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25. Power BI Service

25.6 Scheduled Refresh in Power BI Service with Example

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Start with a problem

The Monday 9:00 IST meeting needs yesterday's orders. Nobody should press Refresh manually.

Explain simply

Scheduled refresh imports fresh data into the semantic model at set times. Set the time zone to IST.

Show the data

Date (IST) Scheduled Time (IST) Duration (min) Status Reason
2026-05-04 07:00 6 Completed
2026-05-05 07:00 0 Failed Gateway offline (warehouse PC restarted)
2026-05-05 07:40 7 Completed Manual refresh after gateway restart
2026-05-06 07:00 0 Failed Credentials expired for SQL source
2026-05-06 08:15 6 Completed Credentials updated in semantic model settings

About this data: This table uses columns: Date (IST), Scheduled Time (IST), Duration (min), Status, Reason. This table uses columns: Date (IST), Result. This table uses columns: Place, Orders rows, Last refresh. Values shown are the lesson examples already on this page (not a new dataset).

Fictional sample data. Practice file: refresh_history_sample.csv (source: src/practice/).

Demonstrate

  1. Workspace › semantic model › Settings.
  2. Check Data source credentials are valid.
  3. Refresh › Configure a refresh schedule On.
  4. Frequency Daily; Time zone (UTC+05:30); time 07:00 › Apply.
  5. Next morning open Refresh history.

Show the result

Scheduled refresh through a gateway, sample layout with fictional data

Your result should look like this (fictional sample):

Date (IST) Result
04-May 07:00 Completed (6 min)
05-May 07:00 Failed – gateway offline
05-May 07:40 Completed after restart

Explain what happened

The Service connects to the source (through a gateway for on-premises data) and imports new rows.

Explore further

  • Pro allows up to 8 scheduled refreshes per day; capacity allows more (check current limits).

Detailed reference for this lesson:

Scheduled refresh in Power BI Service with example — in 30 seconds

What: Scheduled refresh copies fresh data from the source into the Service at times you choose.

Why: At 9 am the Monday meeting needs yesterday's Blinkit orders. Nobody should press a button.

Tiny example: Before refresh the report shows 1,240 orders. After the 7:00 IST refresh it shows 1,315.

First look at the data (before → after):

Scheduled refresh in Power BI Service with example: before and after tables, fictional Blinkit Maharashtra data

Same before / after tables as text

Before — Before 7:00 IST refresh

Place Orders rows Last refresh
Source (SharePoint file) 1,315 —
Report in Service 1,240 Sun 07:00

Formula / click path

Semantic model › Settings › Refresh
Configure a refresh schedule: On · Daily · 07:00
Time zone: (UTC+05:30) Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi

After — After the scheduled refresh

Place Orders rows Last refresh
Source (SharePoint file) 1,315 —
Report in Service 1,315 Mon 07:00

Do it step by step:

  1. Open the workspace. Hover the semantic model. Click … › Settings.
  2. Open Data source credentials. Sign in to each source.
  3. If the data is on a company PC or server, connect a gateway first (25.7).
  4. Open Refresh. Turn Configure a refresh schedule on.
  5. Choose Daily, time zone UTC+05:30, time 7:00 AM.
  6. Tick Send refresh failure notifications. Click Apply.
  7. Next morning, check Refresh history.

What appears on screen after these steps — sample layout, fictional data

What you should see on screen after the steps (sample layout — fictional data, not a Microsoft screenshot).

For Import-mode models, data in the Service is a copy and must be refreshed.

  • Refresh now – manual refresh from the semantic model's menu.
  • Scheduled refresh – semantic model › Settings › Refresh: turn on, choose frequency (daily/weekly), time zone and time slots. Shared capacity (Pro) supports up to 8 scheduled refreshes per day; Premium Per User and capacity workspaces allow up to 48 per day.
  • Data source credentials must be entered in the semantic model settings for each source.
  • Failure notifications – e-mails to the owner (and optional contacts) if refresh fails. After several consecutive failures, the schedule can be disabled automatically.
  • Incremental refresh – refresh only the recent partition (e.g. last 10 days) instead of the full history; configured in Desktop using RangeStart/RangeEnd parameters (Module 10.8).

