How to move Direct Lake Semantic Models across workspaces?

[jeebee91]

In the traditional architecture, PBI Semantic models were built using PBI Desktop and then these can be published to different workspaces meant for Dev, UAT and Production. Maintaining backups and version control were straightforward with pbix files maintained in share drive.

How can a similar setup be done for Direct Lake Semantic models built on top of Fabric Lakehouse ? 

Can the Semantic models be migrated entitely with external tools such as Tabular editor ? 

Note: Currently we do not have a GIT provider considered in our solution.

[v-tangjie-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @jeebee91 ,

1.Connect to the Lakehouse in Power BI Desktop:
Go to Get Data > Lakehouses > Connect -> Select the Lakehouse you want to connect to-> Now you can use DAX features in Power BI Desktop.
2.Alternatively, you can build semantic models directly in the Power BI service:
Select the semantic model in the Lakehouse you created -> Choose Open Data Model to access the web modeling experience ->Add table relationships and DAX measures as needed.

Tabular Editor is a powerful external tool for managing tabular models, but it's primarily designed for traditional tabular models (not Direct Lake).  Consider using scripts or custom solutions to copy Direct Lake models.

For more details, please refer:

Direct Lake mode for Power BI desktop - Microsoft Fabric Community

Scripts to improve copying a Direct Lake semantic model to another workspace using Microsoft Fabric ...

Best Regards,

Neeko Tang

If this post  helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution  to help the other members find it more quickly. 

[jeebee91]

So, as things stand today, there isnt a straightforward way to copy/move Direct Lake Semantic models across workspaces .

Guess this would be a good feature to add as it was something that was straightforward in the traditional development approach 

[v-tangjie-msft]

Hi @jeebee91 ,

Yes, you're right.

If you would like to suggest  feature improvements, you may vote the idea and comment here to improve this feature. It is a place for customers provide feedback about Microsoft Office products . What’s more, if a feedback is high voted there by other customers, it will be promising that Microsoft Product Team will take it into consideration when designing the next version in the future.

Best Regards,

Neeko Tang

If this post  helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution  to help the other members find it more quickly.