Step-by-Step Guide to Refreshing Power BI Reports with SharePoint Integration

You can refresh your Power BI Reports automatically when you use SharePoint Online as your data source. This setup means you don't have to upload files by hand or mess with a gateway. Your reports stay up to date with the latest changes on SharePoint. If you want your data to update itself, this guide will show you how to connect everything and keep your Power BI Reports current.

Key Takeaways

• Connect Power BI to SharePoint using the SharePoint Folder connector with the root site URL to enable automatic data refresh without manual uploads or gateways.

• Filter and combine files in Power Query by folder path and file type to keep your data clean, consistent, and easy to update.

• Publish your report to Power BI Service and set up scheduled refresh with OAuth2 authentication to keep your reports up to date automatically.

• Test your refresh by adding new files and checking updates to ensure your data stays accurate and your setup works smoothly.

• Follow best practices like keeping file formats consistent, organizing folders, monitoring refresh status, and securing credentials to avoid common refresh issues.

Automatic Refresh for Power BI Reports

SharePoint Folder Connector

You want your Power BI Reports to update themselves, right? The SharePoint Folder connector makes this possible. It connects Power BI directly to your SharePoint Online folders. You do not have to move files around or upload them again and again. Here’s how you can set it up:

1. Open Power BI and go to the Home tab. Select "Get Data" and then "More."

2. Search for "SharePoint Folder" and pick that connector.

3. Enter the root URL of your SharePoint site. Don’t use the full file path—just the main site address.

4. Choose your authentication method. Most people use their Microsoft 365 account.

5. Preview all the files in your SharePoint folder. You can filter for just the files you need, like Excel files.

6. Use Power Query to combine and transform your data. This step lets you clean up your data before you use it in your reports.

💡 Tip: Make sure all your files have the same structure. This helps Power BI combine them smoothly and keeps your reports accurate.

Once you finish these steps, you can save your dataflow and set up a refresh schedule. Power BI will check your SharePoint folder for new or updated files and update your reports automatically.

No Gateway Needed

One of the best things about using SharePoint Online as your data source is that you do not need a data gateway. Since SharePoint Online is a cloud service, Power BI connects to it directly. This means you skip the hassle of installing and maintaining a gateway on your computer or server.

You just set up your refresh schedule in the Power BI Service. Power BI will handle the rest. Your reports will always show the latest data from SharePoint, and you will not have to do anything extra.

🚀 Note: If you want your Power BI Reports to update even faster, you can use Power Automate to trigger a refresh right after new data appears in SharePoint.

With this setup, you save time and avoid manual work. Your Power BI Reports stay up to date, and you can focus on analyzing your data instead of managing files.

Connect Power BI to SharePoint

Get the Correct SharePoint URL

Getting the right SharePoint URL is the first step. You want to use only the root site URL, not the full path to a file or folder. This helps Power BI find your SharePoint site and all the files inside it.

Here’s how you can grab the correct URL:

1. Go to your SharePoint Online site in your web browser.

2. Copy the URL from the address bar. Make sure it ends after the site name, like this:
   https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/SalesTeam/

3. Don’t include any folders or file names in the URL. If you see extra paths or file names, remove them.

📝 Tip: If you use the wrong URL (like one with a file or subfolder), Power BI might show an error or not find your files.

Authenticate and Access Data

Once you have the right URL, you’re ready to connect Power BI to SharePoint. Power BI will ask you to sign in. Use your Microsoft 365 organizational account. This keeps your data secure and makes sure you have permission to access the files.

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide:

1. Open Power BI Desktop.

2. Select Get Data > More.

3. Search for SharePoint Folder and select it.

4. Paste your root SharePoint URL.

5. When prompted, sign in with your Microsoft 365 credentials.

6. After connecting, you’ll see a list of all files on your SharePoint site.

Now, you probably don’t want every file. In Power Query, filter for the files you need. For example, you can filter by file type (like Excel) or by folder path. Filtering early helps Power BI load your data faster and keeps your workspace tidy.

💡 Note: Filtering for only the files you need makes your Power BI Reports run smoother and update faster.

