What are limitations of DirectQuery?

< 1 min read

DirectQuery performance depends fully on source database speed and indexing.
Slow database queries directly cause slow report visuals for users.
We faced delays when users applied multiple slicers on large tables.
Limited DAX functions compared to Import mode — some calculations not supported.
Cannot use complex data transformations in Power Query.
Data modeling features like calculated tables are restricted.
High load on database when many users open the report simultaneously.
Scheduled refresh not applicable since data is always live.
Caching helps but still not as fast as in-memory datasets.
Not suitable for deep historical analysis or heavy aggregations.

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