Skip to main content

Power BI

Needs Votes

Disable export of underlying data

Vote (304) Share
Dan's profile image

Dan on 11 Nov 2017 05:31:44

We are using SSAS Tabular as our datasource and we have issues when users try to 'Export underlying data' from the Power BI Service. The query generated to SSAS when doing this seems to include every measure from the table which in some cases is 30+ measures and sometimes from multiple tables. The query never completes and consumes nearly all resources on the SSAS server.

We need to disable this option while still allowing export of summarized data.

Comments (38)
Dan's profile image Profile Picture

38d1ea6f 9c0e-4b70-a200-c50486e691ae on 05 Jul 2020 23:10:48

RE: Disable export of underlying data

We need to be able to secure the underlying data. Some reports summarize highly sensitive data and while I need them to be able to export summaries the underlying data should be hidden. This should also be an option that is controlled report by report and group by froup.

Dan's profile image Profile Picture

c0ad0442 8cad-45ea-b3c1-670374bb3f4c on 05 Jul 2020 23:09:26

RE: Disable export of underlying data

I agree with the others on here. We only want the users to see the summarized view and not the other sensitive data that can be seen in the underlying data export. Will there be a solution to this any time soon?

Dan's profile image Profile Picture

ea6d9d88 e148-4a46-8df5-e9c7705c2f49 on 05 Jul 2020 23:08:58

RE: Disable export of underlying data

We really needs the ability to export summarized data but not the underlying data. Would be ideal if the dataset owner, the individual we creates RLS roles in desktop, could control the level of detail (summarized or underlying) a user could export opposed to the system admin.

Currently we have to turn off all export abilities which is extremely limiting - please fix this!!!!

Dan's profile image Profile Picture

ca3ae0e6 28ca-46ac-8772-f228f8564364 on 05 Jul 2020 23:07:25

RE: Disable export of underlying data

Agreed with comments here. I think this helps solve some column-level security challenges because we can write code that if a certain user is in the report that they see a "-" for a certain field like salary. Given that underlying data is an option when there is an aggregate it defeats the person of it.

Dan's profile image Profile Picture

a71d409f 13a2-486a-8798-2d63b99e0430 on 05 Jul 2020 23:07:25

RE: Disable export of underlying data

The MDX this generates is crazy, and as noted it consumes nearly all resources on the SSAS server. I'm working for a large Professional Services organisation, with a large and complex Cube with heaps of Measures, and we can't have our SSAS server getting killed for all the Partners and Directors, just because one of hundreds of users clicked on "export of underlying data", when all they really wanted was covered by "summarized data".

Dan's profile image Profile Picture

850273b5 07ed-4a4b-a5bf-1b268127c9d8 on 05 Jul 2020 23:06:25

RE: Disable export of underlying data

I work in a school district and want to share summarized data for Free/Reduced lunch in many reports, but cannot have users of the visualizations able to download the student level data records with Free/Reduced status attached. At the same time, the ability of school district staff to download the underlying summary data is central to the value Power BI brings to our district. PLEASE create separate export functionality controls for the Summary versus Detail export functions. Thanks!

Dan's profile image Profile Picture

bb83f1e2 e200-4d21-af07-eba07d78b9ba on 05 Jul 2020 23:06:25

RE: Disable export of underlying data

This is huge. If we can please get this as a security addition to the tenant settings, it would me much appreciated.

If I drag/drop certain fields into a table or visual, then that is truly all I want people to see unless I make it known to them.

We really need this as a feature to be turned off. I want more control.

Dan's profile image Profile Picture

a3309361 99be-ea11-a812-000d3a8ddfb2 on 05 Jul 2020 23:06:13

RE: Disable export of underlying data

Agree we use PowerBI dashboards and provide all staff access to summarised data. Would be great if we could enable only the summarised view as underlying provides too much data and further there are limitations in the amount of data a non-pro user can export.