Excel live connection

[Dellis81]

Hello!

I have recently been testing the process of connecting PBI service datasets to excel.   I am able to make the connection, and all the tables/measures are present within a pivot table dialog.   However, when I attempt to mimic a matrix visual from PBI in excel - get the following error message.

I'm sure the issue is related to a "trick" I had to implement to get the visual to work in PBI.   Basically, I was having duplicates - so within a calculated column, tacked on additional spaces to the Report Line.   I'm guessing Excel is ignoring those trailing spaces - or the spaces got lost in the live connection.

If this is the improper forum - please provide link to where I need to ask, or  the proper tech support group within Microsoft.

thank you!

[GilbertQ]

Hi @Dellis81 

Can you connect to the Power BI Dataset via Excel as shown below

If you can also make sure that you have got the latest version of Excel installed to?

[Dellis81]

Interesting...

I might have forgotten one important fact.   I am using composite models, where I am chaining from a primary data set - and branching out to smaller report files.

What I found - using the data connection menu you suggested - when linking to the primary dataset - the matrix/pivot type reporting works as expected between PBI/Excel.

However, when I connect to a "chained" dataset - and repeating same steps - results in the initial error reported.

I am using Office365 with automatic updates - but I went ahead and forced a new update.  Same problem.

Thoughts?

thanks for your help!!!!

[GilbertQ · Accepted solution]

Hi @Dellis81 

That is correct, with this being the first version you can only connect to datasets in the Power BI Service, chained datasets will not work.

You can vote for an idea at https://ideas.powerbi.com

[Dellis81]

Thank you! 

Overall, I think chained datasets are working as part of the excel live connection.  I suspect the nuance of "trailing spaces" is what got lost in the process.   Do you have a way I can report this?

Appreciate your quick responses 🙂

[GilbertQ]

Hi @Dellis81 

The only way I know of would be a support ticket?