Setup as Dataflow Gen 2 table or connect to SharePoint folder Excel spreadsheet

[dd88]

I am testing in power bi desktop app, and Microsoft Fabric Dataflow Gen2

in PowerBI desktop app I have connected to a SharePoint folder, Excel spreadsheet.

In Transform data there appears to be many features available.

In Microsoft Fabric, I have created a Dataflow Gen 2 and connected to the same SharePoint folder, Excel spreadsheet.
The result, a table/database is created.
Is this table fixed/ set as is. I am not sure if all the same Transform data features are available. for example create measures, queries etc. 

Eventually the data will be a in a database table as the goal is to create a Master data record.

My questions are ..
What is the best practice and approach to allow for future edits.

For example
in power bi desktop app, do I transform all the data. Ensure all transform data is complete, then upload as a table.

for any updates/edits in the future.
In the future if I need to transform data, eg due to a new requirement, and add another formula or measure. Can it be done and created in the online table in Fabric dataflow gen2.
or,
is it done locally in powerbi desktop app, and uploaded. will it be added to the existing table. Or will a new Fabric, Dataflow Gen2 need to be created

TIA

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi @dd88 ,

It's advisable to perform initial data transformations and cleansing in Power BI Desktop. This includes creating measures, queries, and any necessary data modeling. Power BI Desktop offers a rich set of features for data transformation and analysis.
Once you're satisfied with the transformations, you can then save your model and consider creating a Dataflow in Power BI Service if you need to share or reuse the data transformations across multiple reports or datasets.

Dataflows in Power BI (including Microsoft Fabric Dataflow Gen2) are designed to allow for centralized management of data transformations and to facilitate data reuse across multiple reports and dashboards.
While Dataflows provide a range of transformation capabilities, they are primarily focused on data preparation and may not support all the advanced analytical features (like measures) available directly in Power BI Desktop.

Introduction to dataflows and self-service data prep - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Best Regards
Community Support Team _ Rongtie

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

[dd88]

many thanks @Anonymous  thats great