Question

Why is the RLS role not being applied when executing queries via the Power BI REST API using PowerShell, and how can I fix it?
When querying a Power BI dataset via the REST API using PowerShell, the Row-Level Security (RLS) roles do not seem to be enforced. What could be causing this issue? Are there specific authentication methods, API permissions, or dataset configurations that impact RLS enforcement? How can I troubleshoot and ensure that RLS roles are correctly applied to API queries for secure data access?

Answer 1

RLS roles may not be applied when querying a Power BI dataset via the REST API using PowerShell due to:

1. Authentication Method – Service principals and Power BI Admin accounts often bypass RLS; ensure queries are run as a user with assigned RLS roles.
2. API Permissions – Verify that the API call is made under the correct EffectiveIdentity, mapping the requesting user to an RLS-enforced role.
3. Dataset Configuration – Check if RLS is enabled in the dataset settings and that security roles are correctly assigned in Power BI Service.

Fix & Best Practices

 Use User Principal Name (UPN) mapping in API requests.
Ensure "EffectiveIdentity" is set correctly when embedding or querying data.
Test with Analyze in Excel to confirm RLS behavior before using API.