Integration with other data sources and Power BI Mobile
Connecting Power BI with SQL server & Power bi Mobile Apps
In this section of our Power BI course, you’ll learn how to connect Power BI to an SQL Server and explore the Power BI Mobile Apps to access your reports on the go.
1. Connecting Power BI with SQL Server
• What is SQL Server?
SQL Server is a database management system used to store and manage data. Connecting Power BI to SQL Server allows you to visualize and
analyze the data stored in your SQL databases.
• You can refer to this link for the SQL installation process.
https://iqratechnology.com/academy/sql-training/sql-installing-ssms/
• How to Connect Power BI to SQL Server:
1. Open Power BI Desktop. Choose SQL Server from the list.
2. Enter the Server Name and Database Name.
3. Choose the Data Connectivity mode:
• Import: In Import Mode, Power BI pulls (imports) data from the SQL Server database and stores it in the Power BI file (.pbix).
o This means all data resides within Power BI, making it faster to work with.
When to Use Import Mode:
• When the data doesn’t change frequently.
• If your SQL Server is large but you only need a subset of data.
• For faster performance when creating reports.
• DirectQuery: In DirectQuery Mode, Power BI doesn’t store data in its file. Instead, it directly queries the SQL Server every time you interact with the
report. The data is always live, and you see the most up-to-date information.
When to Use DirectQuery Mode:
• When your data changes frequently (real-time data).
• If your SQL Server database is very large and importing data is impractical.
• When you need the data to be synced without manual refresh.
4. Click OK, and then select the tables you want to use. Click Load to bring the data into Power BI.
• Why Connect to SQL Server?
Connecting to SQL Server allows you to work with large datasets directly from your database, ensuring your reports are always up-to-date.
• If you done any changes in SQL database, click the refresh button in home to get the most recent and updated data.
2. Power BI Mobile Apps
• What is Power BI Mobile App?
The Power BI Mobile App lets you access and interact with your Power BI reports and dashboards on your mobile device, anytime and anywhere.
• How to Use Power BI Mobile App:
1. Download the Power BI Mobile App from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
2. Open the app and sign in with your Power BI account.
3. Browse your reports and dashboards that have been published to the Power BI Service.
4. Interact with your data: View charts, apply filters, and drill down into details, just like on your computer.
• Why Use Power BI Mobile App?
It allows you to stay connected to your data and insights even when you are away from your desk, making it easy to make data-driven decisions on the go.
Course Video
Power BI connects to various data sources, including Excel files, SQL Server databases, cloud services like Google Analytics, and many others.
Use the “Get Data” feature in Power BI Desktop to connect to different sources, then utilize Power Query to clean and transform the data as needed.
Power BI Mobile is an application that allows users to access and interact with Power BI reports and dashboards on mobile devices, supporting iOS, Android, and Windows platforms.
Features include viewing and interacting with reports and dashboards, setting data alerts, annotating reports, and sharing insights directly from your mobile device.
Yes, you can access on-premises data stored in SQL Server or other sources through Power BI Mobile, provided the necessary configurations are in place.
Yes, Power BI Mobile allows users to download reports and dashboards for offline viewing, enabling access to critical data without an internet connection.
