User Service Account as Owner of Dataflows

[AxiomaticNick]

We use service accounts to connect to data sources in the data gateway.  Is there a way to do this for dataflows as well to prevent dataflows failing when the owner leaves the company and thier AD account is deactivated. 

What are the downsides to doing this? How would that even work when we need to edit the dataflow? The entire authentication is pretty fuzzy for me as ideally anyone that I authorize should be able to edit a dataflow without having to take it over and it should be immune to employees leaving the company.

Maybe someone has answered this before but my search skills produced nothing.

[ouaelaam · Accepted solution]

Hello,

Only one account is owner a dataflow at a time. So you need to connect to Power BI Service using the service account and "Take over" the dataflow.

Then you can only edit the dataflow when connected using the service account. Unless somebody takes over the dataflow again.

I recommend you create a browser session for the service account so you don't need to log-in every time.

I have done it and it works flawlessly.

[AxiomaticNick]

Good solution thanks! Although I just realized that this would reuqire the service account to have a PRO licesnse as well although that isn't a significant expense.

[ouaelaam]

Yes indeed, it would require a PRO license for the Generic account.