---
title: "Power BI tables reading unmodelled tables | Metacenta"
description: "A Power BI table loading a warehouse table nothing in your pipeline builds sits outside its tests and lineage. How we match tables, and when it is fine."
url: "https://metacenta.com/rules/powerbi-table-reads-unknown"
updated: "2026-10-14"
tokens: 536
---

BI semantic layer · rule powerbi-table-reads-unknown

# Power BI tables reading unmodelled tables

A Metacenta review checks this under the rule **Power BI tables read tables the warehouse layer builds**. Everything below applies whether or not you ever commission one.

## What this rule checks

For each loaded Power BI table, we read the warehouse table names its partition source navigates to. The rule flags a table when one of those names matches nothing the transformation layer builds or declares as a source. We compare names only, not schemas.

## Why it matters

Its numbers sit outside the tested, documented pipeline. A change upstream cannot warn anyone that it will break the report.

## How to fix it

**Point Power BI tables at modelled tables.** Point the table at the modelled table that serves it. If another pipeline builds that table on purpose, tell us, and the finding comes out of your report.

## When it is fine to leave

A reference table maintained by hand and loaded directly, such as a sales-target sheet. Better still, load it through the pipeline as a seed, so it is tested too.

## What we need to check it

The `.tmdl` files from a PBIP project, plus a warehouse-side artefact: `manifest.json`, a SQL project or a lineage export. Without one, the rule declines. Calculated tables, native queries and sources we can't reduce to a table name aren't judged. Findings are medium confidence.

[Ask about a review](https://metacenta.com/enquire?src=rule-powerbi-table-reads-unknown&via=md)

## Related pages

- [dbt semantic models reading unbuilt columns](https://metacenta.com/rules/semantic-column-not-built)
- [dbt semantic model keys with no unique test](https://metacenta.com/rules/semantic-primary-entity-unasserted)
- [Looker views reading tables dbt does not know](https://metacenta.com/rules/lookml-view-unbuilt-table)
- [Looker views reading raw dbt sources](https://metacenta.com/rules/lookml-view-reads-raw-source)
- [A sample review, as a client reads it](https://metacenta.com/sample)
- [All published rules](https://metacenta.com/rules)
- [How a review is assessed](https://metacenta.com/standard)