How to view er diagrams(open data model)

[Lora_0121]

Hello.

I'm trying to see the er diagram of the tables by opening the data model on the PowerBI service.

But it's disabled and I can't see it.

What permissions do I need to see this?

I am currently invited as a contributor to the work area, and I have a pro license.

[v-hjannapu]

Hi @Lora_0121,
I would also take a moment to thank @ibarrau, for actively participating in the community forum and for the solutions you’ve been sharing in the community forum. Your contributions make a real difference.

I wanted to check if you had the opportunity to review the information provided. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.

Regards,
Harshitha.

[v-hjannapu]

Hi @Lora_0121,
I hope the above details help you fix the issue. If you still have any questions or need more help, feel free to reach out. We are always here to support you.

Regards,
Harshitha.

[v-hjannapu]

Hi @Lora_0121  ,

I wanted to follow up and see if you have had a chance to review the information that was shared. If you have any additional questions or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am here to assist with any concerns you might have.

Regards,
Harshitha.

[ibarrau]

Hi. Make sure to ask the Fabric administrator if the following setting is available

The following scenarios don't support opening the data model for a semantic model in the service:

• Semantic models that have incremental refresh.
• Semantic models deployed through deployment pipelines can only be edited on the web in the development workspace. Editing in test and production workspaces isn't supported.
• Semantic models that haven't yet been upgraded to enhanced metadata format. You can upgrade to enhanced metadata format by opening the corresponding pbix in Desktop and republishing.
• Semantic models that have automatic aggregations configured.
• Semantic models that have a live connection.
• Semantic models migrated from Azure Analysis Services (AAS).
• Not all semantic models in Pro workspaces are currently supported in UAE North.

I hope that helps,

[Lora_0121]

I am using the Excel file posted on SharePoint.
What does deployment pipelines mean in the second item?
Do you mean the refresh schedule?

[v-hjannapu]

Hello @Lora_0121,
Thanks for followup
Since you are using an Excel file from SharePoint, that's the reason why the “Open data model” option is greyed out. Power BI doesn't treat Excel files as full semantic models, so features like the ER diagram view are not available in this case.

About your question on deployment pipelines they are mainly used in larger teams to move reports and datasets through different stages like development, testing, and production. It has nothing to do with refresh schedules, so you don’t need to worry about that if you are not using pipelines.If you want to see the data model view, the best way is to build your report in Power BI Desktop and then publish it.

 go through with the below document hope it may resolve your Issue
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fabric/cicd/deployment-pipelines/get-started-with-deployment-pipel...
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/collaborate-share/service-connect-power-bi-datasets-excel
Hope the above provided information help you resolve the issue, if you have any further concerns or queries, please feel free to reach out to us.
Regards,
Harshitha.

[Lora_0121]

@v-hjannapu 

I'm working a report on Power BI Desktop and posting it to Power BI service.
The data source is Excel, and it uses SharePoint connection method.
It's also protected by sensitivity labels.
Are you saying that if the data source is Excel, we can't use the 'Open Data Model' function?
Could you share official documents related to this?

[v-hjannapu · Accepted solution]

Hello @Lora_0121,
Yes, when using an Excel file from SharePoint as your data source, the "Open data model" feature in Power BI Service is typically unavailable. This is because Excel-based datasets often don’t create a full semantic model, especially with flat tables or when sensitivity labels are applied, which can restrict advanced modelling features like the ER diagram view.

Kindly refer to the below documentation links for better understanding:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/desktop-data-sources
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/transform-model/service-edit-data-models

To confirm, you could test by creating a simple semantic model in Power BI Desktop using a non-Excel source like a manually created table or SQL data and publish it. The "Open data model" feature should then work.

Hope this helps if you have any queries we are  happy to assist you further.
Thank you