Fabric CLI Power BI Operations

Expert guidance for working with Power BI items (semantic models, reports, dashboards) using the fab CLI.

When to Use This Skill

Activate automatically when tasks involve:

Semantic model (dataset) operations — get, export, refresh, update
Report management — export, clone, rebind to different model
Executing DAX queries against semantic models
Managing refresh schedules and troubleshooting failures
Gateway and data source configuration
TMDL (Tabular Model Definition Language) operations

Prerequisites

Load fabric-cli-core skill first for foundational CLI guidance
User must be authenticated: fab auth status
Appropriate workspace permissions for target items

Automation Scripts

Ready-to-use Python scripts for Power BI tasks. Run any script with --help for full options.

Script	Purpose	Usage
`refresh_model.py`	Trigger and monitor semantic model refresh	`python scripts/refresh_model.py <model> [--wait] [--timeout 300]`
`list_refresh_history.py`	Show refresh history and failure details	`python scripts/list_refresh_history.py <model> [--last N]`
`rebind_report.py`	Rebind report to different semantic model	`python scripts/rebind_report.py <report> --model <new-model>`

Scripts are located in the scripts/ folder of this skill.

1 - Power BI Item Types

Entity Suffix	Type	Description
`.SemanticModel`	Semantic Model	Power BI dataset (tabular model)
`.Report`	Report	Power BI report (visualizations)
`.Dashboard`	Dashboard	Power BI dashboard (pinned tiles)
`.Dataflow`	Dataflow	Power Query dataflow
`.PaginatedReport`	Paginated Report	RDL-based paginated report

Path Examples

# Semantic model
Production.Workspace/Sales.SemanticModel

# Report connected to model
Production.Workspace/SalesReport.Report

# Dashboard
Production.Workspace/ExecutiveDash.Dashboard

2 - Semantic Model Operations

Get Model Information

# Check if model exists
fab exists "ws.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel"

# Get model properties
fab get "ws.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel"

# Get model ID (needed for Power BI API calls)
fab get "ws.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" -q "id"

# Get full definition (TMDL)
fab get "ws.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" -q "definition"

Export Model

# Export to local directory (PBIP format with TMDL)
fab export "ws.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" -o ./exports -f

Creates folder structure:

Model.SemanticModel/
├── .platform
├── definition.pbism
└── definition/
    ├── model.tmdl
    ├── tables/
    │   ├── Sales.tmdl
    │   └── Date.tmdl
    └── relationships.tmdl

Import/Update Model

# Import from PBIP folder
fab import "ws.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" -i ./exports/Model.SemanticModel -f

# Copy between workspaces
fab cp "Dev.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" "Prod.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" -f

3 - Refresh Operations

Trigger Refresh

# Get IDs
WS_ID=$(fab get "ws.Workspace" -q "id" | tr -d '"')
MODEL_ID=$(fab get "ws.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" -q "id" | tr -d '"')

# Trigger full refresh
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$WS_ID/datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshes" -X post -i '{"type":"Full"}'

# Check refresh status
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$WS_ID/datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshes?\$top=1"

Enhanced Refresh (Partition-Level)

# Refresh specific tables
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$WS_ID/datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshes" -X post -i '{
  "type": "Full",
  "commitMode": "transactional",
  "objects": [
    {"table": "Sales"},
    {"table": "Inventory"}
  ]
}'

# Refresh with retry
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$WS_ID/datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshes" -X post -i '{
  "type": "Full",
  "retryCount": 3
}'

Refresh Schedule

# Get current schedule
fab api -A powerbi "datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshSchedule"

# Set daily refresh at 6 AM UTC
fab api -A powerbi "datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshSchedule" -X patch -i '{
  "enabled": true,
  "days": ["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday"],
  "times": ["06:00"],
  "localTimeZoneId": "UTC"
}'

Troubleshoot Refresh Failures

# Get refresh history
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$WS_ID/datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshes"

# Common failure patterns:
# - "credentials" → Update data source credentials
# - "gateway" → Check gateway status
# - "timeout" → Use enhanced refresh with smaller batches
# - "memory" → Optimize model or use incremental refresh

4 - DAX Query Execution

Execute DAX queries against semantic models:

MODEL_ID=$(fab get "ws.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" -q "id" | tr -d '"')

# Simple query
fab api -A powerbi "datasets/$MODEL_ID/executeQueries" -X post -i '{
  "queries": [{"query": "EVALUATE VALUES(Date[Year])"}]
}'

# Aggregation query
fab api -A powerbi "datasets/$MODEL_ID/executeQueries" -X post -i '{
  "queries": [{
    "query": "EVALUATE SUMMARIZECOLUMNS(Date[Year], \"Total\", SUM(Sales[Amount]))"
  }]
}'

# TOPN query
fab api -A powerbi "datasets/$MODEL_ID/executeQueries" -X post -i '{
  "queries": [{
    "query": "EVALUATE TOPN(10, Product, [Total Sales], DESC)"
  }]
}'

# Query with parameters
fab api -A powerbi "datasets/$MODEL_ID/executeQueries" -X post -i '{
  "queries": [{
    "query": "EVALUATE FILTER(Sales, Sales[Year] = @Year)",
    "parameters": [{"name": "@Year", "value": "2024"}]
  }]
}'

