How to Connect Power BI to Data Sources
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GVT Academy Power BI Course |
Step-by-Step Guide to
Connecting Various Data Sources Like Excel, SQL Server, and Web APIs
Microsoft Power BI is among the most popular tools for data
visualization and business intelligence. To utilize its complete features, one
should know how to connect Power BI with the many available data sources. At GVT
Academy, we would teach you how to connect and use Power BI tools
effectively, making the most of their implementation in this course. This
article teaches you step-by-step on how to connect Power BI to some of the most
common data sources like Excel, an SQL server, and web API.
1.
Connecting Power BI to Excel
Excel is one of the most
frequently used data sources in business settings. Here’s how to link your
Power BI dashboard to an Excel file:
- Launch
Power BI Desktop: Open the Power BI Desktop
application.
- Select the Data Source:
Click on Home > Get Data > Excel Workbook.
- Browse Your File: Navigate
to the location of your Excel file and select it.
- Load
or Transform Data: After the file loads, a
Navigator pane will appear. Choose the specific sheets or tables you want
to use. You can click Load to directly import or Transform Data
to clean and shape it using Power Query Editor.
2.
Connecting Power BI to SQL Server
For larger datasets, SQL
Server is often the preferred data source. Follow these steps to connect Power
BI to SQL Server:
- Click on
Get Data: Go to Home > Get Data
> SQL Server.
- Enter the Server Details:
Input the server name and database name. If you’re unsure, ask your
database administrator.
- Authentication Method: Choose
the authentication type (Windows or SQL Server). Enter your credentials if
required.
- Select
the Data: Once connected, the Navigator
window will display available tables and views. Select the required ones
and click Load or Transform Data.
Tip: Power BI supports Direct Query, which allows real-time data
fetching from SQL Server for up-to-date dashboards.
3.
Connecting Power BI to Web APIs
Web APIs are becoming an
increasingly common data source for businesses relying on online services.
Here’s how you can connect:
- Go to Get
Data: In the Home tab, select Get Data > Web.
- Enter the API URL: Provide
the API endpoint (URL). Make sure you have the required API key or token
for authentication.
- Choose the Access Level:
Depending on the API, you might need to select between anonymous, basic,
or organizational account access.
- Load
Data: Power BI will fetch the data, and you can use Power
Query to clean and transform it for visualization.
Tip: Use JSON format data and tools like Postman to test API
endpoints before connecting them to Power BI.
Why
Learn Power BI at GVT Academy?
The Power BI program
offered by GVT Academy comprises everything, such as connecting a data source
to transforming, modeling, and reporting in an effective way for organization
performance. Knowing these skills will help create dynamic dashboards and gain
insights that can be put into action for the organization.
Conclusion
It is connecting Power
BI to various data sources such as Excel, SQL Server, and web APIs. This is a
key skill for anyone who wants to work with data, whether they are just
starting or trying to improve their knowledge. Knowing how to connect these
data sources enables you to create powerful visualization.
Enroll right now into the GVT
Academy Power BI course and become a master in data visualization to
achieve new career heights!
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