Dataflow Direct Query Unavailable with Enhanced Compute Engine set to ON

[Anonymous]

I've noticed lately some of my Dataflows with Enhanced Compute Engines set to "ON" don't always offer Direct Query in Power BI Desktop when loading tables.
Example:

• I have a dataflow with 30GB-40GB of data, which has 2 tables: Dev and Prod
• The Enhance Compute Engine is set to "ON" (not optimized)
• The Prod table is utilizing incremental refresh.
• In my experience, this means I should be able to Direct Query both of these tables from Power BI Desktop
• However, only the Dev table offers the option for Direct Query or Import upon load.
• The Prod table does not offer the Direct Query option, it immediately goes into Import mode and loads the data.

Question: Why doesn't the Prod table offer the Direct Query option in Power BI Desktop when loading?

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous 
try out below Steps

The availability of Direct Query option in Power BI Desktop when loading tables from a Dataflow with Enhanced Compute Engine "ON" can be influenced by several factors. Here are some potential reasons why the Direct Query option might not be available for the Prod table:

1. **Dataflow Configuration**:
- Ensure that the configuration of the Prod table within your Dataflow allows for Direct Query. Check if the table settings within the Dataflow are set to support Direct Query.

2. **Dataflow Size**:
- The size of the Dataflow might impact the ability to use Direct Query. If the Dataflow is too large, Power BI might default to Import mode due to performance considerations.

3. **Query Folding**:
- Direct Query relies on query folding, which means that as much of the data transformation and filtering as possible is pushed back to the data source. If your Dataflow includes complex data transformations that cannot be folded back to the data source, it might default to Import mode.

4. **Data Source Support**:
- Ensure that the data source you are connecting to supports Direct Query. Not all data sources support this mode, and Power BI might default to Import mode if it detects that Direct Query is not possible.

5. **Incremental Refresh Configuration**:
- The configuration of incremental refresh for the Prod table could affect its ability to be queried directly. Ensure that the incremental refresh settings are compatible with Direct Query.

6. **Enhanced Compute Engine Compatibility**:
- While Enhanced Compute Engine is designed to optimize performance, it may not always be compatible with Direct Query for all scenarios. Consider testing with Enhanced Compute Engine turned off to see if Direct Query becomes available.

7. **Power BI Desktop Version**:
- Ensure that you are using the latest version of Power BI Desktop. Sometimes, updates to Power BI may affect the availability of certain features, including Direct Query.

8. **Performance Considerations**:
- Power BI may decide to default to Import mode if it believes that using Direct Query might result in poor performance or excessive resource consumption.

To troubleshoot this issue, you may need to experiment with different configurations and settings within your Dataflow and Power BI Desktop to determine the specific factors affecting the availability of Direct Query for the Prod table.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for that detailed response! Some of these seem quite applicable at a high level.

What is the source for this information? Is it Microsoft or just your personal assessment?