Need help regarding data refreshing with Non VPN users.

Hi all,

Please hear me out.

I have read only access to our SQL database. In order for me to sign into Sql server - I need to connect to a VPN. None of the colleagues in my department have access.

Now i have created a pbix file and saved it on sharepoint. My colleagues placed the Pbix file in their Local Power Bi workspace, bcause the workspace provides a significant better Export to PDF - than Power BI desktop. We dont have Power Bi premium accounts.

But how are they able to update the data, if they dont have access to Sql server? When they click on the 'Refresh' button in Power BI they get the error that Power Bi is unable to refresh..which makes sense...because of the lack of the VPN.

In order for me to tackle this problem, I have used Excel - so I would extract data from SQL -> excel(on sharepoint) -> load the excel file in Power BI.

Now each 1st day of the month i refresh all the queries in my Excel file and my colleagues can refresh the underlying dataset of the pbix to update their data.

Have other people experienced the same work-a-round? I feel it does the job - im just not a big fan of having 20+ different sheets in 1 workbook, especially if this will only be growing.

Hope i explained myself well enough.

Thanks