Power BI Report Server

Power BI Report Server is a server-based reporting platform that enables the creation, management, and delivery of a wide range of reports to different audiences. Power BI Report Server allows users to create interactive, tabular, graphical, or free-form reports from various data sources, including SQL Server databases, Analysis Services, and other relational or multidimensional data sources.

Cataloging and documenting Power BI Report Server

Report catalog

Dataedo imports and catalogs reports from Power BI Report Server:

Datasets

Dataedo imports and catalogs datasets with their queries from Power BI Report Server. The datasets are imported specifically for Paginated Reports. Currently, importing datasets for Power BI Reports is not supported:

Data Lineage

Dataedo will identify and create data lineage on a column level from Paginated Report Datasets to Paginated Reports always for embedded and shared datasets. Lineage from Datasources to Paginated Report Datasets will be created if:

• Datasource is SQL Server/Azure SQL/Azure Synapse Analytics

• Parsing of SQL query in dataset succeeds

Limitations

Lineage is created only for objects of Paginated Reports type, for objects of Power BI type lineage is not created.

Connection requirements

To connect to a Power BI Report Server, you need access to the ReportService2010.asmx web service (usually located at https://your_power_bi_report_server_address/ReportServer/ReportService2010.asmx).

Required privileges:

• at least the Browser Role on the Power BI Report Server Home folder

• at least the Browser Role and the Content Manager Role on Reports and Datasets

Importing Metadata in Dataedo Portal

Entry point

To start the Metadata Import flow, make sure you have the Connection Manager role.
Then navigate to:

Connections → Add new connection → Power BI Report Server

This will open the import wizard described in the following steps.

Step 1. Connection details

Provide the name of Connection, the required connection details, and an optional description.

info

A Connection in Dataedo represents a saved configuration for accessing a data source.
It can be reused for future imports and scheduling.

Step 2. Credentials

Choose credentials from the list of existing ones available for the selected connector, or add new credentials.

Step 3. Objects to import

For each selected database, you can refine which objects to import:

• Select schemas and object types (tables, views, procedures, etc.).

Step 4. Schedule

Configure scheduling options for each source individually:

• Define tasks you want to schedule (Metadata Import).
• Run daily, on selected weekdays, or on specific days of the month.
• Choose an exact time of execution.
• Task state:
  • Active – the task will run as scheduled.
  • Draft – the task is saved but not executed until switched to Active.
• Run immediately – when checked, the task will also be executed right after clicking Create connection.

useful tip

Only one source in a metadata import can have Run immediately selected.

caution

You must configure at least one import task in the schedule section.
If you skip this, an empty database will be created and no metadata will be imported.

Importing Metadata in Dataedo Desktop

Power BI Report Server web service URL

To get Report Server URL and Web Portal URL you can check them in Report Server Configuration Manager

Connecting in Dataedo

To connect to Power BI Report Server create new documentation by clicking Add documentation and choosing New connection.

On the connection screen choose Power BI Report Server.

Provide connection details

• Report Server Web Service URL - provide an address where ReportService2010.asmx web service is located. E.g. https://your_power_bi_report_server_address/ReportServer.

• Web Portal URL - An address of Power BI Report Server web portal. E.g. https://your_power_bi_report_server_address/Reports.

• Authentication - choose Windows Authentication or Standard Authentication

• User and password - if you chose Standard Authentication provide your username and password

Saving password

You can save the password for later connections by checking the Save password option. Passwords are saved in the repository database.

Importing objects

When the connection is successful Dataedo will read objects and show a list of objects found. You can choose which objects to import. You can also use advanced filter to narrow down the list of objects.

Confirm the list of objects to import by clicking Next.

The next screen will allow you to change the default name of the documentation under which your schema will be visible in the Dataedo repository.

Click Import to start the import.

When done close the import window with the Finish button.

Your Power BI Report Server has been imported to new documentation in the repository.

Importing changes

To sync any changes in the schema in Power BI Report Server and reimport any technical metadata simply choose the Import changes option. You will be asked to connect to Power BI Report Server again and changes will be synced from the source.

Scheduling imports

You can also schedule metadata updates using command line files. To do it, after creating documentation use the Save update command option. The downloaded file can be run in the command line, which will reimport changes to your documentation.

Limitations

• When using Dataedo Agent on Linux, only Standard Authentication is supported. Windows Authentication is not supported. Connecting requires a Power BI Report Server that accepts Basic Authentication.

Specification

Imported metadata

	Imported	Editable
Power BI Reports	✅	✅
Report Description	✅	✅
Script
Columns	✅	✅
Datatypes	✅
Nullability
Column comments		✅
Power BI Report Datasets (currently unavailable)
Paginated Reports	✅	✅
Report Description	✅	✅
Script
Columns	✅	✅
Datatypes	✅
Nullability
Column comments		✅
Paginated Report Datasets	✅	✅
Dataset Description	✅	✅
Script	✅
Columns	✅	✅
Datatypes	✅
Nullability
Column comments		✅

Supported features

Feature	Imported
Import comments	✅
Write comments back
Data profiling
Reference data (import lookups)
Importing from DDL
Generating DDL
FK relationship tester

Data Lineage

Source	Method
Paginated Report Datasets - object level	From SQL Parsing
Paginated Report Datasets - column level	From SQL Parsing
Paginated Reports - object level	From XML Parsing
Paginated Reports - column level	From XML Parsing