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Fix Power BI Desktop Refresh Fails with Obsolete Database Changes Error
Question details
The user is experiencing a data refresh failure in Power BI Desktop when connected to a SharePoint Online list, accompanied by a rolled-back transaction error message.
- Product
- Power BI Desktop
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to refresh a Power BI report that pulls data from a connected SharePoint Online list.
- Observed behavior
- An error message appears stating that the database was modified during a rolled-back transaction and must be fully synchronized before any further modification.
Before proceeding, ensure your Power BI Desktop is updated to the latest version and verify that your SharePoint Online network connection is stable.
Consult the Microsoft Power BI Community
Since this specific synchronization error is related to Microsoft's backend handling of SharePoint data, engaging with Power BI specialists in the official community is the recommended path to resolution.
This error often indicates a temporary server-side disruption or a transaction rollback within SharePoint Online that Power BI cannot bypass on its own.
Microsoft specialists and support engineers actively monitor the community forums and can investigate backend synchronization issues for your specific tenant.
Navigate to the official Microsoft Power BI Community forums at https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Microsoft-Power-BI-Community/ct-p/powerbi.
Use the search bar to look for 'obsolete database changes' or 'SharePoint rolled-back transaction' to see if a recent backend fix has already been published.
If no solution is available, click on 'New Message' to post your specific error logs, SharePoint connection details, and report setup so that Microsoft engineers can investigate.
Clear the Power BI Desktop Data Cache
Clearing the local data cache can occasionally resolve conflicts if the refresh failure is caused by corrupted temporary local data rather than a strict server-side issue.
Try WPS Office for Your Data and Document Needs
While highly specialized database synchronization errors in Power BI require Microsoft support, you can rely on WPS Office for all your everyday data analysis and spreadsheet tasks. It provides a lightweight, free, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download the free Office suite installation package.
- 2. Install the software: Run the installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to set up WPS Office on your computer.
- 3. Open your data files: Launch WPS Spreadsheet to open, analyze, and visualize your exported CSV or Microsoft Excel data files seamlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Power BI display a 'rolled-back transaction' error for SharePoint?
This error typically occurs when the SharePoint Online backend experiences an interrupted transaction or sync mismatch while Power BI is attempting to pull list data, resulting in a read error on the database side.
Can I fix SharePoint Online refresh errors directly in Power BI Desktop?
Sometimes clearing the Power BI Desktop data cache can resolve local sync conflicts. However, backend database transaction errors usually require Microsoft support to resolve the server-side synchronization issue.
How do I report a persistent refresh bug to Microsoft?
You can report bugs by visiting the official Microsoft Power BI Community forums and posting your issue details, or by having your IT administrator submit a direct support ticket through the Microsoft 365 admin center.
