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refresh-semantic-model

Trigger, monitor, and troubleshoot Power BI semantic model refreshes via the Enhanced Refresh REST API.

887|131|Updated Jan 15, 2026
Search Tags:#Troubleshooting#refresh#Power BI#fabric cli#incremental refresh#REST api#Semantic Model
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development --skill refresh-semantic-model
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: refresh-semantic-model
Source: https://github.com/data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development/tree/main/plugins/semantic-models/skills/refresh-semantic-model
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development --skill refresh-semantic-model

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Refreshing Power BI semantic models reliably requires coordinating the Enhanced Refresh REST API, choosing the right refresh type, validating that data actually changed, and diagnosing failures across credentials, schemas, timeouts, and capacity limits. This Skill gives an AI agent the exact commands, scripts, and troubleshooting references to perform that workflow end to end.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Full Refresh Lifecycle: Resolve workspace and model IDs, capture a pre-refresh DAX baseline, trigger refreshes (full, automatic, dataOnly, calculate, clearValues, defragment), monitor status, cancel in-progress refreshes, and validate post-refresh data changes.
  • Targeted and Large-Model Strategies: Refresh specific tables or partitions, run two-phase dataOnly + calculate refreshes, apply partialBatch commit modes, control parallelism, and work with incremental refresh policies.
  • Scripted Automation: The scripts/refresh_model.py CLI wraps the Enhanced Refresh API with arguments for type, scope, commit mode, retries, polling, and cancellation.
  • Troubleshooting References: Detailed guides cover credential errors, type and schema mismatches, timeouts, incremental refresh issues, capacity throttling, and per-table failure isolation.
  • Use Case: After an ETL pipeline loads new rows into a Fabric lakehouse, ask the agent to refresh the FactSales table, poll until completion, and verify via DAX that the row count and max date increased.

Quick Start

Ask the agent to refresh the semantic model in your workspace and confirm that new data arrived by comparing row counts before and after the refresh.

Frequently Asked Questions about refresh-semantic-model

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I refresh a Power BI semantic model via the REST API?▼

Send a POST request to groups/{workspaceId}/datasets/{datasetId}/refreshes with a JSON body specifying the refresh type, such as {"type":"full"}. You can authenticate through the Fabric CLI using fab api, which handles tokens internally.

How to refresh specific tables or partitions in Power BI?▼

Use the Enhanced Refresh API objects array to target tables or partitions, for example {"type":"full","objects":[{"table":"FactSales","partition":"FactSales_2024"}]}. This requires Premium or Fabric capacity; Pro workspaces only support full-model standard refreshes.

What is the difference between dataOnly and calculate refresh types?▼

A dataOnly refresh reloads data from sources but clears dependent calculated columns and tables without rebuilding them. A calculate refresh recalculates those dependent objects without reloading data, so the two are often combined in a two-phase refresh.

Why did my Power BI refresh succeed but show no new data?▼

The refresh only pulls what the upstream source provides, so a stale lakehouse, warehouse, or SQL source means no new rows arrive. Run the upstream ETL pipeline first, verify fresh data at the source, then re-trigger the refresh and compare DAX baseline queries.

Can I cancel an in-progress Power BI dataset refresh?▼

Yes, but only refreshes triggered through the Enhanced Refresh API can be cancelled. Retrieve the requestId from the refresh history, then send a DELETE request to groups/{workspaceId}/datasets/{datasetId}/refreshes/{requestId}.

What are the Power BI refresh limits for Pro versus Premium capacity?▼

Pro capacity allows 8 refreshes per day with a 2-hour timeout and no enhanced features. Premium Per User and Premium/Fabric capacities allow 48 refreshes per day, a 5-hour timeout, and enhanced options like table targeting, commit modes, and cancellation.

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