5 - Report Operations

Get Report Info

# Check exists
fab exists "ws.Workspace/Report.Report"

# Get properties
fab get "ws.Workspace/Report.Report"

# Get connected model
fab get "ws.Workspace/Report.Report" -q "definition.parts[?contains(path, 'definition.pbir')].payload | [0]"

Export Report

# Export to PBIP format
fab export "ws.Workspace/Report.Report" -o ./exports -f

Clone Report

# Copy within workspace
fab cp "ws.Workspace/Report.Report" "ws.Workspace/ReportCopy.Report" -f

# Copy to another workspace
fab cp "Dev.Workspace/Report.Report" "Prod.Workspace/Report.Report" -f

Rebind Report to Different Model

WS_ID=$(fab get "ws.Workspace" -q "id" | tr -d '"')
REPORT_ID=$(fab get "ws.Workspace/Report.Report" -q "id" | tr -d '"')
NEW_MODEL_ID=$(fab get "ws.Workspace/NewModel.SemanticModel" -q "id" | tr -d '"')

fab api -A powerbi "groups/$WS_ID/reports/$REPORT_ID/Rebind" -X post -i "{
  \"datasetId\": \"$NEW_MODEL_ID\"
}"

Export Report to File (PDF/PPTX)

# Export to PDF
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$WS_ID/reports/$REPORT_ID/ExportTo" -X post -i '{
  "format": "PDF"
}'

# Poll for completion, then download

6 - Gateway Operations

List Gateways

# Tenant-level gateways (hidden entity)
fab ls .gateways

# Get gateway details
fab get ".gateways/MyGateway.Gateway"

Data Source Management

GATEWAY_ID=$(fab get ".gateways/MyGateway.Gateway" -q "id" | tr -d '"')

# List data sources on gateway
fab api -A powerbi "gateways/$GATEWAY_ID/datasources"

# Get data source status
fab api -A powerbi "gateways/$GATEWAY_ID/datasources/$DATASOURCE_ID"

Update Data Source Credentials

# Update credentials (basic auth example)
fab api -A powerbi "gateways/$GATEWAY_ID/datasources/$DATASOURCE_ID" -X patch -i '{
  "credentialDetails": {
    "credentialType": "Basic",
    "credentials": "{\"credentialData\":[{\"name\":\"username\",\"value\":\"user\"},{\"name\":\"password\",\"value\":\"pass\"}]}",
    "encryptedConnection": "Encrypted",
    "encryptionAlgorithm": "None",
    "privacyLevel": "Organizational"
  }
}'

7 - Take Over Ownership

When a semantic model owner leaves the organization:

WS_ID=$(fab get "ws.Workspace" -q "id" | tr -d '"')
MODEL_ID=$(fab get "ws.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" -q "id" | tr -d '"')

# Take over semantic model ownership
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$WS_ID/datasets/$MODEL_ID/Default.TakeOver" -X post

8 - Common Patterns

Dev to Production Deployment

#!/bin/bash
DEV_WS="Dev.Workspace"
PROD_WS="Prod.Workspace"

# 1. Export from dev
fab export "$DEV_WS/Sales.SemanticModel" -o ./deploy -f
fab export "$DEV_WS/SalesReport.Report" -o ./deploy -f

# 2. Import to prod
fab import "$PROD_WS/Sales.SemanticModel" -i ./deploy/Sales.SemanticModel -f
fab import "$PROD_WS/SalesReport.Report" -i ./deploy/SalesReport.Report -f

# 3. Trigger refresh
PROD_WS_ID=$(fab get "$PROD_WS" -q "id" | tr -d '"')
MODEL_ID=$(fab get "$PROD_WS/Sales.SemanticModel" -q "id" | tr -d '"')
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$PROD_WS_ID/datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshes" -X post -i '{"type":"Full"}'

# 4. Verify
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$PROD_WS_ID/datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshes?\$top=1" -q "value[0].status"

Backup Semantic Model

# Export definition for version control
fab export "Prod.Workspace/Model.SemanticModel" -o ./backups/$(date +%Y%m%d) -f
git add ./backups/
git commit -m "Backup Model $(date +%Y-%m-%d)"

Incremental Refresh Setup

For large models, use incremental refresh:

Configure in Power BI Desktop with RangeStart/RangeEnd parameters
Publish to workspace
First refresh creates partitions:

# Monitor partition creation
fab api -A powerbi "groups/$WS_ID/datasets/$MODEL_ID/refreshes?\$top=5"

9 - Safety Guidelines

Always verify workspace context before refresh operations
Test in dev first — never refresh production without testing
Monitor refresh duration — set appropriate timeouts
Backup before major changes — export definition before updates
Use enhanced refresh for large models to avoid timeouts

10 - References

For detailed patterns, see:

references/semantic-models.md — Full TMDL operations
references/reports.md — Report management
references/refresh.md — Refresh troubleshooting
references/dax-queries.md — Advanced DAX patterns
references/gateways.md — Gateway configuration

fabric-cli-powerbi