Power BI Update - August 2025

0:00 (bright music)- Hello, Power BI community.

0:12 Get ready to dive into this month's Power BI update.

0:15 I'm Patrick LeBlanc,

0:16 Principal Program Manager on the Azure Data Team at Microsoft.

0:20 Before we dive into this month's update,

0:22 I want to share with you that we'll be bringing FabCon to Europe in September.

0:27 There will be 10 full-day tutorials, a partner pre-day,

0:32 more than 120 sessions from the product team and the community.

0:37 And you don't want to miss our swag-filled power hour.

0:42 If you've never been to a Power Hour before,

0:44 be sure to add that to your schedule.

0:47 FabCon will be landing in Vienna, Austria, on September 15th through the 18th.

0:52 Now, check out aka.ms/fce for all

0:55 the details and register with the code FABCOMM,

1:02 that is F-A-B-C-O-M-M, to save €200 Euros.

1:07 Now let's check out the updates for August and find out

1:11 how these new features and capabilities can supercharge your data analysis.

1:16 This month's update includes some GA features, a list of new preview features,

1:21 a community highlight, and of course, some call to actions.

1:25 So sit back, grab some coffee, and let's jump into this month's update.

1:30 Let's jump into these generally available features.

1:33 First up, Copilot to write measure descriptions, okay?

1:38 So Copilot can instantly generate clear,

1:41 helpful measure descriptions with just one click.

1:45 This means report creators and authors can get context when they need it,

1:49 where they need it, and so even when they can't see the DAX expression.

1:52 So I go out and write some complicated DAX,

1:55 they use it in their report, they have no idea what this means,

1:58 but now the creators can get context that they need,

2:02 even when they can't see those DAX expressions,

2:05 making the reports easier to understand and use.

2:07 Try this update out and see how it can

2:10 enhance collaboration and accuracy in your Power BI projects.

2:14 That's it for our GA features,

2:15 but we have a long list of preview features to check out,

2:18 starting with an update to creating Direct Lake models in Power BI Desktop.

2:23 This month, Power BI Desktop now allows you to connect to mirrored

2:27 Azure Databricks catalogs and add Direct

2:29 Lake tables directly into your semantic model.

2:32 Whether you're editing a model or starting from scratch and creating a new one,

2:38 simply select the desired Azure Databricks catalog from the OneLake catalog,

2:42 pick your tables, and add them with ease.

2:45 This update expands your data integration options across lakehouses,

2:49 warehouses, Fabric SQL databases,

2:51 and other mirrored databases in Microsoft Fabric,

2:54 making advanced analytics more accessible than ever.

2:58 But you don't believe me?

2:59 Guess what?

3:00 Zoe has a demo that walks you through all of this.

3:03 Zoe, take it away.

3:08 [Zoe] In this release, we're excited to announce you can now add tables

3:12 in Direct Lake mode from mirrored Azure Databricks catalogs.

3:16 Simply go to the OneLake catalog and pick your mirrored item,

3:20 and then you can create that Direct Lake semantic model.

3:23 Here I'm just going to pick one table from my item.

3:27 And now in desktop we're using Direct Lake on OneLake,

3:30 which allows you to now go in and add

3:32 other Direct Lake tables from other Fabric items.

3:35 So here I'm going to pick a SQL database which is also backed by OneLake,

3:39 and I can bring in the tables I need for the semantic

3:43 model from all the tables that are available in this Fabric item.

3:49 I also can go in a third time, right?

3:51 And so I can bring in a third table, my date table for my lakehouse again.

3:56 This Direct Lake in desktop allows you to bring in tables from anywhere

4:00 in the OneLake and combine them all together in a semantic model.

4:04 So once I have them here, I can go to DAX query view.

4:08 I can run queries to see the data,

4:10 and I can also do other semantic modeling here too, right?

4:14 So I noticed my table name here is maybe not as friendly.

4:18 I can quickly go and rename this table, and I can also create measures.

4:22 So if I want to get a simple count of this table,

4:25 I can use quick queries to find a new measure,

4:28 which will simply count the rows in this table.

4:31 I can use the DAX editor here to go ahead and give that a nice name.

4:37 And when I'm ready, I can save it back to the model, right?

