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Power BI Refresh Error:
INSUFFICIENT_PERMISSIONS

What does this error mean?

The user or service principal executing the query does not have the required privilege to access the table, schema, catalog, or external location. This error is common after Unity Catalog migrations or permission changes.

Common causes

  • 1The service principal running the job was not granted SELECT or USAGE on the target Unity Catalog object
  • 2A recent Unity Catalog privilege change removed access
  • 3The cluster policy restricts access to certain data assets
  • 4The storage credential or external location does not grant access to the service principal
  • 5The user account has a personal compute policy that prevents access to shared data

How to fix it

  1. 1Grant the required privilege: GRANT SELECT ON TABLE <name> TO <principal>
  2. 2Verify USAGE is granted on the catalog and schema containing the table
  3. 3Check storage credential and external location permissions if accessing external data
  4. 4Review the cluster policy for any access restrictions
  5. 5Run SHOW GRANTS ON TABLE <name> to see who currently has access

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum permission needed to SELECT from a table?

USAGE on the catalog, USAGE on the schema, and SELECT on the table (or higher privilege like MODIFY or ALL PRIVILEGES).

How do I grant permissions programmatically?

Use the GRANT SQL command in a Databricks SQL query, or use the Unity Catalog API / Terraform provider for automated permission management.

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