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julsr's avatar
julsr
Continued Contributor
9 months ago
Solved

Direct query vs Import Mode when complex DAX is used

Hello Everyone,   I’m currently using Dataflows to build my visualizations and reports. Each report automatically creates a semantic model that includes the same data from the Dataflow, plus any ad...
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  • GeraldGEmerick's avatar
    GeraldGEmerick
    9 months ago

    julsr One option would be to simply take your dataflow Power Query code and use that in your import queries. Then you are just refreshing a single time. The other option would be to land your dataflows in a Fabric warehouse/lakehouse and use Direct Lake. DirectQuery is going to be limited and slow. Direct Lake should be comparable to import but somewhat slower.

lbendlin's avatar
lbendlin
Super User
9 months ago
Power BI automatically queues the Dataflow refresh before the dataset refresh

That is incorrect.  You need to orchestrate that yourself, via Power Automate or Fabric Data Pipelines.

MohdZaid_'s avatar
MohdZaid_
Super User
9 months ago

Actually, while the initial response mentions Power BI automatically queuing the Dataflow refresh before the dataset refresh, it's important to clarify that, in some scenarios, Power Query-based solutions can offer more control over refresh orchestration especially when using Power Query instead of Dataflows.

 

Since Dataflows are indeed based on Power Query, you can leverage the same techniques and scheduling capabilities within Power BI to synchronize the refreshes effectively. In cases where you need more advanced orchestration (such as dependencies or triggering events), Power Automate or Fabric Data Pipelines would indeed be the next step for more complex workflows.