Dataflows and Table Connections

Power BI Data Model
1

I have just recently (past 2 days) begun exploring Dataflows for our company to use, so we can leverage the expertise of the people who really ‘know’ a given database.

One thing I have run into is that I cannot find a way when setting up the Dataflow to define the table connections.
For example, if I’m building a dataflow using customer-related tables, to me it makes sense to say that if I have both the customer table and the customer department table, they connect via the customer number.

Is this possible, and I’ve completely overlooked how to do it, or am I completely out of line to think this should be possible?

I realize that I can define this in the dataset, and then share the dataset with my other BI Report Buddies in the company. But I still think it would make more sense to have groups of tables that the other report builder could just grab and know the connections between the table are logical. Then they could build their own dataset.

NOTE: I am not using Premium Capacity (no choice to do that)

2

Hi @Heather,

Please see if this article is helpful

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BTW you can also vote for that idea here
https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/36932110-include-data-source-table-relationships-when-creat

3

Thanks for the info @Melissa - I’ll have to see about using the Common Data Model, that was not considered a priority with this project, but perhaps it’s worth it to get the relationships defined from the outset.

I"d also missed the voting link when doing my searches yesterday, so I appreciate that also!