Using a DataFlow Gen2 in a report

[codekandis]

Hej there,

I'm new to Power BI service since 3 days. I'm working on a Pro plan. (I don't know what happened but the fabric trial - normally 30 days - ended up after two days.)

I need to create a report to show accumulated data. Currently for developing puposes the data is provided by CSV files and will be replaced with a database connection or a web API access.

I created a DataFlow Gen2 based on 3 separate CSV files on my OneDrive - so I'm able to update the data without updating the data in the DataFlow - just need to refresh it. I build up my queries with all data accumulation needed. The 3 queries on the bottom are the replaceable connections to the CSV files.

Now I'm struggling to create a report from that DataFlow. If I want to create a report it just shows me the usual options - Excel, CSV, etc. But I cannot connect my DataFlow to it.

So I'm having two questions right now. I'm sorry it's not just one, but I assume the answer of the second depends on the answer of the first.

First question: Is there even a way to create a report (or maybe a dashboard) based on a DataFlow in the Power BI Web App? Or do I need the Desktop App?

If the first answere is "you can build a report based on a DataFlow in the Web App" so how can I? I didn't find a way.

[shadow9600]

This really feels like Dataflows took a complete left turn from being an easy way to centralize data ingest into the Power BI service like the Gen 1 Dataflows which are incredibly easy to use for this purpose. I tried setting up a new Gen 2 and there's so many extra and seemingly unneccesary steps that I just gave up and went with a simple Gen 1 Dataflow which is stupid simple to use as a common data source in Power BI reports. I guess I just don't understand the design here and why it went from easy to incredibly complex to the point of not being usable. 

[v-tsaipranay]

Hi @codekandis ,

Thanks for reaching out to the Microsoft fabric community forum.

Yes, we can create a report from a DataFlow Gen2 in the Power BI Web App but not directly.

There are few workarounds to create reports using Dataflow Gen2. Please follow these steps below to create reports or dashboards:

• After loading data into Dataflow Gen2, specify the destination as the lakehouse and establish the connection.
• Next, select the lakehouse that you have previously created in a specific workspace, and click on New Table.
• You will then see an option labeled Schema Settings; you can choose to keep this setting on Auto.
• Finally, save the settings and publish the changes, as illustrated in the image belows.

Please refer to below documentation for better idea dataflow gen2 to lakehouse:

Copy sample data into Lakehouse and transform with dataflow - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn

• After publishing the data to the lakehouse, you will notice that a new table has been added to the existing tables. Subsequently, you can utilize the semantic model associated with that lakehouse to create reports or you can create a new semantic model so that you can directly pick that model while creating report.

Follow the below picture your better understanding:

Now, you can see that all my tables has been loaded into the report .

An alternative solution to achieve this. If all tables are integrated into a single lakehouse rather than creating a new semantic model, we can generate reports in the following manner.

• Once the tables are loaded into the lakehouse, you will see the SQL Analytics endpoint option, as demonstrated in the image below.

• Upon opening the application, you will find an option labeled Reporting. Within this section, there is an option called New Report, as illustrated in the image below.
• Selecting this option will automatically direct you to the report creation page, where you can incorporate all the relevant data stored in our lakehouse.
• 

I hope my suggestions give you good ideas, If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to let me know.

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

Thank you

[v-tsaipranay]

Hi @codekandis ,

I wanted to follow up on our previous suggestions regarding Using a DataFlow Gen2 in a report. We would love to hear back from you to ensure we can assist you further. Please let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help.

If my response has addressed your query, please 'accept it as a solution' and give a ‘Kudos’ so other members can easily find it. 

Thankyou.

[v-tsaipranay]

Hi @codekandis,

I wanted to check if you had the opportunity to review the information provided. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions. If my response has addressed your query, please 'accept it as a solution' and give a 'Kudos' so other members can easily find it.

Thank you.

[v-tsaipranay]

Hi @codekandis ,

May I ask if you have resolved this issue? If so, please mark the helpful reply and accept it as the solution. This will be helpful for other community members who have similar problems to solve it faster.

Thank you.

[pallavi_r]

Hi @codekandis ,

1.Yes, we can create Power BI report built based on Dataflow Gen2 in Fabric Free Trial Web Portal itself without Power BI Desktop.

2.From your picture, I see you are saving the data transformed from your dataflow gen 2 power query to lakehouse or ware house.  Please see the snapshot below

3.Then in your workspace, you get something like this, a semantic model

4. A semantic model can be picked up for reporting.

5. Pick your new created semantic model for reporting.

If this post helps, please accept this as a solution. Appreciate your kudos.

Thanks,

Pallavi

[NandanHegde]

Based on my understanding,we can leverage dataflows within Power BI desktop only for report creation.

[codekandis]

Can you confirm it is the same if I would create a dashboard based on a DataFlow?

[danextian]

Most of the tiles in a dashboard (dashboard based on Power BI terms) are from an existing report. Reports cannot directly connect to a dataflow in the service but in desktop. Even for DF gen2, they need to be loaded to  a destination first, build a semantic model out of them and then build reports on top of these semantic models.

[codekandis]

---

@danextian wrote:

[...] Even for DF gen2, they need to be loaded to  a destination first, build a semantic model out of them and then build reports on top of these semantic models.

---

Can you give me a hint please how to achieve that? I just had a clue about semantic models but i stuck. Power BI isn't quite intuitive.

What do you mean with "need to be loaded to a destination first" and how to build a semantic model out of it?

Thank you in advance.

[danextian]

If you are on Fabric, you can select a destination to load a DF gen2 to

The tables below were from dataflows loaded to a lakehouse

These options are not avaible with a pro license so you can only use a dataflow using the desktop app.

[codekandis]

Oooohh ... it's quite hard to find everything. There's nothing intuitive here.

I put two of my queries into a destination. The first one into a new Lakehouse connection. The second one into the newly created Lakehouse. So far so good.

I thought I'd find the lakehouse in the left handed navigational side bar under "OneLake" but nothing. I didn't find it somewhere else.

So I thought "create a lakehouse first and use it as a destination then." And I did. I shows up in "OneLake" but it doesn't in the destinations.

I'm lost right now. I had a very good start with the DataFlow but I'm really stuck. 🤣

[danextian]

In my previous reply, SQL Analytics Endpoint is selected (upper right corner). That's where you can model.

[codekandis]

I'm sorry, if I wasn't clear enough.

If I select a new destination, it creates a new Lakehouse connection. But I cannot find that lakehouse anywhere. I don't know how to open it and to work with it.

If I create a new Lakehouse right before I select a destination, then it won't show up in the destinations. I still get the option to create a new Lakehouse connection or to use the one to a Lakehouse I cannot find anywhere.

And I tried to find a way to create a connection out of my manually created Lakehouse ... but there seems to be no possibility.

So to model in the SQL analytics endpoint I need to have a lakehouse (which I can find) where to destinate my queries OR a connection to my manually created lakehouse.

Now I hope its more obvious where I'm right now.