Copy semantic model into a workspace subfolder

[akileshoo]

Hi,

I am trying to copy a semantic model of a Power BI report into a subfolder of the workspace. The report can be copied into the subfolder however the semantic model can be moved to and not copied to. I need to save historical snapshots of the semantic model into the subfolder. If I move the semantic model into the subfolder, our Power Automate task of refreshing the semantic model will fail as it won't find it in the workspace main area.

How can I copy a semantic model into a subfolder of the Power BI workspace? Is there a better of automating saving a report and a static copy of its semantic model?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Hi @akileshoo 
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

[rohit1991 · Accepted solution]

Hi @akileshoo 

Power BI doesn’t let you copy semantic models (datasets) into subfolders within a workspace only reports can be copied, and datasets can only be moved. This can be a problem if you need historical snapshots or have automation (like Power Automate) tied to the model’s original location.

A practical workaround is to export the semantic model as a PBIP file using the Power BI REST API or tools like Tabular Editor, then save it in a version-controlled location (e.g., SharePoint or a data lake). Another option is to use a deployment pipeline that creates timestamped copies of the model in an archival workspace. It’s not the same as copying to a subfolder, but it preserves history without breaking existing automation.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

Hi @akileshoo 
Thank you for reaching out microsoft fabric community forum.

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.

[Idrissshatila]

Hello @akileshoo ,

then copy it into a different workspace as a seperate historical version.

[Deku]

If you want to keep snapshot of your model and have a premium capacity you could backup your model

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/enterprise/service-premium-backup-restore-dataset