The credentials provided for the GoogleBigQuery source are invalid

[JWT]

We have had several semantic models connected to GBQ, Which has been working for a long time with auto refresh in PBI service.

Recently I started to daily receive this error:

Data source error: The credentials provided for the GoogleBigQuery source are invalid. (Source at GoogleBigQuery.). The exception was raised by the IDbCommand interface.

When I reautheticate the credentials, everything works fine, until the next auto scheduled refresh.

I have tried clearing the credentials in desktop, to then republish, but it doesnt help. I use a GBQ service account.

Any help would be appreciated!

[rohit1991]

hi @JWT ,

I’ve run into this BigQuery credential issue before—especially when working with scheduled refreshes in Power BI. Here’s what usually fixes it:

1. Regenerate your service account key in the Google Cloud Console and upload the new key in Power BI. Keys can expire or get rotated, and old ones will break your refresh.
   
   

2. Double-check IAM permissions: Make sure your service account has at least BigQuery Data Viewer and BigQuery Job User roles for all relevant datasets and projects.
   
   

3. Re-enter your credentials in both Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service: Remove the old ones first, then add the updated credentials in both places to keep everything in sync.
   
   

4. If you’re using OAuth, consider switching to a service account with a private key. OAuth tokens expire quickly and often fail on scheduled refresh, while service accounts are much more reliable for automation.
   
   

5. Also check your Google BigQuery API quotas: If you’re hitting usage limits, you might get similar errors, especially with frequent or heavy refreshes.

[Poojara_D12 · Accepted solution]

Hi @JWT 

The issue you're experiencing with Google BigQuery (GBQ) credentials in Power BI, where you receive the error "The credentials provided for the GoogleBigQuery source are invalid," typically points to an authentication or token expiration issue. This problem arises when the credentials used by Power BI for scheduled refreshes become invalid, often due to expired tokens or insufficient permissions. Since you're using a Google BigQuery service account, it’s important to verify that the service account has the appropriate permissions in Google Cloud, specifically the BigQuery Data Viewer and BigQuery Job User roles for the dataset and project you're accessing. If permissions are not set correctly, the credentials might work during manual refresh but fail during the automated refresh. In addition to this, service account credentials, especially if you're using a JSON key file, can expire or be rotated, causing issues with authentication in Power BI. You should check that the key file is valid and hasn't expired, or if you're using OAuth 2.0 credentials, ensure that they haven’t expired or been invalidated. To address the issue, start by re-entering the credentials directly in the Power BI Service by going to the dataset settings and ensuring the credentials are properly configured. You may also want to clear the stored credentials in Power BI Desktop and reauthenticate before republishing the report. Clearing the credentials and reconnecting the service account can sometimes resolve caching issues in the Power BI Service. Additionally, checking the scheduled refresh history in the Power BI Service can provide more details about the specific error during the refresh process, helping you identify whether the issue is with the credentials or the connection itself. If the credentials keep failing, consider testing with DirectQuery mode instead of Import Mode, as it may help avoid issues with expired data refresh tokens by querying data in real-time instead of caching it. Ultimately, ensuring correct permissions, up-to-date credentials, and refreshing token management practices will help resolve the recurring issue with scheduled refreshes in Power BI.

[JWT]

Thank you for you reply. I was missing the permissions for the service account, which you mentioned. I wasnt aware that there could be a difference between manual and automatic refresh-permissions. I also changed from Oauth to basic auth method. This seems to have done the trick! 

[suparnababu8]

Hi @JWT 

You follow the below steps.

1. In Power BI Desktop Clear and re-enter your credentials as well as do the sme in Power BI services also.
2. If you are using a service account with a private key for authentication. This generally has longer expiration periods and is more stable.

If you need more info please visit the below urls which might help you

Re: The credentials provided for the Google Big Qu... - Microsoft Fabric Community

Troubleshoot sign-in issues in Power BI Desktop - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Thanks!