Power BI Paginated Report Parameter Mapping Error

[govind_021]

Hi Everyone,
I need some help.

In Power BI Report Builder, I created a parameter for a Calculation Group column, along with other parameters like Location, Year, etc.
My data source is Analysis Services, and I’m using the output of a DAX query.

When I embed this report into Power BI Desktop and try to map the parameters, everything works except the Calculation Group parameter. It gives a relationship error.

As far as I understand, the Calculation Group table is always disconnected from other model tables, because it only contains calculation items and not real data. So it has no relationship that Power BI can use for parameter mapping.

Has anyone faced this before? How can I handle this situation? Any suggestions are appreciated.

[govind_021]

can you help me with pbix where you have implemented it with any dummy data , just to understand the workaround  ?

[v-sshirivolu]

Hi @govind_021  ,
Thanks for reaching out to the Fabric Community Forum.

This issue comes up because Power BI Desktop cannot use a Calculation Group to pass values into a paginated report, since a calculation group does not have actual data rows that the Paginated Report visual can read. An easy workaround is to create a small table manually using Enter Data with values like YTD, QTD, and MTD, and use this table (PeriodParam[PeriodName]) in your slicer and also for parameter mapping. After that, create a measure like Selected Period = SELECTEDVALUE(PeriodParam[PeriodName]) and write your YTD/QTD/MTD logic using a SWITCH statement based on this measure. Finally, when the .rdl file is uploaded to a Premium or Fabric workspace, you can map the report parameter (for example, @Period) to PeriodParam[PeriodName] inside the Paginated Report visual. This method works because the physical table has real values that Power BI can pass into the paginated report, whereas a calculation group cannot be used for this type of parameter connection.

Thank you.

[govind_021]

But that table will still be disconnected how do i connect it to the other tables.
It requires valid physical relationship between tables , we cant pass filters through dax otherwise how would the dynamic slicing work.
it would be of great help if you can provide the sample file with dummy data with the approach you are suggesting.

[v-sshirivolu · Accepted solution]

Hi @govind_021 ,

I was able to reproduce this end to end using a simple repro setup. I used a disconnected Period table in a slicer, handled the MTD/QTD/YTD logic entirely through DAX, and mapped that same Period field to a paginated report parameter. This works correctly even without creating any physical relationships in the model.

In Power BI Desktop, the Paginated Report visual acts only as a parameter passing surface. It does not depend on the Power BI data model or relationships instead, it simply passes scalar values from Power BI to the paginated report. Because of this behavior, using a disconnected table for parameter mapping is valid and supported.

After adding a Date context to the report, the MTD, QTD, and YTD selections evaluated as expected in the Power BI visuals, confirming that the dynamic behavior is driven by DAX rather than relationships. At the same time, the paginated report correctly receives the selected parameter value, demonstrating that parameter mapping works independently of physical relationships.

Thank you.

[v-sshirivolu]

Hi @govind_021 ,
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

[v-sshirivolu]

Hi @govind_021 ,

I hope the above details help you fix the issue. If you still have any questions or need more help, feel free to reach out. We’re always here to support you

[v-sshirivolu]

Hi @govind_021 ,
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

[rohit1991]

Hii @govind_021 

Calculation Groups cannot be used as paginated report parameters because the table has no relationships and contains no real data rows. Create a separate parameter table or pass a text parameter into your DAX query and handle the logic inside the query.

[govind_021]

Hi Rohit,
Thanks for your reply.

I’m still a bit confused about the issue. When I run the DAX query in the Query Designer in Report Builder, and pass the Calculation Group as a parameter there, it works completely fine and returns correct results.

The problem only appears when I embed the report in Power BI Desktop and try to map the parameters. At that point, the Calculation Group parameter shows a relationship error.

Also, the workaround you suggested is not very clear to me. Could you please explain it in more detail, maybe with an example?

[rohit1991]

Hii @govind_021 

The issue occurs only after embedding because Power BI Desktop requires the parameter source to be a physical table that exists in the model with actual rows. Calculation Groups are metadata tables, so Power BI cannot use them for parameter mapping. The fix is to create a small helper parameter table (e.g., YTD, MTD, QTD), map that table to the paginated report, and pass the selected value into your DAX query. This avoids the relationship error and keeps the logic intact.