How do you set up scheduled updates?

Required tools

• Published semantic model — The model must be in the Power BI service.
• Data source credentials — The update runs without you and requires a separate login.

Set up the update

1. 1.Register credentials for each data source

   The model must be able to log in to the source on its own. Use an account that is not tied to a single person—updates that stop because someone left are a classic.

2. 2.Choose frequency based on need, not ambition

   A daily update on weeknights meets most needs. More frequent updates consume capacity and place additional load on the source system, and should be justified by someone actually acting on more up-to-date figures.

3. 3.Schedule the update outside working hours

   Heavy updates in the middle of the day affect both the report and the source system. Schedule them for early in the morning so the figures are ready when people arrive.

Make errors visible

1. 4.Enable notifications for failed updates

   Without alerts, you will not discover that something is wrong until a manager asks why the figures have not changed in a week. Send the alert to a shared inbox, not to one person.

2. 5.Show when the data was last updated

   Display the time of the latest update prominently in the report. It is the simplest way to build trust and puts an end to questions about whether the figures are up to date.

3. 6.Monitor closely during the first few weeks

   Updates that work on the first day may fail as the amount of data grows or a source changes. Check the history a couple of times during the first month.