As a data analyst, access to datasets is incredibly important. In this post, we’ll learn about providing access to datasets on the Microsoft Power BI platform, an essential component of the exam PL-300, a certification for Microsoft Power BI Data Analysts.
Importance of Providing Access to Datasets
In a world growing with data, accessing datasets is a critical task for professionals working with Microsoft Power BI. Managing data access contributes to efficient business intelligence, data security, and the power to make informed decisions. For instance, a user with proper permissions can publish reports, create or edit content in dashboards, and share dashboards with other users.
Providing Access to Datasets
In Power BI, you can use the ‘Manage Permissions’ option to grant or modify access rights to other users. You can share a dataset from the datasets page, from within an app, or directly from a report. To do this, navigate to the specific dataset, select ‘More options (…)’, and then ‘Manage permissions.’
Next to ‘Dataset Permissions,’ select ‘Add user.’ You will see two options: ‘Add email address’ or ‘Select from a list’. Select your preferred method, specify the users or groups you want to add, and state the type of access you want to grant them. These accesses range from “view content” to “reschedule refresh”. Select ‘Add’ to finalize the changes.
This is an example of managing access to datasets:
Navigate to Datasets > Specific Dataset > More options (…) > Manage permissions > Add user > Specify access > Add
Types of Dataset Access
In Power BI, there are four access levels to datasets:
- No access: The user cannot access the dataset.
- Read: The user can view the dataset but cannot modify it.
- Contribute: The user has Read access and can update the dataset’s data but cannot alter its structure or settings.
- Admin: The user has full access to the dataset, including its data, structure, settings, and can manage permissions.
| Access Level | Permissions |
|---|---|
| No Access | User cannot access the dataset. |
| Read | User can view the dataset but cannot modify it. |
| Contribute | User has Read access and can update the dataset’s data but cannot alter its structure and settings. |
| Admin | User has full access to the dataset, including its data, structure, settings, and can manage permissions. |
Also, keep in mind that granting access to datasets in Power BI is subject to restrictions, such as licensing prerequisites, and the level of access that the granting user has.
Understanding how to provide access to datasets is a part of becoming a competent Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst. With careful management, you can help refine your business’s data handling and maximize efficacy in the decision-making process. More details can be found in the Power BI service documentation published by the Microsoft team.
Practice Test
True or False: In Microsoft Power BI, you can restrict data access at the row level by implementing row-level security.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Row-level security (RLS) allows you to use group security on data rows in a table based on user roles.
In Power BI, what can you use to add additional information to your datasets?
- A. Dataflows
- B. Datalakes
- C. Datasources
- D. Datarivers
Answer: A. Dataflows
Explanation: Dataflows are a self-service data preparation tool in Power BI that allows you to cleanse, transform, and load data.
Which of the following capabilities does Power BI include to help provide access to datasets?
- A. Dataset catalogs
- B. AI insights in Power Query
- C. Q&A visual
- D. A and B only
- E. All the above
Answer: E. All the above
Explanation: Power BI provides dataset catalogs for easy browsing, AI insights in Power Query to understand and clean data, and Q&A visual for easy exploration by users.
True or False: Power BI can gate access to data on a server until specific conditions are met.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Power BI supports conditional access policies, which can restrict access to data until specific conditions are met.
Who can access a new dataset in Power BI without any assigned security roles?
- A. Only users with admin rights
- B. All users in the Power BI service
- C. Only report authors
- D. No one
Answer: B. All users in the Power BI service
Explanation: When no security roles are assigned to a new dataset, all users in the Power BI service can access the dataset.
Can Power BI service datasets be easily shared with external users?
- A. Yes
- B. No
Answer: A. Yes
Explanation: In Power BI, you can share datasets with external users by granting them access rights, using Power BI Apps, or sharing the content with them.
Which one of the following statements is true?
- A. Datasets in Power BI can be accessed only offline.
- B. Datasets can be shared with anyone without any restrictions in Power BI.
- C. Power BI allows you to export data to several formats.
- D. Only one person at a time can access a dataset in Power BI.
Answer: C. Power BI allows you to export data to several formats.
Explanation: Power BI allows data to be exported to different formats like Excel, CSV, PDF, PowerPoint.
True or False: With Power BI, it is not possible to provide access to multiple datasets at once.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Power BI enables dataset and workspace permissions, allowing multiple datasets to be accessed at once.
What is DirectQuery Mode in Power BI?
- A. A method to link directly to data for real-time updates.
- B. A method to transfer data from Excel to Power BI.
- C. A method to collaborate with multiple teams on a dataset.
- D. A method for ensuring data privacy.
Answer: A. A method to link directly to data for real-time updates.
Explanation: DirectQuery is a connectivity mode in Power BI that allows users to create data models that directly connect to the underlying database for real-time data updates.
True or False: Only the dataset owner can refresh the dataset in Power BI.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Only the dataset owner has the right to refresh the dataset in Power BI, ensuring data integrity and access control.
Interview Questions
How do you provide access to datasets in Power BI?
You can provide access to datasets in Power BI by publishing them to the Power BI service from Power BI Desktop. Once published, you can share the datasets with others by granting them permission through the “Manage permissions” option.
What is the role of the Power BI service when sharing datasets?
The Power BI service hosts the datasets and reports. It allows users to access and interact with shared datasets and reports from anywhere, via the cloud.
Can you share a dataset with external users in Power BI?
Yes, Power BI allows you to share datasets with external users using Azure Active Directory B2B.
How can you ensure secure access to datasets in Power BI?
You can ensure secure access by implementing row-level security (RLS) that filters data based on user roles and responsibilities.
Can Power BI datasets be accessed and used by other Microsoft services?
Yes, services like Excel and Analysis Services can use datasets once they are published in the Power BI service.
Can you control who edits the datasets in Power BI?
Yes, you can control who edits the datasets by assigning dataset roles. For instance, owners and members can edit datasets while viewers can only view the data.
What happens if a shared dataset is deleted in Power BI?
If a shared dataset is deleted, it won’t be available for use in reports and dashboards. Any reports that were using the deleted dataset will also be deleted.
How do you prevent users from downloading datasets in Power BI?
You can prevent the downloading of datasets by disabling the “Export Data” option in the dataset settings.
How can a user get access to a dataset shared with them in Power BI?
A user needs to access the shared dataset via a content pack, or they should be given access to the workspace where the dataset resides.
What types of permissions can be granted for a dataset in Power BI?
There are three types of permissions you can grant – read, re-share, and build. Read allows users to view the data; re-share permits them to share the data with others; build lets users create reports using the dataset.
Can you schedule an automatic refresh for datasets in Power BI?
Yes, you can schedule automatic data refresh, allowing your reports and dashboards to stay up-to-date.
Is there a limit to the number of datasets you can share in Power BI?
No, there is no explicit limit to the number of datasets you can share in Power BI. However, you are limited by the available storage capacity in your Power BI account.
Can datasets be accessed by anonymous users in Power BI?
No, anonymous access to datasets is not supported in Power BI. Every user needs a Power BI account and appropriate permissions to access shared datasets.
How can you restrict access to sensitive data within a dataset in Power BI?
You can implement row-level security (RLS). RLS restricts data access at the row-level based on user roles and responsibilities.
How can you manage and monitor data refresh on shared datasets in Power BI?
You can use the Power BI’s Data refresh feature, it gives insights into the last refresh date, the next scheduled refresh, refresh history, and provides options to manage data refresh settings.
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