Automating Power BI
Creations
Angel Abundez
VP Business Intelligence, DesignMind
Agenda
• What is Power BI? (v1 and v2)
• Data Refresh in Power BI for Office 365 (v1)
• Data Refresh in Power BI Public Preview (v2)
• Automate anywhere with Power Update
For more info on building your self-service platform with SharePoint
On-Premise, download my PASS Summit 2014 session:
http://www.sqlpass.org/summit/2014/Sessions/Details.aspx?sid=6465
Excel 2013 Power BI (v1)
• Data formatter (ETL)
• Import from Web, Flat
Files, Database, or SaaS
• Extensible with M query
language
• Import, Model and
Analyze data with high
performance
• Create new Fields and
Metrics w/ Excel-like
formulas (DAX)
• Join Excel data with SQL
Power
Query
Power
Pivot
• Interactive Data
Visualization
• Scatter Plots
• Maps
• Free form dashboard
design
• 3D rendered Map
imaging
• Record time-lapse videos
of how data changes in
geographies
Power
View
Power
Map
Power BI Designer (v2)
(Power Query/Power Pivot)
(Power View)
Power BI Creation Complete
• Prepared the data
• Made it understandable
• Used the latest tools
Data Analyst Production Cycle
Design
Validate
Update
Data Analyst Production Cycle
We’ll be focusing on this end of the Cycle
in this session
Design
Validate
Update
Typical End User Requests post-report dev
• How do I access this report?
• How often will it be refreshed?
• What do I need on my machine to access this report?
• Does it need to run on a server?
• How long is it gonna take for IT to help me automate this?
Refreshing Data in Power BI v1
1. Setup Data Management Gateway and Data Source(s) in Power BI
Admin Center
2. Use published OData Feeds in Power Query
Data Management Gateway in Office 365
Reference: http://www.sqlchick.com/entries/2014/4/29/data-source-connectivity-forscheduled-data-refresh-in-power-bi
Data Management Gateway in Office 365
Tips in Power BI v1:
1. Unless IT publishes Odata feeds
from your Source, use Power
Pivot, not Power Query
2. Match the Data Provider between
PowerPivot and the Office 365
Data Source
Data Management Gateway
PROS
CONS
• Governance
• Windows Service
• Encryption
• Security
• Requires Office365 Power BI
Tenant
• Limited Data Sources
• Restrictions on Columns
• Limited Power Query & Custom
SQL support
• Refresh once a day maximum
• File size 250 MB Max
Power BI for Office 365 Demo
Setup Data Source in Power BI for Office 365
Refresh Data in Power BI v2 (in Preview)
1. Power BI Analysis Services Connector
2. OneDrive
3. Power Update (coming soon)
Power BI SSAS Connector
• For Power BI v2
• Real-time connectivity to onpremise Tabular Models, not
Multidimensional
• Cannot run the SSAS Connector
and the DMG on the same
computer
• Credentials are based on a single
refresh account, not by logged in
user.
Reference: http://sqlmag.com/sql-server/how-configure-power-bi-preview-premise-analysis-services-data-sources
One Drive
• Store and update data on One Drive for Personal or Business
• Data is refreshed from One Drive every hour
• Requires use of Excel tables (Cntl-T)
Reference: http://support.powerbi.com/knowledgebase/articles/471009-excel-data-stored-in-onedrive-for-business
Power BI Public Preview Demo
Create a Power BI Dashboard from One Drive
Power Update
• Client Tool that refreshes any Power BI Creations
• Refresh on File Servers, SharePoint on-premise, SharePoint Online
Power Update
Reference: http://www.powerpivotpro.com/2015/02/introducing-power-update/
Power Update
Reference: http://www.powerpivotpro.com/2015/02/introducing-power-update/
Power Update
Reference: http://www.powerpivotpro.com/2015/02/introducing-power-update/
Power Update
Reference: http://www.powerpivotpro.com/2015/02/introducing-power-update/
Power Update
Reference: http://www.powerpivotpro.com/2015/02/introducing-power-update/
Power Update
Reference: http://www.powerpivotpro.com/2015/02/introducing-power-update/
Power Update Additional Features
• Email Notifications
• Timestamp Workbooks
• Power SQL Update Add-In
This changes everything
DOUBLE CUP!!!!
Power Update Demo
Refresh Power BI workbook calling Custom SQL
Refresh Power BI workbook pulling data from CHP Website
Refresh SalesForce data in SQL Server using Power SQL Update Add-In
Recap
• Power BI in Excel
• Power BI Designer
• Data Refresh with Data Management Gateway and Power Pivot
workbooks
• Data Refresh with the new Power BI Public Preview
• Power Update