undefined

[Ajaal]

Hi ...

 which one is better to be used as data source for powerbi dashboard? 

a collection of excel files stored on sharepoint online or sharepoint lists?

[christinepayton · Accepted solution]

It depends how you're using it. If you have a bunch of data you're just wanting to upload and reference, then Excel/CSV files is fine. If you want people to be actively editing the files and want more control over how they input the data and what they can do to your source, then SP lists are better. You can give users contribute access to the list, where they can edit/add data but not modify the list structure (which you want, because people modifying the list structure will often break things). 

[Ajaal]

Thank you Shraven133 for replying...

But, how much of data  (how many rows) could each list hold? without compromising the powerbi performance?

And also, would it possible to link those lists to each other (like in relational DB)? if it would be? will that add much to the performance of powerbi Dashboard?  

[Shravan133]

• For Structured, Scalable, and Collaborative Scenarios: SharePoint lists are the better option. They provide better performance, collaboration, and data integrity, especially when dealing with structured, regularly updated data.
• For Ad Hoc Reporting and Complex Calculations: If your data is unstructured, and you need flexibility in data manipulation or complex Excel formulas, Excel files might be more suitable.