Different types of refresh options in Power BI

Question

What are the various types of refresh options provided in Power BI

Pankaj Namekar · Answer

1. Manual Refresh Users can manually refresh the dataset in Power BI Desktop or Power BI Service by clicking the Refresh button. Useful when working with imported data in Power BI Desktop before publishing. 2. Scheduled Refresh Available for datasets using the Import Mode . You can configure a schedule in Power BI Service to refresh at specific time intervals (e.g., daily, hourly). Requires Power BI Gateway if the data source is on-premises. Limited based on Power BI licensing: Power BI Pro : Up to 8 refreshes per day. Power BI Premium : Up to 48 refreshes per day. 3. On-Demand Refresh Manually triggers a refresh in Power BI Service for a dataset. Useful when you need immediate updates outside the scheduled refresh window. 4. Incremental Refresh Available for Premium and Pro users with large datasets . Only loads new or changed data instead of refreshing the entire dataset. Reduces refresh time and improves performance. Requires date/time column for partitioning data. 5. Direct Query Refresh No need for scheduled refreshes since queries run live against the data source. Always fetches the latest data whenever a user interacts with the report. Works best for real-time or near real-time reporting. Performance depends on the data source’s responsiveness. 6. Live Connection Similar to DirectQuery but used for SSAS (SQL Server Analysis Services) Tabular and Multi-Dimensional models or Power BI datasets . Directly connects to the model, and any changes in the source are immediately reflected. 7. Push Dataset Refresh (Real-Time Data) Used when real-time streaming is required. Data is pushed into Power BI Service using APIs, Azure Stream Analytics, or Power Automate. No need for manual or scheduled refresh; data updates automatically. 8. Hybrid Table Refresh Available in Power BI Premium . Allows a mix of Import Mode and DirectQuery in the same table. Useful for handling historical data in Import Mode and real-time/latest data in DirectQuery.

Tuhin Paul · Answer

4. Cache Refresh Cache refresh updates the cached version of a dataset or report. a. Clear Cache What it does : Clears the cached data and forces a fresh reload. Where to perform : In Power BI Desktop or Service. Use case : Useful when you suspect stale data in the cache. b. Update Cache What it does : Updates the cached data with the latest information from the dataset. Where to perform : Automatically handled during data refresh or manually triggered. Use case : Ensures faster load times for frequently accessed reports. 5. Gateway Refresh If your data source is on-premises, you need a Power BI Gateway to refresh the data. a. On-Demand Gateway Refresh What it does : Triggers a refresh through the gateway when needed. Use case : Useful for ad-hoc updates or troubleshooting. b. Scheduled Gateway Refresh What it does : Automatically refreshes data through the gateway at predefined intervals. Use case : Ensures seamless updates for on-premises data sources.

Tuhin Paul · Answer

2. Visual Refresh Visual refresh updates the visuals on a report page based on the current dataset. a. Auto Refresh What it does : Automatically updates visuals on a dashboard or report at regular intervals. Where to configure : In the Power BI Service under the dataset settings. Use case : Keeps dashboards up-to-date for real-time monitoring. Limitations : Requires a Power BI Pro or Premium Per User (PPU) license. b. Manual Visual Refresh What it does : Manually updates visuals on a report page. Where to perform : Click the "Refresh" button in Power BI Desktop or Service. Use case : Useful when you want to see the latest data without waiting for an auto-refresh. 3. Report/Page Refresh Report/page refresh updates the entire report or specific pages. a. Full Report Refresh What it does : Reloads all visuals and data on the report. Where to perform : Use the "Refresh" button in Power BI Desktop or Service. Use case : Ensures the entire report reflects the latest data. b. Page-Level Refresh What it does : Refreshes only the visuals on the current page of the report. Where to perform : Use the "Refresh" button while viewing a specific page. Use case : Faster than refreshing the entire report if you're working on a single page.

Tuhin Paul · Answer

In Power BI, there are several types of refresh options available to ensure your data is up-to-date and accurate. These options cater to different needs, such as updating data in reports, refreshing visuals, or reloading the entire dataset. 1. Data Refresh Data refresh updates the underlying dataset with the latest data from the source. a. Scheduled Refresh What it does : Automatically refreshes the dataset at predefined intervals (e.g., daily, hourly). Where to configure : In the Power BI Service under the dataset settings. Use case : Ideal for regularly updating datasets without manual intervention. Prerequisites : A Power BI Pro or Premium Per User (PPU) license. Properly configured data gateway if using on-premises data sources. b. Manual Refresh What it does : Allows you to manually trigger a refresh of the dataset. Where to perform : In the Power BI Service or Desktop by clicking the "Refresh" button. Use case : Useful for one-off updates or testing changes to the dataset. c. Incremental Refresh What it does : Refreshes only new or updated data instead of reloading the entire dataset. Where to configure : In Power BI Desktop by setting up incremental refresh policies. Use case : Reduces refresh times and resource usage for large datasets. Prerequisites : Requires Power BI Premium or Premium Per User (PPU) . d. DirectQuery What it does : Queries the data source in real-time instead of storing data in Power BI. Use case : Ensures the most up-to-date data without needing periodic refreshes. Limitations : Performance depends on the speed of the data source.

Emily Foster · Answer

Absolutely! In Power BI, there are several types of refresh options that cater to different data sources and scenarios. Here's an overview of the key refresh options available: 1. Scheduled Refresh : This is the most common refresh type in Power BI, where you can schedule automatic refreshes at specific intervals (daily, weekly, etc.). Scheduled refresh is ideal for keeping your reports and dashboards up to date without manual intervention. 2. On-Demand Refresh : With on-demand refresh, you can manually trigger a refresh whenever needed. This option is handy when you want to see the latest data immediately or check for real-time updates. 3. Gateway Connection Options : Power BI provides different gateway connection modes for refreshing data from on-premises data sources. You can choose between using a personal mode where data is refreshed using your credentials or an on-premises data gateway for scheduled refreshes. 4. DirectQuery : DirectQuery is a refresh option that allows Power BI to query the data source directly in real-time when you interact with visuals. This is useful for large datasets or when you require up-to-the-minute data without importing it into Power BI. 5. Refresh Now : This option lets you manually refresh your dataset on Power BI Service without waiting for the scheduled refresh. It's a quick way to ensure you're viewing the most current data. 6. Incremental Refresh : Incremental refresh enables you to refresh only a portion of your dataset based on predefined criteria (e.g., daily, monthly). This helps in optimizing performance and reducing data processing time for large datasets. Each of these refresh options in Power BI provides flexibility and control over how your data is updated in reports and dashboards. Depending on your data sources, latency requirements, and data volume, you can choose the most suitable refresh option to ensure your insights are always up to date. Let me know if you need more detailed information or examples related to any specific refresh option!