DirectQuery (the data stays in the source, and every click sends a live query) and Live connection models do not need scheduled data refresh (they query the source live), though visuals/caches can be refreshed.

Do not set up refresh and forget it. Check the history for the first few days.

Ravindra Bagale's Tip

Friends, many students set up scheduled refresh and never check it again. Turn on refresh failure notifications, check the refresh history after the first few runs, and choose refresh times after the source data is updated (for example after the nightly load). Don't worry – after doing it two or three times, it becomes a habit.

Fix common mistakes

Wrong result Reason Correction
Refresh at 12:30 IST instead of 07:00 Time zone left at UTC Choose UTC+05:30
Schedule option greyed Credentials missing Enter credentials
Refresh succeeds but data old Source file not updated Check the source

Practise independently

Practice task

How many failed refreshes in the sample history?

Hints
  • Status column.
Solution

Two (05-May gateway, 06-May credentials).

Think like a professional

Schedule refresh before the users' working day, with time for one retry.

Deepen this topic (Why / What / How)

Fictional Maharashtra example. Numbers and workspace names below are practice data only.

Why: Pretty reports with stale data lose trust by Tuesday standup.

What: Scheduled refresh loads Import models on a clock; incremental refresh reduces load for large facts.

How — schedule 07:00 IST safely:

Vertical steps (one under another)

  1. Open semantic model → Scheduled refresh.
  2. Set time zone and 07:00 IST (or your standup minus buffer).
  3. Configure credentials; use gateway if on-prem.
  4. Run history once; fix red failures before you announce the report.
  5. Learn incremental + gateway detail in Ch 39.

Tiny example: Fictional: Orders model refresh 06:45 IST so 07:00 standup is green.

Ravindra Bagale's Tip

Friends, refresh history is your black box — open it when cards look wrong.

Sample refresh and gateway flow
Sample layout — fictional data

Go deeper next

This Chapter 25 page is the overview. For the full Service deep lesson, open Ch 39 · Scheduled Refresh, Incremental and Gateways. Chapters 37–44 are the deep Service series; Chapter 44 is the publish–secure–refresh–share capstone.

Quiz (5 questions)

1. Scheduled refresh applies mainly to:

2. Standup at 07:00 IST — schedule refresh:

3. On-prem SQL usually needs:

4. Incremental refresh helps:

5. Deep refresh chapter:

Practice tasks (12) — hints only, no full answers

  1. Task. Write the business question this 25 6 refreshing data page answers in one sentence.
    Hint: Name the user and the decision.
  2. Task. List three mistakes learners make with 25 6 refreshing data.
    Hint: Use Fix common mistakes as a seed.
  3. Task. Draw a 5-box flow on paper for 25 6 refreshing data (fictional MH Ops).
    Hint: Photo counts as artefact.
  4. Task. Explain 25 6 refreshing data to a friend in 60 seconds using Why/What/How.
    Hint: Record voice memo if you can.
  5. Task. Open the linked deep chapter and write three new facts not on this overview page.
    Hint: Cite section titles only.
  6. Task. Create a checklist of 7 ticks before you call 25 6 refreshing data “done”.
    Hint: Include a verify step.
  7. Task. Invent fictional refresh/share/role data that fits 25 6 refreshing data.
    Hint: Keep IST times.
  8. Task. Map who is Admin / Member / Contributor / Viewer for a fictional workspace using 25 6 refreshing data.
    Hint: Least privilege.
  9. Task. Write an interview STAR story that uses 25 6 refreshing data.
    Hint: 45–60 seconds.
  10. Task. Find one unused habit you will stop (e.g. My workspace for team content) related to 25 6 refreshing data.
    Hint: Be specific.
  11. Task. Link 25 6 refreshing data forward to the correct Ch 37–44 lesson and say why.
    Hint: One sentence why.
  12. Task. Teach 25 6 refreshing data back using Marathi or Hindi tip language once.
    Hint: Keep English terms for product UI.

Ravi Sir's Cards for this lesson

Refreshing data. Imported data is a copy; it gets old unless refreshed.Revision card

मराठी cards