Look beyond the report canvas
Power BI problems often appear gradually. A workaround becomes routine, a report needs special handling, or users stop trusting a familiar number. A Health Check follows the path from source data to the management decision and identifies where attention is needed. These seven signals are practical reasons to review that system.
1. Refresh needs regular intervention
Someone repeatedly re-enters credentials, uploads replacement files or reruns failed refreshes. Review refresh history, source connectivity, gateways and alert ownership. Microsoft documents these dependencies in its data refresh guidance. Establish which failures are recurring before deciding how to fix them.
2. The same KPI returns different answers
Reports disagree on headcount, output or another management measure. Trace the definition, filters, reporting period and underlying records. Agree one owner for the business definition. A visually consistent dashboard cannot compensate for calculations that answer different questions.
3. Users wait for routine interactions
Opening a page or selecting a filter becomes frustrating. Measure the slow interactions before changing the model. Performance Analyzer separates visual load timing into categories including DAX queries and visual display, helping direct the investigation.
4. Changes keep breaking other reports
A minor request creates unexpected totals or relationship problems elsewhere. Review model structure, calculation dependencies and validation practices. Microsoft’s star-schema guidance explains why model design matters for performance and usability.
5. Access is difficult to explain
Nobody can confidently say who can see sensitive data. Review workspace roles, sharing and security tests together. Row-level security restricts Viewers; it does not apply to workspace Admins, Members or Contributors. Check the actual permissions against Microsoft’s RLS guidance.
6. One person holds the whole system together
Source locations, calculations and recovery steps live in someone’s memory. Review documentation, credential ownership and handover. Identify what another responsible person would need to operate the environment when the usual owner is unavailable.
7. Management still needs a separate explanation
The report contains many visuals but does not make exceptions, priorities or follow-up clear. Review it against the management meeting: which decision should each page support, and what should a reader be able to investigate?
Turn the findings into an ordered plan
A useful Health Check produces a prioritised assessment: immediate reliability or access concerns, model improvements and longer-term governance work. Agree the evidence and next steps before committing to a rescue project or rebuild.