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Microsoft Idea

Power BI

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Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

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Suman Bhagavathula on 10 Jul 2015 05:12:20

I would like to have the ability to change the data source connection string from the PBI service. Let's say I am playing with a Dashboard and I only want to use my PPE datasource for the connection at this point. Once I am happy with the results and the look and feel, I would need to have the ability to flip the data source to Production before sharing the dashboard with larger audience

Administrator on 07 Dec 2020 21:41:47

There are a couple of ways to achieve this, including Parameters, the REST API and Deployment Pipelines.

Comments (18)
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Alexander Georgescu on 24 Mar 2022 16:28:22

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

Would also really wish for this feature...

Just allows reusage of dashboards.

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Kevin Mowrey on 07 Sep 2021 21:45:58

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

This is still needed to help prevent unwanted ad-hoc connections from sources like Excel. Please fix. 

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Alex B on 09 Mar 2021 12:09:07

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

Parameters are not allowed if connected to a TabularModel in DQ Mode... so this is not a viable solution for this (really common!!) problem.
How would MS have us deploy our pbix to a production environment where developers usually have no permissions? In all other reporting tools (those I know, including SSRS .rdl files) this is a pretty simple task as it should be!

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Power BI User on 06 Jul 2020 00:11:27

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

We can update connection string of OData URLs within datasources that are independent. However REST APIs do not support updating connection string URL for datasources which are part of merged or joined tables
Also REST API do not have support for creating tiles within Dashboard correctly yet.
Hopefully those APIs improve!

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john fuhrman on 05 Jul 2020 23:55:24

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

you can actually do this using the REST API's within Power BI...
you'll need the workspace ID (Group), the Report ID, the Dataset ID, then some connection information. You'll issue a POST http message, see this:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/power-bi/datasets/updatedatasourcesingroup#code-try-0

but if you pass the correct arguments you can change the binding of the datasets/datasources as desired. feel free to contact me for more info on these. they're pretty handy to use.

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Power BI User on 05 Jul 2020 23:39:01

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

I agree with all the comments here. This would be incredibly helpful.

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Juha Helminen on 05 Jul 2020 23:28:59

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

Yes!

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Patrick P on 05 Jul 2020 23:13:54

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

2.5 years and no response from MS? Has this somehow been solved and no one thought to update this Idea or share it in Google-able way??

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sravan on 05 Jul 2020 23:13:17

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

Hi, anyone help on above mentioned query.

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Power BI User on 05 Jul 2020 23:05:57

RE: Ability to change the data source connection string from PBI service

It is essential, we absolutely need to be able to change data connections between environments.