How the latest Power BI updates impact your workflow

Overwhelmed by constant Power BI updates?

Keeping up with the constant stream of new features, performance enhancements, and changes can be challenging for any Power BI developer. But ignoring these updates could put you at a competitive disadvantage.

Let's discover and learn about the latest features to streamline your workflow and stay ahead of the competition.

Adapting to changes in Excel workbook support

Starting September 29, 2023, Power BI will no longer allow the upload of local Excel workbooks to Power BI workspaces. Additionally, configuring scheduling of refresh and refresh now for Excel files will be restricted. By October 31, 2023, even existing Excel files with scheduled refresh will lose this functionality.

Key points:

• Deprecation dates: September 29, 2023, for new uploads and October 31, 2023, for existing scheduled refreshes.

• Recommended actions: republish local workbooks using SharePoint or OneDrive for Business or publish the Excel data model as a Power BI dataset.

• Ongoing support: you can still upload Excel workbooks from OneDrive or SharePoint and continue to publish Excel models as Power BI datasets.

Learn more about Excel workbook changes

Enhanced Excel integration?

Power BI is rolling out new capabilities that make it easier to add Power BI data to Excel workbooks. A new "Insert Table'' option is being introduced in the Power BI Datasets pane within Excel. This allows users to create a connected table directly in Excel, streamlining the workflow for adding data.

To use this feature, navigate to the Data Ribbon in Excel and select "From Power Platform '' followed by "From Power BI (Microsoft)" to launch the Power BI Datasets side pane. From there, you can select the fields you want to add to your Excel workbook, reorder them, remove fields, and even change the aggregation for fields. Basic filtering for rows in your table is also available. Pressing "Insert Table'' will add a connected table to your Excel sheet.

Key points:

• Insert Table option: available initially for Excel Desktop users, streamlining the process of adding Power BI data to Excel.

• Data security: row level security, permissions, and sensitivity labels are enforced.

• Limitations: the feature is rolling out incrementally and won't be immediately available for Excel on the web.

Learn more about creating connected tables

Automatic scaling for dataset scale-out

Power BI has reached the final milestone in its dataset scale-out public preview journey. The feature enables the creation of read-only replicas of your datasets to automatically distribute query loads. Initially, the preview started with a single read-only replica per dataset, but now Power BI can create as many read-only replicas as your capacity supports. These replicas can serve queries but are not updated by refresh operations. This is particularly useful for scenarios with high numbers of concurrent users or complex queries that are resource-intensive.

Key points:

• Read-only replicas: these are dataset copies that can serve queries but are not updated by refresh operations.

• Capacity requirements: to use dataset scale-out, you need to have a Fabric, Power BI Premium, or Power BI Embedded capacity that supports this feature.

• Max ReadOnlyReplicas parameter: to enable scale-out for an individual dataset, set the ‘maxReadOnlyReplicas’ parameter in the ‘queryScaleOutSettings’ to a non-zero value. It's recommended to set it to ‘-1’ for automatic management by Power BI.

Learn more about automatic scaling for dataset scale-out

Power BI latest updates

The latest update of Power BI is packed with features that can significantly enhance your data analytics and visualization capabilities. From layout switchers to new data connectivity options, this update is not one to overlook.

Key points:

• Layout switcher: this new feature allows you to easily toggle between different report layouts, providing a more dynamic user experience.

• ORDERBY function updates: enhancements to the ORDERBY function offer more flexibility in sorting data, including multi-level sorting capabilities.

• Modern data connectivity in dataflows: this update introduces new connectors and improved data source management, making it easier to integrate various data sources.

• XMLA write support for Direct Lake datasets: you can now write back to Direct Lake datasets using XMLA endpoints, opening up new possibilities for data manipulation and analysis.

Explore the full feature list of Power BI August 2023 update

Boosting XMLA based tools

One of the most exciting updates is the significant performance improvement in XMLA-endpoint communication. Power BI has switched from plain text XML to binary XML and enabled compression for the .NET client libraries. This change accelerates data transfer between XMLA-based clients and the Power BI Service.

Key points:

• Binary XML: the switch from plain text to binary XML accelerates data transfer, making operations faster.

• Compression: enabling compression for .NET client libraries reduces data volume, further speeding up data transfer.

• Client library update: make sure to upgrade to version 19.65.12.0 or later to benefit from these improvements.

• Tool compatibility: tools like Tabular Editor and DAX Studio will see immediate benefits in terms of speed and efficiency.

Learn more about XMLA performance improvements

What does this mean for Power BI developers?

The recent updates in Power BI bring a mix of challenges and opportunities for developers. Understanding these changes is crucial for optimizing your workflow and delivering efficient solutions. Here's a breakdown of what these updates mean for you:

Key takeaways:

• Excel workbook transition: the changes in Excel workbook support necessitate a shift to SharePoint or OneDrive. This is not just a change in storage but also impacts how you'll manage data refresh configurations.

• High performance querying: the automatic scaling for dataset scale-out is a boon for those dealing with high query loads. It offers a way to balance query distribution, thereby enhancing report performance.

• Feature rich environment: the August 2023 update brings a slew of features that can elevate your report design, data connectivity, and overall user experience. Make sure to explore these to stay ahead of the curve.

• XMLA based tool optimization: the performance improvements in XMLA communication mean faster and more efficient data operations. If you're using tools like Tabular Editor or DAX Studio, these updates will be immediately beneficial.

What are your thoughts on these updates? Share your experiences in the comments below.

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