Refresh data in Excel in service

[Anonymous]

Hi, 

I have some reports created in Excel using "Analyse in Excel". 

When I open (or refresh) the workbook, I have the following message:

We were unable to refresh one or more data connections in this workbook.
The following connections failed to refresh:

pbiazure://api.powerbi.com <some guid> Model

The excel file refreshes fine when I open it in Excel.

Is it that this feature is not available (yet) or that there is a missconfiguration somewhere?

Thank you

[Fowmy · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous 

Not clear what exactly causes the issue, please refer to this article: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/collaborate-share/service-analyze-in-excel

[Anonymous]

So it looks like what I am trying to do is impossible. I know it used to be impossible but I somehow thought it was possible now. I guess I was wrong.

Thanks

[Fowmy]

@Anonymous 

Not quite sure what exactly you were trying to achieve, anyhow, you make explain your scenario for any alternative solution in the community.

[selimovd]

Hey @Anonymous ,

when you open an Excel file from Power BI Desktop with the "Analyze in Excel" function, the file creates a temporary connection to the opened Power BI file. When you close the Power BI file or close and reopen it again, the Excel workbook is loosing the connection to the Power BI Desktop file.

If you open an Excel from Power BI Service, the address stays the same. The Excel file is connecting to the same Power BI data set in the service and also after closing and reopening the Excel file, the connetion string stays the same.

If you need any help please let me know.

If I answered your question I would be happy if you could mark my post as a solution ✔️ and give it a thumbs up 👍

Best regards

Denis

Blog: WhatTheFact.bi

Follow me: twitter.com/DenSelimovic

[Anonymous]

Thank you.

In my case the excel file was created using the "analyse in Excel" button from PBI service, not from PBI desktop. Also, if I download the Excel file from the PBI service (open in Excel desktop) it does work. Which means that the connection embedded in the Excel file works (and point toward the Dataset in powerbi.com).

So I don't think that's my issue. Thanks anyway!