Streamline Data Access with OneLake Shortcuts in Microsoft Fabric
- aferencz21
- Jul 30
- 2 min read
Microsoft Fabric’s OneLake Shortcuts offer a powerful way to unify data across domains, clouds, and capacities without duplicating or moving data. Whether you're building a data mesh architecture or simply want to simplify cross-workspace access, shortcuts are your go-to solution.
🔍 What Are OneLake Shortcuts?
A OneLake Shortcut is a virtual pointer to data stored elsewhere, either within OneLake or in external sources like Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, Amazon S3, or Dataverse. These shortcuts behave like symbolic links, allowing you to access data as if it were local, without copying it.
Where Can You Use Shortcuts?
You can create shortcuts in:
Lakehouses (Tables or Files folders)
KQL databases
Across Fabric workspaces and capacities
External storage systems (ADLS Gen2, S3, etc.)
🛠️ How to Create a Shortcut in a Lakehouse
Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a shortcut in a lakehouse using the Fabric UI:
Step 1: Open Your Lakehouse
Navigate to the Lakehouse where you want to create the shortcut.
Step 2: Choose the Folder
Decide whether to create the shortcut in the Tables or Files folder:
Tables folder: For structured data in Delta format.
Files folder: For unstructured or semi-structured data.
Note: Shortcuts in the Tables folder must be at the top level and support Delta format.
Step 3: Click “New Shortcut”
In the folder view, click the “New Shortcut” button.
Step 4: Configure the Shortcut
Name: Choose a name (avoid spaces if using Delta format).
Target Path: Enter the path to the data source (internal or external).
Authentication: Choose the appropriate method (e.g., organizational account, service principal, SAS token).
Step 5: Save and Use
Once saved, the shortcut appears as a folder. You can now query it using:
Spark notebooks
SQL analytics endpoint
Power BI semantic models
KQL external_table function
🌐 Use Cases
Cross-Capacity Access
Access data from a paused or separate capacity. Compute is billed to the consumer, not the owner.
Data Mesh Architecture
Enable domain teams to share certified datasets without duplication or ownership conflicts.
Reporting Separation
Keep ETL and reporting workloads in separate capacities for better performance and cost control.
💡 Pro Tips
Use shortcuts in the Files folder for flexible access to any format.
Ensure Delta format compatibility for shortcuts in the Tables folder.
Use REST API for programmatic shortcut creation.
OneLake Shortcuts are a game-changer for organizations looking to scale data access, reduce duplication, and simplify architecture. Whether you're building a data mesh or optimizing reporting, shortcuts offer a lightweight, powerful solution.