How to Fix Data Refresh Error in Power BI Quickly

Data refresh errors in Power BI usually happen due to connection issues, expired credentials, or query problems. To fix them, check and update your data source credentials, verify network access, and review your Power Query steps for errors.

Why This Happens

Data refresh errors occur when Power BI cannot access or process the data source correctly. Common reasons include expired or incorrect credentials, network connectivity problems, or errors in the query steps that transform data.

powerquery

let
    Source = Sql.Database("server_name", "database_name"),
    InvalidStep = Table.SelectRows(Source, each [Date] > DateTime.LocalNow())
in
    InvalidStep

Output

Error: Expression.Error: The 'Date' column contains invalid data or the comparison is incorrect.

The Fix

Update your data source credentials in Power BI Service or Desktop to ensure they are valid. Check your network connection to the data source. Fix any errors in your Power Query steps by validating column names and data types.

powerquery

let
    Source = Sql.Database("server_name", "database_name"),
    ValidStep = Table.SelectRows(Source, each [Date] > #datetime(2023, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0))
in
    ValidStep

Output

Table with rows where 'Date' is after January 1, 2023

Prevention

Always keep your data source credentials up to date and test connections regularly. Use descriptive error messages in Power Query to catch issues early. Schedule refreshes during off-peak hours to avoid network timeouts. Document your queries and transformations clearly.

Related Errors

• Gateway connection errors: Fix by restarting or updating the gateway.
• Timeout errors: Increase timeout settings or optimize queries.
• Credential expiration: Regularly update passwords and tokens.

Key Takeaways

Always verify and update your data source credentials to avoid refresh failures.

Check and fix errors in Power Query steps to ensure smooth data processing.

Test network connectivity and gateway status if using on-premises data sources.

Schedule refreshes during low-traffic times to reduce timeout risks.

Document and monitor your data refresh setup to catch issues early.