Combine and Transform Data

Filter by Folder Path

When you connect Power BI to your SharePoint site, you might see a long list of files from all over the site. You probably only want to work with files in a specific folder. Filtering by folder path helps you focus on just the files you need.

Here’s a simple way to filter by folder path in Power Query:

1. In SharePoint, find the file you want to use. Click the three dots next to it and select "Details."

2. In the details panel, scroll down and copy the folder path.

3. In Power Query, use the SharePoint.Contents function with your site URL. This lets you browse through your SharePoint folders.

4. Navigate through the folder structure until you find the folder you want.

5. Filter the list by the folder path you copied. Now you see only the files from that folder.

💡 Tip: Filtering by folder path keeps your data clean and makes it easier to manage updates later.

Combine Files in Power Query

Once you have filtered your files, you can combine them into a single table. This works best when all your files have the same columns and data types. Power Query treats each file as a row of Binary data. You select the files you want, then use the Combine Files command.

Here’s how you do it:

1. After filtering, select the Content column in Power Query.

2. Click the Combine Files button. Power Query uses the first file as a sample to figure out the structure.

3. If you want, you can pick a different file as the sample.

4. Power Query creates helper queries and combines all the data into one table.

5. You can clean up your data, remove extra columns, and set data types as needed.

The best part? When you add new files to your SharePoint folder, Power Query automatically includes them the next time you refresh your data. You don’t need to change anything in your query. Power BI checks the folder every time it refreshes, so your combined table always stays up to date.

🚀 Note: Make sure all your files have the same format. If the columns or data types are different, combining won’t work as smoothly.

Publish & Refresh Power BI Reports

Publish to Power BI Service

You have built your report in Power BI Desktop and connected it to your SharePoint data. Now, you want to share it with your team and keep it updated. Publishing your report to the Power BI Service is the next step. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open your finished report in Power BI Desktop.

2. Sign in with your Power BI account.

3. Click the Publish button on the Home tab.

4. Choose the workspace where you want your report to live, like "My workspace" or a shared workspace.

5. Wait for the upload to finish. You’ll see a confirmation when it’s done.

6. Go to the Power BI Service in your browser. You’ll find your report under the workspace you picked.

7. If you want to show your report on a SharePoint page, use the "Embed in SharePoint Online" option. Copy the link and add it to a Power BI web part on your SharePoint site.

8. Publish the SharePoint page so everyone can see the latest insights.

💡 Tip: You can also embed your report in classic SharePoint pages using the "Publish to web" option and a content editor web part.

Set Up Scheduled Refresh

You want your report to always show the latest data from SharePoint. Setting up a scheduled refresh in the Power BI Service makes this happen automatically. Here’s what you need to do:

1. In Power BI Service, go to your workspace and find your dataset.

2. Open the dataset settings.

3. Under Data source credentials, make sure you’re using OAuth2 authentication. This is the best way to connect to SharePoint Online.

4. Confirm that your account has permission to read the SharePoint files.

5. Scroll to Scheduled refresh and turn on "Keep data up to date."

6. Choose how often you want Power BI to refresh your data. You can pick daily or weekly, and set the exact times.

⏰ Note:
Power BI Pro lets you schedule up to 8 refreshes per day for each dataset. If you use Power BI Premium, you can refresh up to 48 times a day—about every 30 minutes.

If you ever run into refresh issues, check your credentials and privacy settings. Make sure all your data sources use the same privacy level, like "Organizational." This helps avoid errors during refresh.

You can also use Power Automate to trigger a refresh when something changes in SharePoint. This gives you even more control over when your data updates.

🚦 Tip: If you use OneDrive for Business, Power BI tries to sync changes about every hour. In practice, scheduled refresh is more reliable for always up-to-date reports.

Test Data Updates

You want to make sure your refresh works before you rely on it. Testing is simple and gives you peace of mind.

1. Add a new file to your SharePoint folder. Make sure it matches the structure of your other files.

2. Go to Power BI Service and hit the Refresh now button on your dataset.

3. Wait for the refresh to finish. Check your report to see if the new data appears.

4. If you see your changes, your refresh is working! If not, double-check your filters and data types in Power Query.

🧪 Pro Tip: Try changing a value in one of your files, then refresh again. This helps you spot any issues with data updates right away.

