A number of new features in Power BI are limited to newer Power BI datasets, which Microsoft track through the use of Compatibility Levels.

  • 1500+ for SQL Server 2019 compatibility
  • 1400+ for SQL Server 2017 compatibility
  • 1200+ for SQL Server 2016 compatibility

If you want to, for example, connect to the xmla endpoint of the dataset from SQL Server Management Studio, then you need level 1500 or greater.

If it’s lower you’ll get the following error message when you perform some operations:

The database being created has a compatibility level ‘1465’, which is not supported by the XMLA endpoint in Power BI Premium. Please use a compatibility level that is at least 1500.

How do you change this level?

Tabular Editor to the rescue! (Download Here)

With Tabular Model Editor you can connect to your dataset in PowerBI.com, click on the ‘Model’ in the left tree, then in the properties window expand ‘Database’, change Compatibility Level to 1500, then File -> Save.

Note: to connect to your Power BI dataset you need to know the server name, which you can get from the Power BI portal. Go to the workspace, in list mode. Click the elipses next to the dataset, and select ‘Settings’.

From here, expand Server Settings, and copy the connection string.

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