I have a semantic model let's say in workspace A, and created a workspace B separately and here I create a new report online from powerbi service connected to the semantic model from workspace A
The thing is, when I let powerbi create an auto generated report I have this option enabled highlighted in yellow below
when this report is shared via app to external users, the users cannot see the semantic model, and actually cannot do anything with that option "Show data table" which is great, I DONT want external users to see the semantic model, the thing is when I do the same but instead of using the "auto generated report" option I create the report from scratch, the "Show data table" option is gone and the view semantic model appears again
is there any way I can intentionally create a report online or in Desktop and make sure that I can enable the "Show data table" and hide the viewing of semantic model? I don't want external users to see the semantic model, but not sure how to accomplish this
1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Hi @info_algoritmia,
Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Fabric Forum Community.
1. Losing “Show data table” after editing auto-generated reports, This is expected behavior. Once you edit or duplicate an auto-generated report, Power BI treats it as a regular report. The special “Show data table” feature is only available in auto-generated reports and is not preserved after manual edits. There is currently no supported way to retain that feature after editing or customizing the report.
2. External users with Read access can still “View semantic model”: Yes, even without Build permission, if the user has read access to the report connected to a dataset in a different workspace, and that dataset is discoverable, Power BI may still allow "View semantic model", though they can’t change or use it. This is by design to allow traceability and transparency. Unfortunately, this view cannot be removed entirely via report or dataset settings alone.
3. To disable semantic model exploration for external users, go to the Power BI Admin Portal (requires admin rights), then navigate to Tenant settings. Under Export and sharing settings, turn off or restrict the following options, “Allow users to view and interact with semantic models in the Data hub”, “Allow semantic model export to Excel”, and “Allow build for external users”. These settings can be scoped to specific security groups to ensure external or guest users are excluded from accessing the semantic model.
If you find this response helpful, please consider marking it as the accepted solution and giving it a thumbs-up to support others in the community.
Thank you & regards,
Prasanna Kumar
Hi @info_algoritmia,
Just a gentle reminder — has your issue been resolved? If so, we’d be grateful if you could mark the solution that worked as Accepted Solution, or feel free to share your own if you found a different fix.
This not only closes the loop on your query but also helps others in the community solve similar issues faster.
Thank you for your time and feedback!
Best,
Prasanna Kumar
Hi @info_algoritmia,
We wanted to kindly check in to see if everything is working as expected after trying the suggested solution. If there’s anything else we can assist with, please don’t hesitate to ask.
If the issue is resolved, we’d appreciate it if you could mark the helpful reply as Accepted Solution — it helps others who might face a similar issue.
Warm regards,
Prasanna Kumar
Hi @info_algoritmia,
Just following up to see if the solution provided was helpful in resolving your issue. Please feel free to let us know if you need any further assistance.
If the response addressed your query, kindly mark it as Accepted Solution and click Yes if you found it helpful — this will benefit others in the community as well.
Best regards,
Prasanna Kumar
Hi @info_algoritmia,
Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Fabric Forum Community.
To prevent external users from accessing your semantic model while still allowing them to view report data, use Power BI's auto-generated reports (like Quick Insights or "Create report" from the Service), which enable the “Show data table” option but restrict semantic model access. Avoid creating reports manually in Power BI Desktop or giving Build permissions to external users. Instead, manage access via apps with view-only permissions and use tenant settings to disable model exploration and data export. For customization, duplicate an auto-generated report to retain its restricted behavior.
If you find this response helpful, please consider marking it as the accepted solution and giving it a thumbs-up to support others in the community.
Thank you & regards,
Prasanna Kumar
- after duplicating the auto generated report and edit it the report loses the "show data table" option and then again the "View semantic model" option appears
- I'm only giving access to external guest users via app, so they have Read permissions, no build permissions, they can see the semantic model but without making changes or use it at all BUT still can see it, and don't need that
- what would be this option "use tenant settings to disable model exploration and data export." and where to find it? I don't want external users to see the data model
Hi @info_algoritmia,
Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Fabric Forum Community.
1. Losing “Show data table” after editing auto-generated reports, This is expected behavior. Once you edit or duplicate an auto-generated report, Power BI treats it as a regular report. The special “Show data table” feature is only available in auto-generated reports and is not preserved after manual edits. There is currently no supported way to retain that feature after editing or customizing the report.
2. External users with Read access can still “View semantic model”: Yes, even without Build permission, if the user has read access to the report connected to a dataset in a different workspace, and that dataset is discoverable, Power BI may still allow "View semantic model", though they can’t change or use it. This is by design to allow traceability and transparency. Unfortunately, this view cannot be removed entirely via report or dataset settings alone.
3. To disable semantic model exploration for external users, go to the Power BI Admin Portal (requires admin rights), then navigate to Tenant settings. Under Export and sharing settings, turn off or restrict the following options, “Allow users to view and interact with semantic models in the Data hub”, “Allow semantic model export to Excel”, and “Allow build for external users”. These settings can be scoped to specific security groups to ensure external or guest users are excluded from accessing the semantic model.
If you find this response helpful, please consider marking it as the accepted solution and giving it a thumbs-up to support others in the community.
Thank you & regards,
Prasanna Kumar
Hi @info_algoritmia ,
To prevent external users from accessing your semantic model while still allowing them to view report data in Power BI, the most effective approach is to use Power BI’s auto-generated reports, such as Quick Insights, which enable the “Show data table” option but automatically restrict access to the underlying semantic model.
When you create reports manually—especially in Power BI Desktop—the “View semantic model” option often becomes visible if users have Build permissions. To control this, avoid granting Build permissions on the semantic model to external users and manage dataset access in the workspace settings.
Additionally, tenant-level settings in the Power BI Admin portal can be used to disable semantic model exploration and data export features. If needed, you can duplicate an auto-generated report and customize it instead of building from scratch to retain its restricted behavior. For detailed configuration, Microsoft Learn provides documentation on semantic model permissions, managing dataset access, report settings, and tenant-level governance.
Passionate about leveraging data analytics to drive strategic decision-making and foster business growth.
Connect with me on LinkedIn: Rohit Kumar.
@rohit1991 there are some things to clarify:
- after duplicating the auto generated report and edit it the report loses the "show data table" option and then again the "View semantic model" option appears
- I'm only giving access to external guest users via app, so they have Read permissions, no build permissions, they can see the semantic model but without making changes or use it at all BUT still can see it, and don't need that
