Excel 365 to OLAP Cube in SSAS

[Ajinkya Rasam]

We, as a company are maintaining a OLAP cube in MS Analytical Services. We use MS SQL Server Management Services. I am trying to connect Excel 365 online to the OLAP cube. I should be able to refresh connection from Excel 365.

Things I have tried:

1. Connecting Excel 2016 desktop to OLAP cube (Successful) and opening the same file in Excel 365(Failed)

2. Using power BI:

a. Created an organization gateway.

b. Connected power BI to organization gateway(Success)

c. Connect Excel 2016 Desktop to power BI dataset (Sucess)

d. Upload same excel file online and refreshing the connection. (Failed)

PS: I am using the same user account everywhere. Also, I am added as a user to all gateways and OLAP cube.

Please let me know if there is a solution for this within the existing infrastructure.

[#2]

Hi Ajinkya,

Were you using Get & Transform to connect to the OLAP cube? What method were you using.

Are you then trying to refresh that file using Excel online?

[#3]

Hi Wyn,

Thanks for your prompt reply.

So, in the 1st scenario I connected Excel desktop to OLAP through a connection string (Get and transform method, I guess) in Data tab on the ribbon.

In the second scenario. I used 'Power BI' plugin for Excel desktop in order to import data from Power BI.

In both  the scenarios, refreshing the excel file from Excel 365 failed.

Thanks,

Ajinkya

[#4]

Are you loading the data into the data model or into a sheet in Excel?

I've not tried any of this but you may need to set up some of this in Sharepoint

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh525344.aspx

[#5]

Hi,

I'm not sure, but most probably that's not an issue of connection to on-premises data source. You may create simple data model published on Power BI services, connect it to Excel and try to refresh from Excel Online. It doesn't work.

As said here https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-service-analyze-in-excel/

Analyze in Excel | Microsoft Power BI

Since users will need to refresh the dataset, and refresh for external connections is not supported in Excel Online, it’s recommended that users open the workbook in the desktop version of Excel on their computer.

That was publishes (more exctly updated) bit more than a month ago , don't think something changed recently. We don't use Excel Online in organization (people pushed to open in desktop), thus have no concrete experience. 

[#6]

Thanks for answering.

Our problem is that we can connect excel desktop to OLAP cube successfully. However, when users use multiple tabs and pivot tables, excel crashes or its very slow.

So, would using excel 365 solve this problem? If not then what else can be done?

Your help is much appreciated. 

[#7]

Hi,

I have no own experience with such issues, but in general

- power bi services is actually SSAS, when you connect to power bi from excel you don't load the data model into excel, that's just live connection. To refresh you run simular  OLAP query as you run using live connection from Excel desktop to your on-premises SSAS.

- perhaps the difference if in both cases if you use live connection is what the cloud infrastructure usually more advanced and more optimized compare to on-premises one.

- with power bi scenario, why don't you open Excel in desktop mode, not online? The only reason could be if some users don't have Office license and have to use online version only.

- and with first scenario did you try to compare live connection and importing to Excel data model? Are they both have performance issues?

Sorry, nothing concrete, just thoughts.

[#8]

What version of Excel are you using ?

Can you confirm it's Get & Transform /power query that you are using.

If the issue is down to data size and calculation issues then it might be worth trying a machine that has 64 bit office installed and see if that helps. 64 bit Excel can use a lot more RAM from your computer.

[#9]

Wyn, if use live connection to the cube hardware shall not be critical. If load entire cube into the Excel data model - yes, that depends.

[#10]

The issue more often than not is not the inability for individual users to connect to the SSAS directly or through power bi service, but the fact that developments are always ongoing, so should there be need for change in the dashboard, there is no master design or master source for the design. We have to distribute afresh to all users afresh.