Hosting Power Bi Dashboard - Directly on Cloud

Prerequisites

These steps apply only if:

1. Your data is entirely cloud-based (e.g., Azure SQL, Google BigQuery, SharePoint Online, etc.) – You do not need to use Power BI Desktop.

2. Your data is local, but you do not require scheduled refresh – Meaning, the dataset does not need to pull updated data periodically.
   

Note: If you have received the link to this document from the DataRoars team, then these instructions likely apply to your use case.

Steps to Upload a Power BI Report to Power BI Service

1. Open Power BI Service

• Go to https://app.powerbi.com in your web browser.

• Log in using your Power BI account credentials.

• Ensure you have the necessary permissions to upload and manage reports in your workspace.

2. Navigate to Workspaces

• In the left-hand panel, go to Workspaces.

• Select the workspace where you want to upload the report.

• If no additional workspaces exist, Power BI defaults to My Workspace as the storage location.

3. Upload the .pbix File

• Click on New > Upload a file.

• Choose Upload a .pbix file.

• Click on From this Computer, browse your local system, and select the .pbix file you want to upload.

• Click Open to start the upload process.

4. File Upload & Semantic Model Generation

• Once the file is successfully uploaded, it will appear in your workspace.

• Along with the report, Power BI automatically generates a Semantic Model (previously called a dataset).

5. Viewing the Report

• Click on the newly uploaded report file to open it in Report View.

• You can interact with the report by:

  • Applying filters

  • Drilling down into specific insights

  • Exploring the visuals dynamically

6. Understanding the Semantic Model

• The Semantic Model is the dataset connected to your report.

• If your data source is entirely cloud-based (like Azure SQL, Google BigQuery, SharePoint Online, etc.), you may still need to authenticate to refresh data.

7. Refreshing the Data (Manual Refresh)

• If you want to update the dataset manually:

  • Go to Workspaces > Your Dataset.

  • Click on the Refresh icon (🔄) next to the Semantic Model.

  • Power BI will fetch the latest data from cloud sources.

8. Scheduling Data Refresh (Only If Needed)

Note: This step is only applicable if your data is already in the cloud and supports direct refresh.

• If you need automatic updates, set up a Scheduled Refresh:

  • Click on Schedule Refresh next to the refresh icon.

  • Power BI will redirect you to a settings page.

  • Under Data Source Credentials, ensure correct authentication details are provided.

  • Choose how often the dataset should refresh (Daily, Weekly, or Monthly).

  • Click Apply to save settings.

  • Your report will now update automatically based on the selected schedule.

Important Notes:

• File Size Limitations:

  • Power BI Pro users: Max upload size 1GB per .pbix file.

  • Power BI Premium users: Max dataset size 10GB.

• For Local Data Sources Requiring Refresh:

  • You must configure a Gateway for Power BI to pull data from local sources.

  • These steps do not cover gateway setup; refer to Power BI Gateway Documentation for more details.

By following these steps, you can successfully upload and manage reports in Power BI Service without needing Power BI Desktop or a local refresh configuration.