In this section, we will explore how to schedule data refreshes in Power BI Service. Scheduling data refreshes ensures that your reports and dashboards are always up-to-date with the latest data from your data sources. This is crucial for maintaining the accuracy and relevance of your business intelligence insights.

1. Data Refresh Types:

   • Scheduled Refresh: Automatically refreshes data at specified intervals.
   • On-Demand Refresh: Manually triggered refresh.
   • Live/DirectQuery: Real-time data access without the need for scheduled refreshes.

2. Data Sources:

   • Cloud-based: Data sources like Azure SQL Database, SharePoint Online, etc.
   • On-premises: Data sources like SQL Server, Oracle, etc., which require a gateway for refresh.

3. Gateways:

   • On-premises Data Gateway: Required for refreshing data from on-premises data sources.

Before you can schedule a data refresh, you need to publish your Power BI report to the Power BI Service.

1. Open your report in Power BI Desktop.
2. Click on the "Publish" button in the Home tab.
3. Select the workspace where you want to publish the report.

1. Go to the Power BI Service (https://app.powerbi.com).
2. Navigate to the workspace where your report is published.
3. Click on the "Datasets" tab.
4. Find your dataset and click on the ellipsis (...) next to it.
5. Select "Settings".
6. Under "Data source credentials", click on "Edit credentials".
7. Enter the necessary credentials for your data source and click "Sign in".

1. In the dataset settings, scroll down to the "Scheduled refresh" section.
2. Toggle the "Keep your data up to date" switch to "On".
3. Set the frequency of the refresh (Daily, Weekly).
4. Specify the time(s) of day when the refresh should occur.
5. Optionally, configure additional settings such as:
   • Send refresh failure notifications: Receive email notifications if a refresh fails.
   • Time zone: Set the time zone for the refresh schedule.
6. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

Here is an example of how to schedule a daily refresh at 8 AM and 6 PM:

1. Toggle "Keep your data up to date" to "On".
2. Set the frequency to "Daily".
3. Add two refresh times: "8:00 AM" and "6:00 PM".
4. Click "Apply".

1. After scheduling the refresh, you can monitor the refresh status.
2. Go to the "Datasets" tab in your workspace.
3. Click on the ellipsis (...) next to your dataset and select "Refresh history".
4. Here, you can see the status of past refreshes and any errors that occurred.

1. Publish a sample report to the Power BI Service.
2. Configure the data source credentials.
3. Schedule a daily refresh at 9 AM.
4. Verify the refresh status after the scheduled time.

1. Publish the report:

   - Open Power BI Desktop.
   - Click "Publish" and select the desired workspace.
   

2. Configure credentials:

   - Go to Power BI Service.
   - Navigate to the workspace and dataset.
   - Edit credentials under "Data source credentials".
   

3. Schedule refresh:

   - Toggle "Keep your data up to date" to "On".
   - Set frequency to "Daily".
   - Add refresh time "9:00 AM".
   - Click "Apply".
   

4. Verify status:

   - Check "Refresh history" under the dataset settings.
   

• Incorrect Credentials: Ensure that the credentials provided for the data source are correct and have the necessary permissions.
• Gateway Configuration: For on-premises data sources, make sure the on-premises data gateway is installed and configured correctly.
• Refresh Frequency: Be mindful of the refresh frequency to avoid unnecessary load on the data source and Power BI Service.

Scheduling data refreshes in Power BI Service is a critical step in maintaining the accuracy and timeliness of your reports and dashboards. By following the steps outlined in this section, you can ensure that your data is always up-to-date, providing reliable insights for decision-making. In the next module, we will explore Power BI administration and security to further enhance your Power BI skills.