Error when exporting to Power BI: Dataset is not a push dataset

Support
1

Exporting to Power BI may fail with the following error (see below):

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This happens because the dataset specified in the “Export to Power BI” action is not a push-dataset. In Power BI, datasets can be of 3 types (actually 5, see here), depending on how they were created:

  • Regular datasets - created by using a connection to external data, uploading a Power BI Desktop mode, or an Excel spreadsheet
  • Push-datasets - created via the Power BI API (or the Power BI service). They can be updated via the API as well.
  • Streaming datasets

When exporting to Power BI, EasyMorph uses the Power BI REST API, and therefore it creates push-datasets.

All dataset types can be used in Power BI reports and dashboards.

Adding new data to different dataset types is done differently in EasyMorph:

Regular datasets

Regular datasets can only be refreshed via the API (and EasyMorph). Refreshing a regular dataset makes it re-import data from its data source specified by the dataset’s connector. Therefore if new data appeared in the data source (e.g. database table) it will be added to the dataset. To refresh a regular dataset from EasyMorph, use the “Power BI Command” action, command “Refresh dataset”.

The current implementation of the Power BI API doesn’t allow adding new data to regular datasets via the API.

Push datasets

Adding data to a push-dataset is done by using the “Export to Power BI” action in EasyMorph. It appends data from EasyMorph to a push-dataset in Power BI. It can also automatically create a new push-dataset if it didn’t exist.

Refreshing a push-dataset is technically possible (no error will be shown), but has no practical purpose because a refreshed push-dataset simply remains unchanged.

Why the error?

The error shown in the beginning of this post indicates that you’re trying to export data from EasyMorph to a dataset which was not created via the API (e.g. using EasyMorph) or the Power BI service, and therefore is not a push-dataset. Adding data from EasyMorph is only possible for push-datasets.

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2

Is there a way to publish data as push dataset to Power BI. Any sample project?

3

When you export data using the “Export to Power BI” action, it exports it as a push dataset. Not sure if an example would help more. The example would only have the “Export to Power BI” action.

4

My question is more towards how to use it in Power BI as it expects the format to be as a regular dataset and the export is a push dataset. Any experience/guidance with the conversion is appreciated.

5

To my knowledge, for Power BI there is no much difference whether it’s a regular dataset or push-dataset. Both dataset types can be used for building dashboards.

If you experience a particular problem (e.g. published dataset doesn’t appear in Power BI Service), please provide more details.

6

I just checked it again, everything works as expected. Here is a step-by-step description.

Step 1: Export from EasyMorph to Power BI

Use the “Export to Power BI” action.

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Step 2: Locate the dataset in Power BI Service

Depending on where you published the dataset it may appear either in My Datasets or in a shared workgroup.

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Step 3: Create a report

Click the dataset in the list. In the dataset page, click “Create from scratch”.

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Now you can design a report.

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7

Thanks for the details. Appreciate it

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Hi,
thanks for this helpful example.
With this option (Export to Power BI) can I only create new reports? What if I have a report designed in Power BI Desktop now published in Power BI? Can I link it directly to Easymorph using the option “Export to Power BI”?

9

Hi Valentina,

I’m not aware if it’s possible to switch an existing Power BI report to a new data source such as a push-dataset. I would suggest asking the Power BI community about this.

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