Article – Fixing PowerPivot Management Dashboard Errors

We installed SQL Server PowerPivot for SharePoint and we also executed PowerPivot for SharePoint 2013 Configuration tool and configured PowerPivot for SharePoint.

Now we need to make sure that PowerPivot Service Application instance is configured correctly for us to move forward. Unlike any other service application settings/ configuration pages, PowerPivot Service Application instance settings page is considered as the Dashboard for PowerPivot Service Application instance.

Let’s go and explore PowerPivot Service Application instance and it’s configuration.

• Open SharePoint 2013 Central Administration web site. Click Manage service applications from Application Management section.
• Click PowerPivot Service Application instance name to navigate to PowerPivot Management Dashboard.
• Most of the time, you will end up getting following screen. You will see Excel Services error in the Infrastructure – Server health web part and another error in Workbook Activity – Chart web part. The reason for this error is, App Pool Service Account doesn’t have access to Central Administration content database.
• Open SQL Server Management Studio and connect to Database Engine.
• Expand Databases folder and locate the SharePoint Central Administration content database. Expand the Security folder and then expand the Users folder.
• Select the App Pool Service Account, right click the user account and select Properties. Select Membership page from the Select a page list. Select SPDataAccess database role membership.
• Click OK and close SQL Server Management Studio.

Now you can go and verify PowerPivot Management Dashboard to see that both Red X are gone.