Permissions

Information is needed in order to combine data

Power BI dataset refresh error: what it means and how to fix it.

What this means

Desktop ignored privacy levels but the service can't combine the sources without them.

How to fix it

  1. Turn off "ignore privacy levels" in Power BI Desktop and republish.
  2. Set Organizational credentials on the sources.
  3. Ensure the sources have compatible privacy levels.
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Frequently asked questions

What does the "Information is needed in order to combine data" error mean?
Desktop ignored privacy levels but the service can't combine the sources without them.
How do I fix it?
Turn off "ignore privacy levels" in Power BI Desktop and republish. Set Organizational credentials on the sources. Ensure the sources have compatible privacy levels.
Where does this Power BI refresh error appear?
It appears in a Power BI semantic model's refresh history when a scheduled or on-demand refresh fails.

Related permissions errors

Catch this automatically

RefreshRadar monitors every Power BI dataset refresh and emails you when one fails, with the likely cause and the fix, so you are not hearing about a broken refresh from your stakeholders first.