Excel Workbook PowerPivot model Azure SQL source schedule refresh not supported?

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I read in this PowerBI support site that mentioned the above is possible. 

My current setup is like this:

1) Create a PowerPivot model in Excel 2013

2) Use From Other Sources and select MS SQL Azure (Online source)

3) Extract some tables

4) Save the workbook

5) Upload the workbook to OneDrive - Business

6) Login to PowerBI

7) Get Data from Files and choose OneDrive - Business

😎 Choose the workbook i uploaded

9) Use the option Connect, Manage, and View Excel in PowerBI

10) The workbook now appear under Report section

I tested that if i click on Refresh Now, it will not refresh the dataset model of PowerPivot. All it does is, it will refresh and check if the Excel workbook file has been uploaded with a newer version in OneDrive and reflect accordingly in the linked file in PowerBI.

But i need to schedule refresh to refresh the dataset PowerPivot model so that my Excel Pivottable reflect the updated data accordingly every day. When i click on the Schedule Refresh, it shows me this error:

"You can't schedule refresh for this dataset because one or more sources currently don't support refresh."

However the official PowerBI support site shows that this is possible: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-refresh-excel-file-onedrive/

Current workaround is to click the Edit the workbook from PowerBI which will open up the file in Excel Online and i manually click on the Refresh All Connection in the workbook.

All PowerBI guru and expert, please kindly advise... 

Thanks.

[Rémi]

Hi,

WHen you import your file into Power BI, Power BI will ask you if you want a link to the file or if you want to import the connections of your file. You have to choose the second solution and then you will not need your file in order to refresh your data.

But I am not sure that you can do that with a Power Pivot connection. I know that it works with Power Query. Can you put the link where you see that it works with Power Pivot?

[Anonymous]

Hi @Rémi, i have used the PowerQuery ways, although it is not what i really wanted as it is more difficult to maintain the data model through PowerQuery loading. At least i have a solution now. 

Hopefully PowerBI will allow data model schedule refresh directly on PowerPivot model soon.

I have created this in a wrong section and have marked the other one as solution here.

Thanks.

@Youssef, mod, please remove this as i have created a duplication of topic. Thanks.