Is it possible to reuse a URL for a report in Power BI Service

[chad_clift]

I have a report that is connected to a semantic model, but I've decided to point it to a dataflow rather than the semantic model for a number of reasons.  My problem is that when I published the report, it created a Semantic model and a new report by the same name.  My intention is to have this overwrite the original report that was pointed at the semantic model so that users are impacted by a new URL. 

Is this possible and if so, how do I achieve this?

[chad_clift · Accepted solution]

After some reading through Reddit, it appears that I will have a new URL regardless.  There was a recommendation to create and use an app which I will be looking into.

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @chad_clift,

Not sure if it helps. But in the past I have used a SharePoint Online page with a Power BI embed web part. I only shared that page URL with the users. In that setup I could easily change/update the report in the web part, without having to communicate a new URL to the end users. Maybe that would be a workaround?

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/collaborate-share/service-embed-report-spo

[GilbertQ]

Hi @chad_clift 

Just a further note is, whenever you change your semantic model or report to use a new data set, it will always create a new guid under the hoods. So even though you have the same name, it will show as a duplicate because the underlying guid is unique.

[chad_clift]

Do you know of a way to "simply replace" the original report with the new one?

[lbendlin]

 but I've decided to point it to a dataflow rather than the semantic model for a number of reasons.  

That's not a thing.  You cannot directly consume a dataflow. It needs to be ingested in a semantic model first.

[chad_clift]

The dataflow is being consumed into a semantic model.  The problem is that it is a different (new) semantic model that what the report previously pointed to. 

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @chad_clift,

Wouldn't a republish be sufficient? Worth double checking the below limits of the republish though:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/create-reports/desktop-upload-desktop-files#republish-or-...

When I connect to a dataflow to my pbix file which used a different connection first I am getting the below impact check before I republish.

[chad_clift]

I didn't get that option this time.  My assumption is that I didn't replace the semantic model that the original report pointed to.  This new report is pointing to a different (new) semantic model