What are Power BI Data Source Credentials?
Power BI data source credentials refer to the authentication information required to establish a connection between Power BI and various data sources. This information includes usernames, passwords, API keys, or other forms of access credentials that allow Power BI to retrieve and refresh data from different sources such as databases, web services, or files.
When you connect to data sources in Power BI, you often have to provide credentials to access and retrieve data from those sources. Data source credentials are the authentication information and permissions required to establish a connection between Power BI and the data source. These credentials ensure that only authorized users can access the data.
There are different types of Power BI data source credentials you can use depending on what kind of data source you are trying to connect to. Broadly, it includes:
- Windows Credentials
- Database Credentials
- OAuth 2.0
- APIs
- Basic Authentication
- Anonymous
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- Power BI data source credentials are necessary for connecting to and retrieving data from various sources.
- Ensure you have the required permissions and access to manage data source credentials.
- You can enable, update, and manage data source credentials in both Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service.
- Always follow best practices for data security and credential management when using Power BI.
Pre-requisites
Before you can manage data source credentials in Power BI, you should ensure the following:
- You have a Power BI account and access to the data source.
- Your Power BI Desktop or Power BI Service is up to date.
- You have the necessary permissions to manage data source credentials.
- You have installed and configured a Power BI gateway if you are connecting to an on-premises data source.
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How do I enable data source credentials in Power BI?
To enable data source credentials in Power BI, follow the general steps outlined below:
Enable Data Source credentials in Power BI Desktop:
Step 1: Open your Power BI Desktop and navigate to the Power Query Editor
Step 2: Connect to your data source (e.g., a database or web service) in Power Query Editor.
Step 3: Enter the URL details in the From Web screen for the Web data source and click on OK.
Step 4: During the connection process, you will be prompted to enter credentials. Provide the required information (e.g., username and password) for basic authentication, and then click on Connect.
You can choose from the available accessibility such as Anonymous, Windows authentication, Basic, Web API, or Organizational account. Depending on what you choose, you will be prompted to enter the credentials as applicable for the selected option.
For example, if you choose Web API, you are required to provide an API Key.
Similarly, for Windows, you can either use your current credentials or use any alternative credentials for authentication.
Step 5: You may also have the option to select the privacy level for the data source.
Enable Data Source credentials in Power BI Service
Step 1: Log into Power BI Service using your credentials
Step 2: Click on the Settings icon on the Home screen and choose the Manage connections and gateways option.
It will open a Data (preview) screen as highlighted below.
Step 3: In the Data (preview) screen, select a data file and click on Settings under My workspace.
Step 4: Provide the required details, including Authentication method, Privacy level, etc., and then click on Save.
Note that Power BI Data Source Credentials OAuth2 is a commonly used authentication method for various data sources, especially when connecting to cloud-based services (e.g., Microsoft 365, Google, etc.). When setting up your data source in Power BI, you can choose OAuth2 OAuth2 as the authentication method, and you will typically need to follow a specific OAuth2 flow to authorize Power BI to access your data.
How to update Power BI Data Source Credentials?
To update data source credentials in Power BI, you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Power BI Desktop
Step 2:
- Navigate to the Fields pane.
- Right-click on the dataset for which you want to update the Power BI Data Credentials.
- Choose Edit Query from the menu.
It will open a Power Query Editor window.
Step 3: In the Power Query Editor window, choose the Query for which you want to update the data source credentials and then click on Data source settings.
Step 4: In the Data source settings, choose Global permissions, select the file for which you want to update the Power BI Data Source Credentials, and then click on Edit Permissions.
Step 5: In the Edit Permissions screen, click on Edit and specify the Privacy Level.
Step 6: Provide the credentials depending on the access option you choose, and then click on Save to store the credentials.
Following the above steps will ensure that you have updated your Power BI Data Source Credentials.
Note in specific scenarios, you may observe that it is not working, which could be due to several factors such as providing an inaccurate username and password for your dataset, provision of any multifactor authentication process for your dataset, or usage of correct URL, etc. Ensure that you go through the error messages in Power BI, and if needed, follow Microsoft documentation for any additional references.
How to manage/edit Power BI data source credentials?
You can manage and edit data source credentials in Power BI by following the steps below:
Step 1: Open the Power BI Desktop.
Step 2: Navigate to the Fields pane, right-click on the dataset for which you want to update the Power BI Data Source Credentials, and then choose Edit Query from the menu. This will open a Power Query Editor window.
Step 3: In the Power Query Editor window, choose the Query for which you want to update the data source credentials and then click on Data source settings.
Step 4: In the Data source settings, choose Global permissions, select the file, and then click on Edit Permissions.
Step 5: In the Edit Permissions screen, click on Edit and specify the Privacy Level.
Step 6: Provide the credentials depending on the access option you choose, and then click on Save to store the credentials.
Following the above steps will ensure that you can edit your source Credentials
Step 7: Similarly, you can also delete any existing data source credentials in the Edit Permissions screen by clicking on the Delete button. It will remove any existing credentials for your existing data sources.
Note if you are facing issues with Power BI Data Source Credentials missing, you must check the data source setting in Power BI Validate that you have provided the necessary credentials as per the accessibility option you have chosen.
Important Things to Note
- Always use secure and appropriate credentials when connecting to data sources.
- Be mindful of credential expiration and password policies to ensure data source connections remain valid.
- In Power BI Service, data source credentials can also be managed, allowing centralized control and updates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
In Power BI, data source credentials can be disabled or greyed out for a number of different reasons.
• Some data sources, like publicly available web services or publicly shared files, don’t require credentials. In such cases, the credentials option will be disabled by default.
• If your data source requires Windows authentication, you have to make sure you are signed in to your Windows account. Power BI will use your Windows credentials to connect.
• Some data sources may not support storing credentials.
• Ensure that you have the necessary permissions to access the data source. If you don’t have the proper permissions, the credentials option may be disabled.
• Incorrect server addresses or database names can lead to disabled credentials.
• Certain old versions of Power BI may result in greying out of Power BI data source credentials.
• Ensure Correct Data Source Selection:
• Make sure you have selected the appropriate data source in Power BI and that the data source you’re trying to connect to supports credentials.
• Check Windows Credentials:
• If Windows authentication is required, ensure you are logged into Windows using the correct credentials.
• Permission Management:
• Verify your permissions for the data source and make sure you have the necessary access rights.
• Update Connection Information:
• Double-check the connection details and server settings to ensure they are accurate.
• Power BI Update:
• Ensure you are using the updated version of Power BI. You can navigate to File – Options and settings – Options – Updates – Update Notifications to receive notifications on latest versions of Power BI and install updates
To delete data source credentials in Power BI, follow the instructions outlined below:
• Open your Power BI file and load the underlying dataset using the Get data option in the Home tab
• Navigate to the Fields pane, right-click on the dataset, and choose the Edit query option from the menu.
This will open a Power Query Editor window.
• In the Queries pane on the left navigation of the Power Query Editor, you’ll see a list of queries. Select the query that corresponds to your data source.
• In the Home tab of the Power Query Editor, click on Data source settings.
• Select the Global permissions option, choose the data source for which you want to delete the credentials, and then click on Edit Permissions…
• Choose the Delete option in the Edit Permissions screen and then click on OK.
• A Delete Permission confirmation window will be displayed for your approval to proceed with the deletion. Select OK.
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