Deployment pipeline with reports pointed to semantic models. How to change data source?

[viraj_arsekar]

I have a semantic model and report that uses Databricks. I was able to figure out a way to change it's data source (Dev/Test/Prod) by using parametrer rules in deployment rules.

Now I need to create reports that use the dataset from the semantic model. I'm wondering if there is any way I can use similar deployment rules to change the data source (eg. Switch from "Semantic Model Dev" to "Semantic Model Test") in the service.

First of all, the deployment rules show only Semantic models in the deployment rules, meaning you can change the data source or parameters of the semantic model, but there's no configuration change for the report. I could not see anything related in the report settings as well in the service.

On the Power BI Desktop, I can change the data source by going to the Data Source Settings. So technically I can change the "Semantic Model Dev" to "Semantic Model Test" as the data source of the report in the PBI desktop. The workaround would be to change the data source in the desktop and then publish to Test workspace directly, and not use deployment pipeline to deploy. 

But is there a way to change this data source of the report in the workspace/service, mainly in the deployment pipeline?

[blopez11 · Accepted solution]

I believe if you have a report deployed to the dev stage that is tied to a semantic model in the dev stage, then you deploy the report to the test stage, it will bind the report to the semantic model in the test stage.  This is the auto-binding feature of the deployment pipelines.  Please see: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fabric/cicd/deployment-pipelines/understand-the-deployment-process...

[viraj_arsekar]

Wow that would be amazing. Makes so much sense for this to be ea feature. I'll test it out. Thanks. I did not find this article before, maybe I was not searching with the right keywords.

Update: Awesome, this works. I verified by viewing the semantic model in the service. One caveat is, downloading the pbix file after deployment isn't supported. I had seen this limitation recently but did not understand it, as I was  able to download the pbix of the report that has the initial semantic model. Looks like any other report connected to the semantic model has this limitation.

The Microsoft Fabric deployment pipelines process - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn

[rajendraongole1]

Hi @viraj_arsekar - Deployment pipelines allow you to configure deployment rules, but these rules are limited to datasets (semantic models) and not reports directly in power bi services.

Deployment rules in deployment pipelines support modifying parameters or data sources only for datasets. This is why you can configure the data source for your semantic model (Databricks connection) but not the report directly.

Reports in Power BI Service are linked to datasets. The dataset (semantic model) is responsible for the actual data connection. However:

Reports always use the dataset they are connected to at the time of publishing.

There’s no feature in Power BI Service to switch the dataset of a report after it has been deployed using deployment pipelines.

Use deployment rules for semantic models (datasets) to switch data sources in the pipeline.

The above option works in your scenerio.