How to edit "Data source credentials"?

[ovonel]

Hi experts,

I am trying to understnad a little bit more the permissions in order to refresh a given dataset...

When I click a dataset settings I see:

My question is, if someone clicks 'refresh now' for a dataset, does it uses the credential of the person clicking 'refresh now', or regardless of who clicks it, it will use the credetials in 'Data source credentials'?

When clicking Data source credentials, I was expecting to see a field to update credentials, but I only see...

It doesn't make much sense... where are the credentials? When I click 'Sign in', it takes my credentials and closes the dialog box...

I come from a DBA in sql server background, this behaviour seems odd to me...

My questions are:

-if someone clicks 'refresh now' for a dataset, does it uses the credential of the person clicking 'refresh now', or regardless of who clicks it, it will use the credetials in 'Data source credentials'?

-Where are the data source credentials? if its my credentials that are taken, is this a best practice? does it mean if I leave the organization the connection to the data source will be broken?

[donnarenia]

I am having a similar problem. I did change my password for my computer login, and now my reports are not refreshing.  I do not see how to edit my credentials under Data Source Credential only the yellow box that says "Your data source can't be refreshed because the credentials are invalid, please update your credentials and try again"  Where do I update these credentials?

[v-jayw-msft]

Hi @ovonel ,

This is datasource credential not user credential.  It is stored in dataset when connecting to datasource in Power BI Service or adding the datasource to the gateway.

Best Regards,

Jay

[ReportCreator]

@v-jayw-msft  The post title is "How to edit "Data source credentials?" and your response simply restates the same thing without providing an answer. The original requester asked where the data source credentials are located so they can be edited and you wrote it is "stored in dataset". So how does a person edit the credentials in a dataset when a database configuration occurred between the time of creating the original reports in Power BI Desktop and now? Can you be specific with an answer?

[Greg_Deckler]

@ovonel - So the data source credentials are not stored as part of the PBIX file but are instead stored locally on the computer of the author. When published, the current dataset credentials are published to the Service but can be changed within the Service. The dataset credentials stored in the Service are used for refresh purposes during refresh of an import dataset. Is that what we are dealing with here?

Best practice is to use service accounts for datset access. Best, best practice is to use a separate service account for each specific data source. If you have two different SQL databases, you should have a separate service account for each. Security people, what are you going to do, right? In any case, you should not be using your user account for data access for the express reason you specify unless this is some personal report you are creating and not going to share with anyone.

My 2 cents.

[ReportCreator]

@Greg_Deckler  You wrote in your reply "When published, the current dataset credentials are published to the Service but can be changed within the Service." I published a report from Power BI Desktop and since I first created the report, two database configurations have changed so that when I now publish the report, it returns error "This report couldn't access the data source." I'm assuming by "the Service" you mean within the browser window that opens when you click the link after publishing a report. I'm very new to Power BI, running version 2.116.622.0 64-bit, have searched the internet and found no helpful tips on this very specific topic. I'm trying to locate where in the Service this change you mentioned can be made. Do you have any more specifics?