Boris Lipschitz on 08 Sep 2015 10:25:40
Currently, when excel file is loaded to Power BI, the absolute filepath is captured in the M query. It would be nice if relative filepath was supported. Thus we could place excel file next to pbix and not worry about the file location (local machine, shared folder on server or onedrive)
- Comments (85)
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
In response to the last suggestion:
1 - create a parameter in PBI containing the 'single place' filepath
2 - save and send PBI file as template (to get prompted for the parameter)
3 - adjust your queries so your recepient can simply copy paste from explorer address bar (meaning "\filename.ext" included in your queries)
4 - recepient will open PBI template + get parameter = filepath prompt. Copy paste from explorer and all sourcefiles will work.
5 - Don't forget to save as for the PBI file (since it was a template which created a no name new file. And it does not even have to be in the same folder as the data.
But totally agree that an automated option is much more prefered.
Something like a "current PBI filepath" variable in powerquery.
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
Whilst we wait for this feature to be implemented, in order to to ease the pain, you can define a variable that contains the folder, so you only have to change a single place: https://stackoverflow.com/a/52895973/211672
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
Pretty standard feature that is required here. It makes it so that I can't send the file and the data source to colleagues and off-load the refreshing responsibility to them. I need to edit the data source every single time I make a change to their project.
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
But do support also .\..\..\dir1\dir2\file.xlsx, please. Would be absolutely neccessary!
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
.\filename.csv
vs
D:\dropbox\excelfiles\working\filename.csv
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
need ittt!!!!!
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
Hi, super important feature. Not only for the flexibility of being able to distribute these models with their source files, but also because if your model is in an older excel version, when updated, the 'existing connections' option is no longer available, so you cannot even edit the path any more.
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
It is ridiculous that this is not yet supported
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
I would expect Microsoft would consider such a useful idea, almost 3 years since the suggestion was made and not available yet. The vitality of a software product is done by the amount of developers and end-users. Most passionate end-users are the ones making these suggestions.
RE: Support relative path to excel/csv sources
I would agree this would be a great feature. Another option that may be easier to implement is to enable PowerBI to identify its own path so we can then use this as a parameter when pointing to datasources stored in the same folder. Excel has a simple formula to identify its own path which is SourceFilename = ThisWorkbook.Path so perhaps PowerBI can replicate this.