Forum Discussion
Connected models in Desktop still create separate semantic models when published?
Hi Avih ,
Apologies for the inconvenience you're experiencing with the semantic models after publishing. can you try below steps :- When you publish a PBIX connected to another semantic model via Desktop, it still creates its own dataset in the Power BI Service.
- This is expected behavior Power BI doesn't maintain the local semantic model connection during publishing.
- Each of your 3 PBIX files ends up creating its own dataset (semantic model), even if 2 of them were dependent in Desktop.
- To avoid this, publish only the main PBIX file that contains the full data model.
- For the other two PBIX files, open them in Desktop and remove their existing model.
- Then, go to Home > Get Data > Power BI Datasets and connect to the semantic model from the Power BI Service.
- These become “thin reports” that rely on the shared dataset in the Service no duplication of semantic models.
- When you publish the thin reports, only the report is published not another dataset.
- If you edit or extend the model in the dependent PBIX (creating a composite model), it will still create a new dataset on publish.
Reference : Separate reports from models in Power BI Desktop - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Hope this helps !!If this post was helpful, please consider marking Accept as solution to assist other members in finding it more easily.
This is what I did - Get Data -> Power BI semantic model, than I connected to the one in the service. and it shows me that the Storage Mode is DirectQuery instead of Live Connection and when I publish it, it creates a semantic model.
Super UserYou're might be seeing extra semantic models because your report is using DirectQuery instead of a true Live Connection this usually happens when the "DirectQuery for Power BI datasets and AS" preview feature is enabled, allowing composite models. To avoid this and ensure publishing creates only a thin report (without a new semantic model), disable that feature in File → Options → Preview features, restart Power BI Desktop, then create a new PBIX using Get Data → Power BI semantic models without adding any other sources this will maintain a true Live Connection.
Unfortunatly, this feature doesn't exist.
v-aatheequeCommunity Support
Hi Avih ,
Apologies for the inconvenience you're experiencing with the semantic models after publishing. can you try below steps :- When you publish a PBIX connected to another semantic model via Desktop, it still creates its own dataset in the Power BI Service.
- This is expected behavior Power BI doesn't maintain the local semantic model connection during publishing.
- Each of your 3 PBIX files ends up creating its own dataset (semantic model), even if 2 of them were dependent in Desktop.
- To avoid this, publish only the main PBIX file that contains the full data model.
- For the other two PBIX files, open them in Desktop and remove their existing model.
- Then, go to Home > Get Data > Power BI Datasets and connect to the semantic model from the Power BI Service.
- These become “thin reports” that rely on the shared dataset in the Service no duplication of semantic models.
- When you publish the thin reports, only the report is published not another dataset.
- If you edit or extend the model in the dependent PBIX (creating a composite model), it will still create a new dataset on publish.
Reference : Separate reports from models in Power BI Desktop - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Hope this helps !!If this post was helpful, please consider marking Accept as solution to assist other members in finding it more easily.