Let’s face it - when most teams talk about modernization, the focus tends to land on infrastructure upgrades, cloud migrations, or reworking legacy applications. But here’s the thing: your semantic models matter just as much.
With more organizations embracing self-service analytics, DevOps workflows, and cloud-native platforms like Microsoft Fabric, the way you design and manage your Power BI models needs to keep up. This isn’t just a technical detail - it’s a core part of delivering trusted, scalable insights across your business.
That’s where Tabular Model Definition Language (TMDL) enters the picture.
TMDL brings code-first, Git-friendly structure to Power BI and Fabric semantic models. And when you evaluate it through the Gartner 7Rs of Modernization, it’s clear that modernizing your semantic layer is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a must.
Let’s walk through how TMDL fits into each of the 7Rs, and why that should matter to every VP of IT, Director of Operations, and Head of Analytics building the future of BI in their organizations.
You may have legacy SSAS tabular models or Power BI datasets that still deliver business value - but they’re hard to govern or enhance. TMDL allows you to:
For IT leadership and analytics managers, this creates immediate transparency without disrupting what’s already working.
Moving from on-premises SSAS to Microsoft Fabric or Power BI Premium? TMDL makes lift-and-shift easier:
For BI developers and platform teams, this cuts deployment time while aligning with DevOps best practices.
Upgrading to a new tenant or adopting Microsoft Fabric’s lakehouse architecture? TMDL helps by:
For technology leads overseeing platform strategy, this reduces duplication and avoids rework across business units.
Many semantic models accumulate clutter over time—redundant measures, inconsistent folder names, or unused calculations. With TMDL, you can:
For data governance managers and operations directors, this streamlines support and improves long-term maintainability.
Enterprise BI strategies often require reusable, modular semantic models. TMDL enables:
For enterprise architects and data platform owners, this supports consistency across business lines and accelerates model creation.
Sometimes the model itself no longer fits evolving KPIs or business structures. TMDL enables:
For analytics leads and product teams, this enables fast rebuilds that reflect changing goals and metrics.
Still using legacy cubes or outdated BI tooling? TMDL is the on-ramp to modern BI. It supports:
For CIOs and digital transformation leaders, this replaces brittle legacy assets with scalable, future-ready architecture.
Power BI and Microsoft Fabric are redefining how organizations build analytics platforms. But your semantic layer is the connective tissue between raw data and decision-making.
TMDL gives your team the control, flexibility, and repeatability they need to keep pace with the rest of your modernization efforts. From infrastructure-as-code to model versioning, TMDL is built for today’s DevOps-driven, multi-cloud environments.
So whether you’re a VP of IT planning cloud migration, a Director of Data Engineering driving pipeline automation, or an Operations Executive looking for better reporting at scale, it’s time to give the semantic layer the attention it deserves.
Stay tuned for more hands-on insights, including:
Interested in more of our blogs about Microsoft Fabric?
Curious how TMDL fits into your Fabric rollout?
Connect with us anytime - we’re happy to help you move from legacy to future-ready,
one model at a time.
About the Author
With almost thirty years of experience in the IT industry, Duane Colley is a Sr. Solution Architect specializing in the definition and delivery of adaptable, quality systems. Highly analytical, Duane leverages his experience to ensure that technology solutions effectively meet client’s business needs. Duane has experience in the Health, Telecommunications, Agribusiness, Government, Energy and Manufacturing industries.