How to configure a PowerBI Datasource in version 3.6 and higher?

How to configure a PowerBI Datasource in version 3.6 and higher?

FIRST CREATED ON 22 Jul 2025  I  AUTHOR Emma Camacho


CONNECTION STRING
AuthScheme=AzureServicePrincipal; AzureTenant=<tenant id>; OAuthClientId=<client id>; OAuthClientSecret=<secret>; Catalog=<workspace>_<semantic model>

Steps to get the following items: <tenant id> <client id> <secret>
1) Add a new registration in portal.azure.com: App registrations - Microsoft Azure


2) In the App Overview, note the Application (client) ID as <client id> and Directory (tenant) ID as <tenant id>. In this example, the name of the App is PowerBI 3.6


3) Create a secret


4) Note the Value as it will be available just once. This is the item <secret>.

Steps to Enable Service principals to call Fabric public APIs

2) Browse to Tenant settings > Developer settings > Service principals can call Fabric public APIs and set to Enabled



Steps to find the item <workspace> and <semantic model> and to grant access to the previously created App.
1) Log in to https://app.powerbi.com. 

2) From the list of Workspaces/Semantic Models, set the item <workspace>_<semantic model> to the one M&D should connect to. Create a M&D Datasource for each Semantic Model, if M&D should connect to more Workspaces/Semantic Models.



In the example <workspace> is M&D version 3.6 Demo and the <semantic model> is Competitive Marketing Analysis.

3) In the Workspace(s), press Manage Access


4) Press +Add people or groups

5) Find the name of the App previously created, in this example, the name of the App is PowerBI 3.6 and it add as a Member.


The CONNECTION STRING looks like this in this example:
AuthScheme=AzureServicePrincipal; AzureTenant=xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx; OAuthClientId=zzzzz-zzzzz-zzzzzz-zzzzz; OAuthClientSecret=ABC~ABC-1234-1234-1234; Catalog=M&D version 3.6 Demo_Competitive Marketing Analysis