Previously, even simple visuals, such as slicers, initiated queries to back-end sources. This feature helps improve performance and reduce back-end load. Visuals that don't require a query are imported even if they're based on DirectQuery. Storage mode: You can now specify which visuals query back-end data sources. For more information, see Apply many-many relationships in Power BI Desktop. It also removes previous workarounds, such as introducing new tables only to establish relationships. This approach removes requirements for unique values in tables. Many-to-many relationships: With composite models, you can establish many-to-many relationships between tables. This article describes composite models in detail. The composite models capability in Power BI Desktop consists of three related features:Ĭomposite models: Allows a report to have two or more data connections from different source groups, such as one or more DirectQuery connections and an import connection, two or more DirectQuery connections, or any combination thereof. A report can seamlessly include data connections from more than one DirectQuery or import data connection, in any combination you choose. With composite models, that restriction is removed. Previously in Power BI Desktop, when you used a DirectQuery in a report, no other data connections, whether DirectQuery or import, were allowed for that report.