Question

How can you partially load data into Power BI Desktop to optimize performance?

I am working with a large dataset in Power BI Desktop, and loading the entire dataset is causing performance issues. I want to explore options to partially load data based on specific criteria, such as a date range or relevant columns, to improve performance. Could you explain how to set up partial data loading in Power BI Desktop and any considerations to keep in mind?

Answer 1

To partially load data in Power BI Desktop, one can follow the steps below.

Filter in Power Query: From the loaded dataset in Power Query, filter data according to criteria like date or particular values. To illustrate, filtering the "Date" column will bring in records of the last 12 months for analysis.

Delete Unrequired Columns: Use the Remove Columns option in Power Query to retain only those columns required for analysis, lowering memory consumption and performance in queries.

Incremental Refresh(Optional): If the above case is a large dataset and you are on a Power BI Premium or Pro workspace, configure incremental refresh to trigger dynamic data loading. Partitions have been created to bring in only new records and retain all older ones.

Considerations: It is important to keep the filtered dataset so that the insights it provides are still accurate. Ensure that relationships and calculated fields are validated according to their dependencies after applying filters.