was created online, but sharing was not preserved. So the result was that the original report was still there with the original semantic model. Plus there is a new report that is linked to a different semantic model, but for this report there is a different link and the original sharing is not set.

Lenka

[ibarrau]

Hi. Sure. If you want to connect to already created semantic models then it's changing live connection. First get a pbix file live connected to the semantic model. You can do it from service. Download pbix connected. Once you open it with power bi desktop, you can go to Transform File -> data source settings. Then pick another semantic model with the data you want. Fix the visuals that could be broken. 

If you want to change sources inside the report/semantic model, then you should modify the source file pbix and connect the new data.

I hope that helps,

[zeli]

Hi Ibarrau,

thank you for your message. I need to do this change without changing live connection.  I'd just like to rewrite the same report file so that it connects to a different semantic model. When I change the connection to a different semantic model on the desktop, a new report is created when I publish to online - and I would need the existing one to be overwritten.