Personal Gateway - why when the file is in SharePoint?

[IanCowan-Daikin]

Hi,

I am hoping someone can help. 

We have some excel files in SHarePoint that are used via Teams. I had to build a report/dashboard for these.

1. Why do I have to sync a sharePoint site to my one drive to build the PowerBi
2. Why then do I have to install a personal gateway on my PC to point to my onedrive in the cloud (local copy) when I want to schedule a refresh - the file already exists in our 365 SP online... I find this a rather stupid process!!

That means the PowerBi report is entirely dependant on my PC being on and active. If I am on holiday, the report does not get refreshed.

I simply do not understand why PowerBi cannot connect to a SharePoint site to get the excel file in this case. In terms of explaining this to senior management when I am trying to modernise processes, this has been slapped back in my face!!

If there is a way to connect directly to a file in SharePoint, I can't find it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Ian 

[V-lianl-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @IanCowan-Daikin ,

On-premises data gateway (personal mode) allows one user to connect to sources, and can’t be shared with others. An on-premises data gateway (personal mode) can be used only with Power BI. This gateway is well-suited to scenarios where you’re the only person who creates reports, and you don't need to share any data sources with others

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-gateway-onprem 

You can use web connector to connect to Excel files on SharePoint.

Refer :https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Cannot-link-a-Sharepoint-Excel-file-to-Desktop-PowerBI/td-p... 

If your dataset contains not only the excel file from SharePoint on line but also the on premise data source, then it needs to use the gateway and configure schedule refresh.

Refer:https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-gateway-mashup-on-premises-cloud 

Best Regards,
Liang
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[Mariusz]

Hi @IanCowan-Daikin 

Try this link, you need to use SharePoint Folders connector, no gateway is required just need to sign in in the service.

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/combining-excel-files-hosted-on-a-sharepoint-folder/

Best Regards,
Mariusz

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