CoWorker Can't Use Existing Connection when Editing Dataflow

[mattsmac]

I have an existing dataflow with several tables in it.  One of my co-workers needs to add a table to the dataflow.  He took ownership of the dataflow, and I gave him admin access both to the connection used by the dataflow as well as the gateway.  When he tries to add a new table, he is prompted to specify the connection.  After typing in the details, he gets a "The specified connection name already exists" error.  This makes sense, since the connection does already exist.  However he doesn't seem to be able to use it.  When I try to add a new table (after re-taking ownership of the dataflow) I can specify the server and database name and the UI automatically selects the existing connection for me to use.  How can I enable him to use the existing connection?

Thank you

[Anonymous]

Hi @mattsmac ,

I’d like to acknowledge the valuable input provided by collinq . Their initial ideas were instrumental in guiding my approach. However, I noticed that further details were needed to fully understand the issue. 

In Power BI, gateway administrators have full control over the gateway, including adding additional administrators, creating data sources, managing data source users, and deleting gateways.

After adding a data source to a gateway, you can grant access to users and security groups to specific data sources (not the entire gateway).

Keep in mind that you need to add users to each data source to which you want to grant access. Each data source has a separate list of users. Add users to each data source separately.

More detailed information can be found in the documentation:

View and manage on-premises data gateways - Power Platform | Microsoft Learn

Add or remove a gateway data source - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

If your Current Period does not refer to this, please clarify in a follow-up reply.

Best Regards,

Clara Gong

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

[mattsmac]

Thank you @collinq and @Anonymous.  I believe I have done all of this configuration already, but allow me to clarify.  When you refer to the "DataSource" are you referring to the connection (Manage Connections and Gateways...Connections tab)?  If so, I've already given my coworker (Ryan) owner access to the connection that is used by the rest of the dataflow.  While I agree that I shouldn't need to also add access to the gateway, I did that anyway, just to try to reduce the number of variables.

Thank you for helping me look into this.

Matt MacDonald

[collinq]

Hey @mattsmac ,

Yes, the connection that you mention is what @Anonymous and I were referring to.  I understand about adding the user to the gateway as well as a variable elimination....

Kind of a side thought to this - the "Ryab" that ou shared with is the EXACT SAME userid that Ryan is actually using?  I have seen this where Ryan has a "user" and an "admin" and what you shared to and what he is using are not the same user.

In doing some more research I found that somebody had to do this:   "I ended up connecting with Microsoft support and going to settings-manage gateways and finding the duplicate data flow there.  "  My thinking is that the system might be thinking this is a NEW one and not the EXISTING one?  And/or, you have an old, maybe deleted, dataflow with that name and the system is routing Ryan to that one????  Can you confirm that there is not indeed a second one with the same name?

Also as an aside test - can Ryan create a dtaflow with a differnt name?  Just to confirm that it is not something specific and unexpected about Ryan's userid.

Also, just to confirm, Ryan has rebooted the browser(s) in play to confirm that no caching is affecting him?

[mattsmac]

@collinq, thank you for the reply.  Yes, this is the same Ryan in all places.  There is no duplicate dataflow.  He was able to add a new connection to the same dataflow, but had to specify a different name for it.  That has been a decent workaround for development, but isn't a good long term solution since now we have two different connections that are more than likely locked to individual users.

In the article you reference, when they say "duplicate dataflow" I assume they mean duplicate connection.  There is only one connection of that name on the gateway.  There is, however, a 2nd connection with the same name listed under (Personal mode).  I would assume that wouldn't have an impact?

[collinq]

Hey @mattsmac ,

It can affect the connection - I would remove the Personal one since you are using gateway.  I get that all the time (I think there is a Microsoft thing in the background that creates the personal when the userid has enough rights but is not on the share - at least originally).  Try deleting the personal one and try again please.

[mattsmac]

Thanks, I removed the personal mode connection.  I'll have him try when he's next online and see how it goes!

[mattsmac]

Hi @collinq, unfortunately, this didn't work.  My co-worker still can't select the existing connection when adding a new table to the dataflow.  He can only see one that he created himself.

[collinq]

Hey @mattsmac ,

Why not try this - you have given him admin to the dataflow and the workspace.  I am wondering if you should try the same thing to the data itself?  This does seem quite odd and I am also wondering if it is time to create a ticket and have Microsoft Help Desk person dig into it with you?

[mattsmac]

Thanks @collinq.  I've given him admin access to everything I can think of, although I'm not sure what you mean by "the data itself"?

I started to go down the route of creating a support ticket earlier, but we don't have a support contract.  So unless there is another way to submit a ticket, I'm limited to the support forum I think?

[collinq]

Hey @mattsmac ,

I was meaning the data source. As in, if the data source is SQL, does the user have rights to that database?

As for a support ticket, by virtue of having a PRO license, you have the ability to create a ticket.  Just go here:  https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com/newsupportticket/powerbi

[mattsmac]

Great, thank you.  I'll post one there.  And yes, he has full access to the underlying SQL database.

[collinq]

HI @mattsmac ,

I am not positive that I understand the situation exactly but it sounds like you added this person to the gateway but not to the datasource in "data connections and gateway"?  Having gateway access does not necesarily mean that person can use a specific data source.  In fact, most folks do not need gateway access, they only need to be added to the data source as a user.