4:40 So I can run it, make sure it's returning, and then update the model when ready.

4:44 Another feature we have over in model view is,

4:47 on any measure we can create a description with Copilot,

4:50 and we're excited to announce in this release

4:52 we are making this generally available.

4:55 What an amazing demo, Zoe.

4:56 Let's jump to the next feature.

4:58 The next preview feature is filtered report

5:00 summaries and answers in the standalone Copilot experience.

5:04 If you haven't checked out this new standalone Copilot experience,

5:07 I suggest you go and kick the tires on it.

5:09 It's pretty nice.

5:10 But this new update,

5:11 this new feature in Power BI makes it easier than ever to get precise insights.

5:15 Now Copilot can intelligently apply relevant filters to your questions

5:20 even if you haven't set those filters in the original report.

5:24 So you can ask specific questions like, what were my sales in 2024?

5:28 And receive a very accurate and contextual answer.

5:32 This update enables deeper, more interactive conversations with your data,

5:36 letting you explore and understand key metrics without needing to open,

5:41 get this, the actual report or manually manage filters.

5:46 Now, we have a demo from Carly for a more in-depth look.

5:50 Let's check it out now.

5:55 [Carly] Here I have a Power BI report with two filters applied,

5:58 season equals all and island name equals Oahu.

6:01 Previously, responses in the standalone Copilot experience could only reflect

6:05 what was currently visible on the report page behind those filters,

6:09 without the ability to apply any additional existing filters.

6:12 With this update, report responses

6:14 in the standalone experience will intelligently apply relevant

6:17 filters from that report and render them

6:20 in line to better answer user questions.

6:22 You get a clear indication with the filter icon too of what's been applied

6:26 so that I can understand how to read and how to interpret the summary.

6:30 Here I'm going to dynamically apply two more filters.

6:33 What about Maui in spring and see that both Maui and spring

6:37 were dynamically changed so I can have a clear conversation with my data.

6:41 I can also click on one of the visual

6:43 references and see that in the report itself, the filters are applied.

6:53 Thanks, Carly, for the great demo.

6:55 The next preview feature, support for org apps in Pro workspaces.

6:59 That's right, you don't need a Fabric SKU, you don't need a premium capacity.

7:03 You can now create and distribute multiple organizational apps per workspace,

7:10 tailoring each app to different groups

7:12 like leadership or managers or crossing projects.

7:16 Enjoy more flexibility and control in how you share reports,

7:20 with experiences customized for each and every audience.

7:24 This is exciting.

7:25 So now if you don't have premium, if you don't have a Fabric SKU,

7:29 if you just have Pro, you can experience these new org apps.

7:34 Next up, we have an update to edit your data model in the Power BI service.

7:39 The latest preview features includes improved error handling in Power Query.

7:44 Now, if a query fails, you can relaunch and retry changes without starting over.

7:49 Plus, there's now support for native queries when

7:53 connecting to a data source in Power Query,

7:55 giving you even more flexibility and control.

7:58 Go try it out.

7:59 Next up is semantic model refresh templates with fabric data pipelines.

8:04 Semantic model refresh templates in Power BI makes it

8:07 easy to automate semantic model refreshes using Fabric data pipelines.

8:11 Simply choose and customize templates for scenarios like event-driven,

8:16 data flow, scheduled, or multi-model refreshes.

8:20 No need for complex topics.

8:23 Let's check out a demo from Grace for a look at this feature in action.

8:31 [Grace] Semantic model refresh templates in Power BI enable

8:34 users to orchestrate semantic model refreshes using Fabric data pipelines,

8:38 providing a low-code, streamlined way to visualize and sequence

8:42 refresh activities for common scenarios.

8:45 You can access these templates by selecting

8:47 Create advanced refresh from the Refresh

8:50 dropdown on the semantic model details page in your Microsoft Fabric workspace.

8:54 This opens a template gallery which includes

8:57 several common refresh scenarios such as event-driven refreshes,

9:00 refreshing a semantic model after dataflow runs,

9:03 scheduled refreshes, and sequencing multiple semantic model refreshes.

9:06 We'll click the Refresh semantic model after dataflow runs.

9:11 After selecting a template, you'll be guided through the configuration process.

