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Connect Your Data to Power BI Desktop

You can connect one or more of your Helm CONNECT reports to Power BI Desktop. Once you've established the connection, you can refresh Power BI Desktop to reload the latest data from Helm CONNECT.

The sections below describe two ways to connect your data to Power BI Desktop: using HTTP headers or using Web API. Use the method that works best for you; however, if you intend to share your Power BI Desktop report, keep in mind that the HTTP headers method stores your API key in the report.

If you have any questions or aren't sure which method to use, please reach out to your account manager.

Prerequisites

Before you connect your report to Power BI Desktop, please review the following prerequisites:

  • Each report has a unique CSV connection string. You must retrieve a separate connection string for each report you want to connect. For more about retrieving CSV connection strings, see Connect Your Data to Other Tools.
  • You need your Helm CONNECT API key. For more about managing API keys, see Connect Your Data to Other Tools.

Use HTTP Headers to Connect Your Data

To connect your data using HTTP headers

  1. To display the From Web window, click the Home tab, then select Get Data > Web.
  2. Select Advanced, then enter the following information:
    1. Under URL parts, in the first field, enter the CSV connection string for your Helm CONNECT report.
    2. Under HTTP request header parameters (optional), in the field on the left, type Api-Key.
    3. Under HTTP request header parameters (optional), in the field on the right, enter your Helm CONNECT API key.

  3. Click Done to display a preview of the Helm CONNECT data you're connecting to your Power BI Desktop report.
  4. Click Load to load your data.
  5. (Optional) To connect more Helm CONNECT data to this Power BI report, on the Home tab, select New Source > Blank Query. In the Advanced Editor, repeat the steps above to enter a new query, using the unique CSV connection string for the new Helm CONNECT report.

Use Web API to Connect Your Data

To connect your data using Web API

  1. To display the Query Editor, click the Home tab, then select Get Data > Blank Query.
  2. Click Advanced Editor.
  3. In the Advanced Editor, enter the following query:

     

    let

    Source = Csv.Document(Web.Contents("Put Helm CONNECT CSV Connection String Here", [ApiKeyName= "apikey"]),[Delimiter=",", Encoding=65001, QuoteStyle=QuoteStyle.Csv]),

    #"Promoted Headers" = Table.PromoteHeaders(Source)

    in

    #"Promoted Headers"

     

  4. In the query, replace Put Helm CONNECT CSV Connection String Here with the CSV connection string for your Helm CONNECT report.
  5. Click Done to display a preview of the Helm CONNECT data you're connecting to your Power BI Desktop report.
  6. If this is your first time connecting Helm CONNECT data to Power BI Desktop, you'll see a warning that your credentials are invalid. To provide your Helm CONNECT credentials in the form of an API key, follow these steps:
    1. In the warning message, click Edit Credentials to display the Access Web Content window.
    2. Click Web API.
    3. In the Key field, enter your Helm CONNECT API key.
    4. Click Connect.
  7. (Optional) To connect more Helm CONNECT data to this Power BI report, on the Home tab, select New Source > Blank Query. In the Advanced Editor, repeat the steps above to enter a new query, using the unique CSV connection string for the new Helm CONNECT report.

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