Combining Multiple Semantic Models

[JoBen900]

I have a business unit that is looking to develop reports from a semantic model that incorporates three exisiting semantic models. Two of these semantic models are under the same subscription, and one is under a separate subscription. Of the two that are under the same subscription, the one model is built in PowerBI desktop, and the other is built in SSAS. Both models include measures that we would like to also be included in the final model. The model that is under a different subscription is also built in PowerBI Desktop.

The business would like to push all modeling into Synapse for the new integrated model.

Is there a way to combine all these existing models into a single Semantic model without rebuilding them?

[SaiTejaTalasila]

Hi @JoBen900 ,

You can check semantic link incase if you have a premium capacity.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fabric/data-science/semantic-link-overview

You can create a notebook and datafactory pipeline and you can move the data.

You can try this using azure datafactory 

https://www.tackytech.blog/how-to-query-and-copy-data-from-power-bi-datasets-via-azure-data-factory/

I hope it will be helpful.

Thanks,

Sai Teja 

[Greg_Deckler]

@JoBen900 Not sure about Synapse. You can use DirectQuery for Power BI Datasets and Analysis Services to combine multiple semantic models in Power BI Desktop and then publish.

[tommylee2024]

i am having the same problem, i can direct query other semantic models into my local pbix, but then after i publish them, it says it cannot connect to the other semantic models

[aOlekS]

If each semantic model is import, will changing to direct query interfere with incremental refresh, or if I change those semantic models, will the combined semantic model update as well? @Greg_Deckler 

[AnnOminous]

@aOlekS, did you ever find an answer to your question? I've set up a report to source from multiple semantic models but incremental refresh is disabled in the PBI service and it doesn't look like the report is automatically picking up the refreshed data from the semantic models, so I'm wondering how this works.

Thanks.

[AlyssaC]

Hi Greg,

I have the same question as JoBen900.

I successfully imported one semantic model (M1) in Power BI Desktop. However, when I attempted to import another one via [Get Data >> Power BI Semantic Models], I couldn't see and select any other model except M1.
Could you provide additional details about the solution? Thank you.

[tommylee2024]

how did you import from another semantic model? 

for me i can only direct query

[Greg_Deckler]

@AlyssaC Did you use DirectQuery for Power BI and Analysis Services. That said, I don't see that option any longer in the December 2023 version, you only have Power BI Semantic Models and that connects live. Soooooo...