We couldn't get data from an external source. Failed to connect to the url https //api.powerbi.com.

[dmkblesser]

We have been using the `Analyze in Excel` feature with our report. The report itself is using data from Snowflake via direct query. 

In Excel, when we clicked on refresh, we often received this error message. 

and 

However, if we keep trying refreshing, the refresh will work sometime in between next hour or 2 hours, so I don't think this is related to any permission issue. 

I looked up the previous post, one the post says it is to do with the TLS certificate and that is not the case in our end. 

Can someone please explain what the cause of the error message? and why does it work periodically? Thank you!

[collinq]

Hi @dmkblesser ,

Are Analysis Services running on your computer?  And, are Analysis Services running on the gateway?  Do you have security blocking the port number(s) in question?  Is there a firewall that prevents the connection?

I researched this a bit and found that "The primary cause for a Connection cannot be made error is that your computer's OLE DB provider client libraries aren't current."  Can you confirm that your OLE's are all updated?  AND, if you are using the gateway, is the gateway server ALSO have the latest updates?

I am wondering about tokens: "The primary cause for a Token expired error is that you haven't recently used the Analyze in Excel feature on the computer you're using. To resolve this error, reenter your credentials or reopen the file, and the error should go away."

That is not the error message that you are receiving but might be related.

Is this the same for all users and/or for you on different computers?  That might help determine if the issue is local or not.

[dmkblesser]

Hi @collinq , thank you for your response. We run refresh on the Excel which connects to the Analysis Services on a daily basis. The error is sort of random. Some of the days, it runs smoothly and sometimes it gives this error and we have to keep trying and it often works itself out in a range from 30mins to 2 hours. 

The connection is running through a gateway and it has the latest updates.