Query for Dataflow usage by others

[Dageda]

How can I query a dataflow as it is being used by other users, such as refresher records in powerbi desktop or excel?

[Dageda · Accepted solution]

Thanks all,

    I think my question is not clear, I need to know who uses the dataflow I published,
I've found a way to do it and share it with you:
1: Enter the "Admin monitoring" workspace in Fabric, view the "Analysis" in the "Feature Usage and Adoption" report, and roughly understand the usage of each user by filtering the used user activities.This pertains to whether the account holds administrative privileges.

2: Through the Microsoft audit log to view，

https://purview.microsoft.com/

[Poojara_D12]

Hi @Dageda 

To query a Power BI Dataflow while it is being used by other users or during a refresh, you can use DirectQuery for Dataflows (if available) or connect via Power BI Desktop or Excel. Here are some options:

1. Connect to Dataflow in Power BI Desktop

• Open Power BI Desktop
• Click on Get Data → Select Power BI Dataflows
• Sign in with your credentials and select the desired dataflow
• Load the data in Import Mode (snapshot at refresh time) or DirectQuery Mode (if supported, allows real-time querying without importing all data)

2. Query Dataflow in Excel (via Power Query)

• Open Excel
• Go to Data → Click Get Data → From Power Platform → From Dataflows
• Sign in and choose the dataflow you need
• Load the data into Excel for analysis

3. Use Power BI REST API for Real-time Querying

• If you need to track refresh status or query data dynamically, you can use the Power BI REST API to check the refresh status or retrieve data.
• Use the “Get Dataflow Transactions” API to track refresh history and errors.

4. Check Refresh Activity in Power BI Service

• Go to Power BI Service (app.powerbi.com)
• Navigate to Workspaces → Select Dataflow → Refresh History
• Here, you can check when the last refresh happened and if there were any issues.

5. Workaround Using Azure Storage (for Enhanced Querying)

• If your organization uses Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS) Gen2 as the storage for dataflows, you can directly query data from Azure Storage Explorer or Azure Synapse Analytics for more efficient access.

If your goal is to monitor refresh activity while others are using it, the Power BI REST API or the Refresh History tab in Power BI Service would be the best options. However, for querying live data while ensuring it is up to date, DirectQuery for Dataflows (if supported in your environment) is the most effective approach.

[v-nmadadi-msft]

Hi @Dageda,

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.

[v-nmadadi-msft]

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

I want to thank @Sahir_Maharaj for their valuable points and as they have mentioned Power BI audit logs, for that you have to be an admin and If you are looking for Refresh history without being an admin you can find it by clicking epsilon of the dataflow you want and then click on Refresh history

This will redirect to the pop up shown below.

If you find this post helpful, please mark it as an "Accept as Solution" and consider giving a KUDOS.
Thanks and Regards

[Sahir_Maharaj]

Hello @Dageda,

If you're a Power BI Admin, you can access the Power BI Audit Logs to track when users query or refresh a Dataflow.

Alternatively, the Power BI REST API allows you to check Dataflow refresh history, including who triggered the refresh.

GET https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{groupId}/dataflows/{dataflowId}/refreshes

{
  "value": [
    {
      "id": "refresh12345",
      "startTime": "2024-02-05T12:00:00Z",
      "endTime": "2024-02-05T12:10:00Z",
      "refreshType": "Scheduled",
      "status": "Completed",
      "servicePrincipal": "User@domain.com"
    }
  ]
}