Data set refresh for external user with viewer access

[Avits]

A question from a relative newbie.

The refresh command on the PBI report implies it will refresh data, but I guess that does not mean the data set.

The only way I have found to make this work is to make the user a contributor not a viewer.

It also means they have to be told about the semantic model and how they refresh the data there.  That definitely works.

I would rather the user only had to click on a single, obvious button.

Any suggestions?

[SaiTejaTalasila]

Hi @Avits ,

Create a power automate flow to trigger the refresh with your credentials and share that flow with that user.Then you can ask him to run it whenever he wants to refresh the semantic model.

I hope it will be helpful.

Thanks,

Sai Teja 

[v-tianyich-msft]

Hi @Avits ,

In my understanding, you need external users to be able to see the latest data. You have mentioned using SQL Server,you can configure gateway connection for it using direct query connection mode. So that the users can get the latest data when they do the interaction.

Hope it helps!

Best regards,
Community Support Team_ Scott Chang

If this post helps then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[Avits]

Hi Scott,

You are right, and that is how we started.  Unfortunately, we needed some Dax Script in columns and this meant we had to import the data.

[collinq]

Hi @Avits ,

I am not sure what "refresh" you are talking about.  In the Service there is a "reset" option which puts everything back to Default on a report.  In the Service, on a Dashboard, the "refresh" option will refresh the visuals to the latest refresh on the semantic model.

If you do not want to have the person click on anything, why not set up the semantic model to refresh automatically?  And, then, you don't have to share the workspace or report at all - you can just share the App.

[Avits]

Maybe I am getting the terminology wrong. The refresh I am talking about is indeed the one you refer to on the dashboar and I guess the fact is the data set in the semantic model has not changed, so no change for the user.

Yes, we can set up an automatic refresh, but the usage is fairly ad hoc. We did originally set up hourly refreshes, but there are a lot!

We got a bit worried about the level of transactions (not sure if there is a billing charge for that) and the load on the sql server.

It seems we have to allow the users to refresh the semantic model. In which case I was hoping to be able to set up a button to do that, but can't see how.

Thanks for the input.

[collinq · Accepted solution]

Hey @Avits ,

To refresh the Semantic Model, you are right in your original thought, they have to have the rights to refresh the model itself in the workspace.  And, you are right that they would need "contributor" access to do that.

However, you could create a PowerAutomate that use the API to call a refresh.  Specifically, it would be this one (Refresh Dataset): Datasets - Refresh Dataset - REST API (Power BI Power BI REST APIs) | Microsoft Learn

[Avits]

Thanks.

I may try that as an option at some point.

Right now, we are trying the Power Automate option.  Seems ok so far.

Question: If I used the REST API would it still mean the user has to be a contributor or would viewer access be sufficient?