Power BI Dataset Refresh Disabled Due to Inactivity But Used Daily from Excel

[SWilson_GS]

Hello All!

We have a dataset published to the Service that is refreshed within multiple Excel files daily. However, the BI dataset refresh is getting disabled "due to inactivity." Does it not recognize the Excel connection/use? Is there a way to solve for this? 

Thanks!

[SWilson_GS]

@v-tangjie-msft , just to clarify, the dataset is being used. Is it not able to recognize that multiple Excel files are referencing this data and refreshing daily? 

[v-tangjie-msft]

Hi @SWilson_GS ,

Do you mean that your data source is multiple excel files and you update the data in the excel files daily? When you configure the credentials of multiple excel files to set scheduled refresh, your dataset will be refreshed on a scheduled basis when enabled, but if you do not open or interact with the report for two months then the refresh will stop. You need to open or interact with the report in order to keep it active. Regardless of whether your data source (excel file data) is updated or not, as long as you have not opened or interacted with the report for two months, then refreshing will be disabled.

Best Regards,

Neeko Tang

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[SWilson_GS]

@v-tangjie-msft , no the reporting/usage is occuring in Excel, pulling from a Power BI Dataset. The BI dataset refreshes daily in the morning with our ETL, then users open their independent Excel files, click "refresh" (pulling from the refreshed Power BI Dataset) and go about their work in the files. 

[v-tangjie-msft]

Hi @SWilson_GS ,

Does your workspace only have the dataset and not the report created from it? Contact ETL to create a report or dashboard based on that dataset, then access it (report or dashboard) to restore the dataset refresh.

Best Regards,

Neeko Tang

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

[v-tangjie-msft]

Hi @SWilson_GS ,

After two months of inactivity, scheduled refresh on your dataset is paused. A dataset is considered inactive when no user has visited any dashboard or report built on the dataset. At that time, the dataset owner is sent an email indicating the scheduled refresh is paused, and the refresh schedule for the dataset is displayed as disabled. To resume scheduled refresh, simply revisit any dashboard or report built on the dataset.

Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/refresh-scheduled-refresh#schedule-refresh.

Best Regards,

Neeko Tang

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