PBI Auto-Refreshes Even With Error in Source Data & Refresh Failure Notification not Being Sent

[Nonso]

Hello All,

I am encountering two challenges with auto refresh on PBI Online and need help.

1. On PBI Online, auto refresh goes through even when there are errors in the source data that feeds into PBI. I don't know there are errors until I manually refresh. Auto refresh should typically fail when there is an error.

2. I used to receive email notifications saying refresh failed when there's an error but I no longer receive those email. I've looked at the gateway and cloud connections, Data source credentials, and Send refresh failure notifications set too but still not working.

Can anyone advise on how to resolve this? Thanks in advance 😊.

[v-ssriganesh]

Hi @Nonso,
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. If my response has addressed your query, please accept it as a solution and give a 'Kudos' so other members can easily find it.
Thank you.

[Poojara_D12]

Hi @Nonso 

You're facing two key issues with Power BI Online auto-refresh: first, the refresh completes even when there are errors in the source data, and second, failure notification emails have stopped. Normally, Power BI refreshes should fail if there are critical errors, but if the issue lies within the data (such as missing or incorrect values), the refresh may still succeed because Power BI does not automatically validate data integrity. To prevent this, you can implement error handling in Power Query, use validation tables, or introduce conditional checks that force a failure when critical data is missing. Regarding the missing email notifications, possible causes include email filtering, admin setting changes, or your user role no longer being recognized. You can troubleshoot by manually triggering a failure, checking your dataset ownership in the workspace, and reviewing Power BI Admin Portal settings. As a workaround, using Power Automate to send custom failure alerts ensures you stay informed when issues occur. These steps should help restore proper error detection and notification in your Power BI environment.

 

[Nonso]

Hi @Poojara_D12 I've tried all suggested but still not resolved. Do see below an example of one of the errors in the desktop verson but not on the online version. Since the online version isn't picking up the error, there is no notification. Further support is required. Thanks 

[v-ssriganesh]

Hi @Nonso,

May I ask if you have resolved this issue? If so, please mark the helpful reply and accept it as the solution. This will be helpful for other community members who have similar problems to solve it faster.

Thank you.

[Nonso]

Hi @v-ssriganesh Thanks for the support. I've tried all suggested but issue still persist. Do see below an example of one of the errors in the desktop verson but not on the online version. Since the online version isn't picking up the error, there is no notification. Further support is required. Thanks 

[v-ssriganesh]

Hi @Nonso,

Thanks for sharing the additional details and the screenshot. The DataFormat.Error: Invalid cell value '#DIV/0!' message you’re seeing in Power BI Desktop suggests that some cells in your source data contain division-by-zero errors.

Please consider below Suggestions:

• Replace Errors: In Power Query, select the column with potential errors, then go to Transform tab > Replace Errors, and enter a default value like 0 or null as appropriate.
• Review the source file (e.g., Excel) to identify cells containing #DIV/0! and handle the formulas there if possible.
• Consider using IFERROR() as it allows you to manage errors directly at the source level, thereby minimizing the need for manual intervention in Power Query later.

If this helps, then please Accept it as a solution and dropping a "Kudos" so other members can find it more easily.
Thank you.

[v-ssriganesh]

Hi @Nonso,
I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you'd like to discuss this further. If this answers your question, please Accept it as a solution and give it a 'Kudos' so others can find it easily.
Thank you.

[v-ssriganesh]

Hi @Nonso,
Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft fabric community forum.

• Power BI may not fail a refresh unless the errors prevent data loading. Check if Power Query is using "Replace Errors" or "Remove Errors." These can stop errors from causing failures. If using DirectQuery or Import mode, try adding error-handling logic. Also, ensure the gateway is correctly configured and not ignoring errors.
• Make sure the “Send refresh failure notification email” option is enabled under Dataset settings > Scheduled refresh. Check if emails are blocked by spam filters or organization policies. If using a service principal or another account, confirm it's set to receive notifications. Try manually failing a refresh (e.g., modifying credentials) to test if emails are sent. Also, check if the gateway is updated and working properly.

If this helps, then please Accept it as a solution and dropping a "Kudos" so other members can find it more easily.
Hope this works for you!
Thank you.

[lbendlin]

This, so much this.  Microsoft thought that automatically retrying on failure (up to three times) would be a great idea.  It isn't, it's costing us CUs, and despite multiple tickets we still cannot switch it off. Very infuriating.

If you have a Pro license you can open a Pro ticket at https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com/newsupportticket/powerbi
Otherwise you can raise an issue at https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Issues/idb-p/Issues .