How to read Power BI data in MS SQL/SSRS/Java using ZappySys Data Gateway?

In this section we will learn how to configure and use Power BI Connector in the API Driver to extract data from the Power BI.

Create Data Source in ZappySys Data Gateway based on API Driver

1. Download and install ZappySys ODBC PowerPack.

2. Search for gateway in start menu and Open ZappySys Data Gateway:
   

3. Go to Users Tab to add our first Gateway user. Click Add; we will give it a name tdsuser and enter password you like to give. Check Admin option and click OK to save. We will use these details later when we create linked server:
   

4. Now we are ready to add a data source. Click Add, give data source a name (Copy this name somewhere, we will need it later) and then select Native - ZappySys API Driver. Finally, click OK. And it will create the Data Set for it and open the ZS driver UI.

   PowerBiDSN

   
   

5. When the Configuration window appears give your data source a name if you haven't done that already, then select "Power BI" from the list of Popular Connectors. If "Power BI" is not present in the list, then click "Search Online" and download it. Then set the path to the location where you downloaded it. Finally, click Continue >> to proceed with configuring the DSN:

   PowerBiDSN

   Power BI

   

6. Now it's time to configure the Connection Manager. Select Authentication Type, e.g. Token Authentication. Then select API Base URL (in most cases, the default one is the right one). More info is available in the Authentication section.

    User Credentials [OAuth]

   Use delegated access (User Credentials) whenever you want to let a signed-in user work with their own resources or resources they can access. Whether it's an admin setting up policies for their entire organization or a user deleting an email in their inbox, all scenarios involving user actions should use delegated access. [API reference]

   Steps how to get and use Power BI credentials : User Credentials [OAuth]
   

   Follow these simple steps below to create Microsoft Entra ID application with delegated access:

   WARNING: If you are planning to automate processes, we recommend that you use a Application Credentials authentication method. In case, you still need to use User Credentials, then make sure you use a system/generic account (e.g. automation@my-company.com). When you use a personal account which is tied to a specific employee profile and that employee leaves the company, the token may become invalid and any automated processes using that token will start to fail.

   1. Navigate to the Azure Portal and log in using your credentials.
   2. Access Microsoft Entra ID.

   3. Register a new application by going to App registrations and clicking on New registration button:

      
      INFO: Find more information on how to register an application in Graph API reference.

   4. When configuration window opens, configure these fields:

      • Supported account type
        • Use Accounts in this organizational directory only, if you need access to data in your organization only.
      • Redirect URI:
        • Set the type to Public client/native (mobile & desktop).
        • Use https://zappysys.com/oauth as the URL.
      

   5. After registering the app, copy the Application (client) ID for later:

      

   6. Copy OAuth authorization endpoint (v2) & OAuth token endpoint (v2) URLs to use later in the configuration:

      

   7. Now go to SSIS package or ODBC data source and use the copied values in User Credentials authentication configuration:

      • In the Authorization URL field paste the OAuth authorization endpoint (v2) URL value you copied in the previous step.
      • In the Token URL field paste the OAuth token endpoint (v2) URL value you copied in the previous step.
      • In the Client ID field paste the Application (client) ID value you copied in the previous step.
      • In the Scope field use the default value or select individual scopes, e.g.:
        • offline_access
        • https://analysis.windows.net/powerbi/api/Workspace.Read.All
        • https://analysis.windows.net/powerbi/api/Dataset.Read.All
        • https://analysis.windows.net/powerbi/api/Dataset.ReadWrite.All
   8. Press Generate Token button to generate Access and Refresh Tokens.
   9. Click Test Connection to confirm the connection is working.
   10. Optional step. Choose Default Workspace from the drop down menu.
   11. Choose Default Dataset from the drop down menu.
   12. Done! Now you are ready to use the API Connector!

   Fill in all required parameters and set optional parameters if needed:

   PowerBiDSN

   Power BI

   User Credentials [OAuth]

   https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg

   Required Parameters
   Authorization URL	Fill-in the parameter...
   Token URL	Fill-in the parameter...
   Client ID	Fill-in the parameter...
   Scope	Fill-in the parameter...
   Default Dataset (select after generating tokens)	Fill-in the parameter...
   Optional Parameters
   Client Secret
   Redirect URI (must match App Redirect URI)
   Default Workspace (Keep Empty for My Workspace - select after generating tokens)
   RetryMode	RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
   RetryStatusCodeList	429|503
   RetryCountMax	20
   RetryWaitTimeMs	1000
   RetryMultiplyWaitTime	True
   Login options

   

7. Once the data source has been configured, you can preview data. Select the Preview tab and use settings similar to the following to preview data:
   

8. Click OK to finish creating the data source.

Reading data from client application

1. Firstly, to get data from ODBC data source based on ZappySys ODBC driver, in your client application, you would need to connect to ODBC source and then from the list select the data source.

2. Finally, to read the data just read tables/views in your app or enter a SQL statement to extract data, e.g.:

   SELECT * FROM Datasets

Power BI Connector Examples

The ZappySys API Driver is a user-friendly interface designed to facilitate the seamless integration of various applications with the Power BI API. With its intuitive design and robust functionality, the ZappySys API Driver simplifies the process of configuring specific API endpoints to efficiently read or write data from Power BI.

Click here to find more Power BI Connector examples designed for seamless integration with the ZappySys API ODBC Driver under ODBC Data Source (36/64) or ZappySys Data Gateway, enhancing your ability to connect and interact with Prebuilt Connectors effectively.

Consume Data inside your App / Programming Language

ODBC inside ETL / Reporting / BI Tools

• Power BI
• Tableau
• Excel
• Informatica PowerCenter
• QlikView
• SQL Server / Linked Server
• SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services)

ODBC inside Programming Languages

• C# (CSharp)
• JAVA
• PHP
• PowerShell
• Python
• T-SQL / SQL Server Linked Server

Key features of the ZappySys API Driver include:

The API ODBC driver facilitates the reading and writing of data from numerous popular online services (refer to the complete list here) using familiar SQL language without learning complexity of REST API calls. The driver allows querying nested structure and output as a flat table. You can also create your own ODBC / Data Gateway API connector file and use it with this driver.

1. Intuitive Configuration: The interface is designed to be user-friendly, enabling users to easily set up the specific API endpoints within Power BI without requiring extensive technical expertise or programming knowledge.

2. Customizable Endpoint Setup: Users can conveniently configure the API endpoint settings, including the HTTP request method, endpoint URL, and any necessary parameters, to precisely target the desired data within Power BI.

3. Data Manipulation Capabilities: The ZappySys API Driver allows for seamless data retrieval and writing, enabling users to fetch data from Power BI and perform various data manipulation operations as needed, all through an intuitive and straightforward interface.

4. Secure Authentication Integration: The driver provides secure authentication integration, allowing users to securely connect to the Power BI API by inputting the necessary authentication credentials, such as API tokens or other authentication keys.

5. Error Handling Support: The interface is equipped with comprehensive error handling support, ensuring that any errors or exceptions encountered during the data retrieval or writing process are efficiently managed and appropriately communicated to users for prompt resolution.

6. Data Visualization and Reporting: The ZappySys API Driver facilitates the seamless processing and presentation of the retrieved data from Power BI, enabling users to generate comprehensive reports and visualizations for further analysis and decision-making purposes.

Overall, the ZappySys API Driver serves as a powerful tool for streamlining the integration of applications with Power BI, providing users with a convenient and efficient way to access and manage data, all through a user-friendly and intuitive interface.