You can repeat this test whenever you change your folder structure or add new types of data. Regular testing keeps your Power BI Reports running smoothly and ensures your team always sees the latest numbers.

Troubleshooting & Best Practices

Common Refresh Issues

You might run into a few bumps when setting up automatic refresh for your Power BI Reports with SharePoint. Here are some of the most common issues and how you can fix them:

1. Credential Problems: If your sign-in credentials expire or change, refreshes can fail. Always update your credentials in Power BI Service if you see errors.

2. Privacy Level Mismatches: Power BI blocks data flow between sources if privacy levels do not match. Make sure all your sources use the "Organizational" privacy level.

3. OAuth Token Expiry: Microsoft Entra ID tokens expire about every hour. If your data load takes too long, you might see credential errors.

4. File Structure Changes: If you change the columns or format in your files, Power BI might skip new files or show errors. Keep your file structure consistent.

5. Folder Structure Changes: Moving or renaming folders can cause Power BI to miss new files. Stick to a stable folder setup.

🛠️ Tip: Check your refresh history in Power BI Service. Even if a refresh looks successful, you might find warnings that help you spot problems early.

Permissions and Credentials

You need the right permissions for Power BI to access and refresh your SharePoint data. Only the person who published the report (the owner) can set up or trigger refreshes. If you share your report, others can view it but cannot refresh the data.

• Make sure your Power BI account has access to the SharePoint site and folder.

• Use OAuth2 for authentication. This keeps your connection secure and reliable.

• Always use the same account for both Power BI and SharePoint sign-in.

• If you change your password or lose access, update your credentials in Power BI Service right away.

🔒 Note: Scheduled refreshes run under the owner's credentials. If you lose access to SharePoint, your refreshes will stop working.

Tips for Reliable Updates

Want your Power BI Reports to update smoothly every time? Try these best practices:

• Organize Your Folders: Keep your SharePoint folders tidy. Use clear names and avoid moving files around.

• Keep File Formats Consistent: All files in your folder should have the same columns and data types. This helps Power BI combine them without errors.

• Monitor Refresh Status: Use the Power BI Service to check refresh history. You can also use Power Automate or the Power BI REST API to get alerts or track refreshes in a dashboard.

• Secure Your Credentials: Store your credentials safely. Use single sign-on and secure protocols like HTTPS to protect your data.

• Test After Changes: If you add new files or change folder structure, run a manual refresh to make sure everything works as expected.

📈 Keeping things organized and secure means your Power BI Reports will always show the latest data with less hassle.

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You’ve learned how to connect SharePoint with Power BI Reports and set up automatic refresh. Here’s a quick recap:

1. Embed your report in SharePoint using the Power BI web part.

2. Set up scheduled or automated refresh for real-time updates.

3. Grant the right permissions so everyone can view the report.

With this setup, you get secure, automated, and always up-to-date insights—no gateway needed!

Keep your folders organized, monitor refreshes, and train your team. For more tips, check out Microsoft’s best practices and explore user training resources.

FAQ

How often can I refresh my Power BI report connected to SharePoint?

You can refresh your report up to 8 times a day with Power BI Pro. If you use Power BI Premium, you get up to 48 refreshes daily. Just set your schedule in the Power BI Service.

Do I need a data gateway for SharePoint Online sources?

No, you don’t need a gateway for SharePoint Online. Power BI connects directly to your SharePoint data in the cloud. This makes setup much easier and keeps your reports up to date automatically.

What happens if I add a new file to my SharePoint folder?

Power BI will pick up any new files in your folder during the next refresh. Just make sure your new file matches the structure of your other files. If it does, your report will update with the new data.

Can I share my refreshed report with others?

Yes! You can share your report in Power BI Service or embed it in a SharePoint page. Others can view the latest data, but only you (the owner) can set up or manage the refresh schedule.

Why did my scheduled refresh fail?

Tip:
Check your credentials first. If your password changed or your access expired, refresh will fail. Also, make sure your file and folder structure hasn’t changed. Review your refresh history for error details.