9:17 The activities defined by the template will appear on the pipeline canvas,

9:21 and you can configure each activity individually.

9:25 For example, you'll be prompted to select the data

9:28 flow and workspace that should trigger the refresh,

9:30 typically, the data flow your semantic model depends on.

9:38 Next, for the semantic model refresh settings,

9:40 you will be guided to select the connection,

9:43 workspace, and semantic model you want refreshed.

9:46 For more granular control, you can choose specific tables or partitions

9:50 for incremental refresh scenarios where you

9:53 might only want to update the changed table's data rather than the entire model.

10:02 You can enhance this pipeline with additional activities.

10:06 For example, you can set up a Teams notification

10:09 that alerts stakeholders after a refresh succeeds or fails.

10:30 You can also set up a scheduled refresh to define when and how

10:33 often these refreshes occur with flexible options such as minute by minute,

10:38 hourly, monthly, or quarterly intervals.

10:50 If you want to add another template later,

10:53 you can reopen the template gallery from the pipeline ribbon in the Home tab.

10:59 Once you've finished configuring your pipeline, save and run.

11:06 The output section will display the status of each activity as it runs.

11:10 Thanks for the great demo, Grace.

11:11 To wrap up this long list of preview features

11:14 is the Impala connector implementation 2.0 is in preview.

11:19 The new Impala connector, now available in preview,

11:22 leverages the open source Arrow Database Connectivity, or ADBC.

11:28 It's a driver for a modernized and more efficient connection experience.

11:33 This update introduces a streamlined SQL generator format,

11:36 bringing enhanced performance, security,

11:39 and easier maintenance to your Impala integration.

11:42 If you're using Impala, this is definitely something you want to check out.

11:45 Now that we've wrapped up the highlights for this month's update,

11:49 let's get to know Arwa.

11:52 Each month we highlight a community member

11:54 that's making a positive impact in our community.

11:57 Meet Arwa.

11:59 She has been a Power BI community member since July 2024.

12:03 Arwa has received more than 80 kudos,

12:06 authored over 25 solutions, has over 90 replies,

12:11 is a blog author, user group leader, and a Super User in the community.

12:16 Wow, wow.

12:17 She's busy.

12:19 Driven by a passion for clarity and inclusion,

12:22 this data storyteller thrives on transforming complex information into simple,

12:28 relatable narratives.

12:30 With a deep commitment to accessibility,

12:33 she champions technology and learning for all,

12:37 especially in regions with limited resources.

12:40 As the proud founder of the Sudan's first

12:43 community dedicated to Microsoft Fabric and Power BI,

12:47 Arwa is breaking new grounds and building bridges.

12:50 As a Microsoft Super User,

12:52 she finds joy in helping others grow their skills and confidence.

12:57 For Arwa, data isn't just numbers, like Patrick.

13:00 It's an art waiting to be revealed.

13:03 Thank you for being a part of our community, Arwa.

13:06 Okay, we have some call to actions.

13:08 Now that you've seen what's new and what's coming in Power BI,

13:11 it's time to take the next step.

13:13 We want you to get hands-on with these updates

13:15 and help shape the future of Power BI.

13:17 Here's how you can get involved.

13:20 Number one, try out the new features.

13:23 We encourage you to try out the new features and share your feedback with us.

13:27 Your input helps us improve and deliver the best experience possible.

13:32 Number two, refer to the documentation.

13:35 For more details on the new features and how to use them,

13:38 please refer to the documentation provided in the respective sections.

13:42 And number three, stay tuned for updates.

13:45 Stay tuned for the updates in the upcoming

13:47 months as new capabilities are shared.

13:50 We encourage you to visit our Power BI community forums at aka.ms/pbicommunity

13:57 where you can connect with peers and find answers to all your questions.

14:02 Also, your feedback truly matters to us.

14:05 We're always listening.

14:06 If there are any specific demos or topics you'd like us to cover in the future,

14:11 or if you just have any questions, post them in the comments below.

14:15 If this is your first time here, be sure to hit that subscribe button.

14:19 If you like this video, big thumbs up.

14:22 And as always, from Microsoft and myself, thanks for watching.

14:25 We'll see you next month.