Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst AssociateDeploy and maintain assetsMedium
A user reports that a Power BI report published to a workspace shows outdated data despite the underlying SQL Server database being updated hourly. The data analyst confirms the on-premises gateway is running and online. What is the most likely cause for the outdated data?
- AThe user does not have 'build' permission on the dataset.
- BThe dataset refresh schedule in the Power BI service is not configured or failed.
- CRow-level security (RLS) is incorrectly applied to the dataset.
- DThe report was published to a 'My Workspace' instead of a shared workspace.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. The dataset refresh schedule in the Power BI service is not configured or failed.
Even if the gateway is online and the source data is updated, the Power BI dataset itself needs to be explicitly refreshed to pull the latest data. A missing or failed refresh schedule is the most common reason for outdated data in this scenario.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Build permission affects report creation or connection, not data currency within an already published report.
- C. RLS restricts data visibility, but it does not prevent the dataset from refreshing with the latest data.
- D. The type of workspace (My or shared) does not inherently prevent data refresh, though shared workspaces are best practice.
Power BI Dataset Refresh
Dataset refresh in Power BI is the process of updating the data in a published dataset from its original data sources. It can be scheduled or performed on demand.
- Essential for data currency in reports.
- Requires gateway for on-premises sources.
- Can be scheduled daily, hourly, etc.
Memory trick: Refresh Schedule, Not Permissions, Updates Data.