Forum Discussion
Issue with dataflow visibility between premium per user (PPU) workspaces and datamarts in Power BI
Hello everyone,
I'm experiencing an issue with the interaction between dataflows and datamarts in Power BI, and I'm hoping someone can help me resolve it.
When I try to read a dataflow from a datamart, the dataflow is not visible if the originating workspace is on PPU capacity. However, if I switch the workspace capacity to Pro, I can see and connect to the dataflow from the datamart without any issues.
This behavior is a blocker for my implementation, as I want to enable incremental refresh on the dataflow, which requires the workspace to be on PPU capacity. Without this setup, I can’t utilize incremental data loading.
I've checked permissions and settings across both workspaces and it seems an issue specific to PPU versus Pro capacities, but I haven't been able to find a clear explanation or solution in the official Power BI documentation.
Has anyone encountered a similar issue? Or is there any additional configuration in Premium that I might be missing to make the dataflow visible in the datamart?
Any guidance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your help.
This issue seems to stem from a current limitation in Power BI regarding the interaction between Dataflows and Datamarts when using Premium Per User (PPU) capacity. Here’s a breakdown of what’s likely happening and some potential workarounds:
Explanation of the Issue
In Power BI:
- PPU capacity workspaces are limited to PPU-licensed users, and some features or interactions between PPU and Pro capacities aren’t fully interoperable.
- Datamarts are designed to integrate with dataflows, but some configurations and capabilities that work with Pro may not work seamlessly with PPU due to these licensing boundaries.
In your case:
- When the workspace is in PPU capacity: Only PPU users can interact with assets in that workspace, which may include restrictions on dataflows being accessible to datamarts in other workspaces or capacities.
- When the workspace is switched to Pro capacity: Dataflows are visible and accessible to the datamart since Pro licensing is more permissive in terms of interoperability.
Workarounds and Potential Solutions
Ensure All Users Involved Have PPU Licenses
- If you’re not the only user working with these dataflows and datamarts, make sure that all users interacting with the datamart also have PPU licenses. Sometimes, access issues can arise if any users involved do not meet the PPU licensing requirement.
Consider Keeping the Workspace on Pro Capacity
- Since you’re able to connect the datamart to the dataflow on Pro capacity, one option is to maintain the workspace on Pro and set up a different method for incremental refresh. For example:
- You could manage incremental refresh at the datamart level instead of the dataflow.
- This might not be ideal, but it could allow you to proceed without the blocker.
- Since you’re able to connect the datamart to the dataflow on Pro capacity, one option is to maintain the workspace on Pro and set up a different method for incremental refresh. For example:
Move to Premium Capacity (P SKU)
- If your organization has access to Premium Capacity (P SKU), moving both workspaces to this capacity should remove any limitations tied to PPU. Premium Capacity provides full interoperability between dataflows and datamarts and allows incremental refresh in dataflows without the licensing boundaries imposed by PPU.
Use Direct Query to Connect the Datamart to the Dataflow
- Another possible workaround (if available in your scenario) is to use Direct Query to connect the datamart directly to the dataflow. This method may bypass some limitations tied to the PPU capacity but may impact performance depending on your data volume and refresh needs.
Submit Feedback to Microsoft
- If this limitation is critical to your implementation, it may help to submit feedback to Microsoft via Power BI Ideas or through your Microsoft support representative, if you have one. Microsoft does update feature parity and limitations between Pro and PPU capacities based on user demand, so raising visibility can potentially lead to a future update.
Suggested Path Forward
If none of the workarounds are feasible and a Premium Capacity (P SKU) isn't an option, keeping the workspace on Pro capacity while managing incremental refresh in the datamart may be the best solution for now. Alternatively, contacting Microsoft Support could also help clarify whether this is an expected limitation or a bug, as they may offer further insights or a possible fix.
Let me know if you’d like additional details on any of these steps!
Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution, this will help others!
If my response(s) assisted you in any way, don't forget to drop me a "Kudos" 🙂
Kind Regards,
Poojara
Data Analyst | MSBI Developer | Power BI Consultant
1 Reply
This issue seems to stem from a current limitation in Power BI regarding the interaction between Dataflows and Datamarts when using Premium Per User (PPU) capacity. Here’s a breakdown of what’s likely happening and some potential workarounds:
Explanation of the Issue
In Power BI:
- PPU capacity workspaces are limited to PPU-licensed users, and some features or interactions between PPU and Pro capacities aren’t fully interoperable.
- Datamarts are designed to integrate with dataflows, but some configurations and capabilities that work with Pro may not work seamlessly with PPU due to these licensing boundaries.
In your case:
- When the workspace is in PPU capacity: Only PPU users can interact with assets in that workspace, which may include restrictions on dataflows being accessible to datamarts in other workspaces or capacities.
- When the workspace is switched to Pro capacity: Dataflows are visible and accessible to the datamart since Pro licensing is more permissive in terms of interoperability.
Workarounds and Potential Solutions
Ensure All Users Involved Have PPU Licenses
- If you’re not the only user working with these dataflows and datamarts, make sure that all users interacting with the datamart also have PPU licenses. Sometimes, access issues can arise if any users involved do not meet the PPU licensing requirement.
Consider Keeping the Workspace on Pro Capacity
- Since you’re able to connect the datamart to the dataflow on Pro capacity, one option is to maintain the workspace on Pro and set up a different method for incremental refresh. For example:
- You could manage incremental refresh at the datamart level instead of the dataflow.
- This might not be ideal, but it could allow you to proceed without the blocker.
- Since you’re able to connect the datamart to the dataflow on Pro capacity, one option is to maintain the workspace on Pro and set up a different method for incremental refresh. For example:
Move to Premium Capacity (P SKU)
- If your organization has access to Premium Capacity (P SKU), moving both workspaces to this capacity should remove any limitations tied to PPU. Premium Capacity provides full interoperability between dataflows and datamarts and allows incremental refresh in dataflows without the licensing boundaries imposed by PPU.
Use Direct Query to Connect the Datamart to the Dataflow
- Another possible workaround (if available in your scenario) is to use Direct Query to connect the datamart directly to the dataflow. This method may bypass some limitations tied to the PPU capacity but may impact performance depending on your data volume and refresh needs.
Submit Feedback to Microsoft
- If this limitation is critical to your implementation, it may help to submit feedback to Microsoft via Power BI Ideas or through your Microsoft support representative, if you have one. Microsoft does update feature parity and limitations between Pro and PPU capacities based on user demand, so raising visibility can potentially lead to a future update.
Suggested Path Forward
If none of the workarounds are feasible and a Premium Capacity (P SKU) isn't an option, keeping the workspace on Pro capacity while managing incremental refresh in the datamart may be the best solution for now. Alternatively, contacting Microsoft Support could also help clarify whether this is an expected limitation or a bug, as they may offer further insights or a possible fix.
Let me know if you’d like additional details on any of these steps!
Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution, this will help others!
If my response(s) assisted you in any way, don't forget to drop me a "Kudos" 🙂
Kind Regards,
Poojara
Data Analyst | MSBI Developer | Power BI Consultant