Giles Davey on 16 Sep 2016 21:15:36
It would be handy to have the ability to work on PBIX files with very large datasets locally and then upload them elsewhere without including all the data - just the definitions.
Once uploaded you would obviously need to refresh the data but this would be much more efficient - particularly when using asymmetric network connections with slow up speeds.
- Comments (11)
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
Agreed, the storage implications around storing a several hundred megabyte pbix in source control are not realistic.
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
As said below, it possible to first create a template file, then load the template file and interupt the data update. Then save the file as a PBIX file and then upload this empty file to the Power BI Service. Also as said below, the reports in the Power BI Service will then be without data until the report/dataset has refreshed.
I would suggest that it shall be possible to upload template files to the service and if a template file is uploaded, it shall adopt all the settings of the original uploaded PBIX file and first do a refresh before the dataset it putted into production
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
Has there been any movement or is there a know work around. I tried the template idea noted below but that removed all pages and just had the data structure.
It would be a really useful feature and save hours and hours of time waiting for uploads to complete.
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
'In options there is a facility to clear the cache. Microsoft could add an option to clear the data here too. Better still put these on the tool bar.
+1 this idea
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
'@martijn Vermunt, the .pbit suggestion worked great, thanks :-)
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
If you export your .pbix as template (.pbit), the data is removed from the file resulting in a small file to save or share. When opening, the report appears without data first and you can click Refresh to fill it and have your original report back.
File > Export > Power BI Template = Significantly reduced file size
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
This would be GREAT! I version control PBIX files, and it's nearly impossible to use Git, since the files get so large so quickly.
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
This would also simplify source control as you don't want to have to check in hundreds of MB of data just to save a small number of changes to the .pbix model.
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
This would be very useful. Why upload the data when you're just going to refresh it anyway?
And combining this with a larger dataset size would be very helpful.
RE: Save a PBIX file without data
It is really cumbersome to deliver a simple report to Operations team (so they can install it in a production environment) because its size is 400MB ... No sense to work with such a large filesize, when the data is going to be refreshed from PROD data the second after it gets installed.