Sharing Excel file connected to PowerBI

[mim]

is it possible to share an excel file that's connected to PowerBI, and just save the password with the odc connections ?

cheers 

[v-caliao-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @mim,

Do you mean to share the connection under Power BI publisher for Excel, or the connection from Analyze in Excel?

Based on what I know, they both won’t work regarding sharing the Excel file which holding the Power BI connections.

For Power BI Publisher for Excel, the credentials won’t be saved under Excel. For example, if we share the Excel file through OneDrive, Excel online won’t support Power BI Publisher currently by the way, then when the one who are supposed to open the Excel, Power BI Publisher for Excel would require him to re-login. In other words, you might need to provide your credentials here;

For Analyze in Excel, if we would like to share the downloaded ODC file, through OneDrive or something else, when downloaded, it will provide a login page which require you to login Power BI, and also to access the dataset requires the proper permission; in other words, when sharing ODC file, either you provide your own Power BI credentials, or the dataset should be shared with the one who are the one you are trying to share.
Adding some reference:
Analyze in ExcelPower BI publisher for Excel

If any further help needed, please feel free to post back.

Regards,

Charlie Liao

[MWinter225]

Hi Charlie @v-caliao-msft, 

I notice that after some time I can no longer refresh the ODC file because it says the session has expired or something about a token. Is there a way to override the session length so we can treat this ODC as a refreshable data source? 

thanks,

Matt

[ankitpatira]

@mim I haven't tested this out but just a guess. If you want to share odc file with other users then you will first have to share that report and dataset with them. Since odc file will connect to the dataset in service and when it does it will prompt or username and pwd to connect to dataset in power bi service. Unless you wan't give your username and pwd to other users you share odc with, they will require dataset shared with them first.

[mim]

@ankitpatira what if i save the connection password in Excel ?