Power BI

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Overview

• Tables (with Columns)
• Reports (with Fields)
• Dashboards

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Choose your authentication method

• Delegated auth uses your user’s identity, is tied to your account and permissions, also requiring you to be a Power Platform Administrator;
• Service Principal is an independent application identity that doesn’t depend on any user, but can be a bit more complicated to setup.

• Delegated (User OAuth)
• Service Principal

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Set up the integration

1

Open Microsoft 365 admin center

Navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center -> Active users and choose the user that Datafold will authenticate under.

As highlighted in the screenshot above, this user should have the Power Platform Administrator role assigned to it.

2

If the role is missing, assign it

Click Manage roles, enable the Power Platform Administrator role, and save changes.

3

Configure Power BI API

Navigate to Power BI Admin Portal and enable the following two settings:

• Enhance admin APIs responses with detailed metadata
• Enhance admin APIs responses with DAX and mashup expressions

4

Create Power BI integration in Datafold

In the Datafold app, navigate to Settings -> BI & Data Apps, and click + Add new integration. Choose Power BI from the list.

5

Fill in the name for your new integration

…and then Save.

On clicking Save, the system will redirect you to Power BI.

6

Sign in to Power BI

…if not already signed in.

7

Grant permissions to Datafold

Allow the Datafold integration to use Power BI. Depending on the roles configured for your user in the Admin center, you may require a confirmation from a Global Administrator. Follow the steps in the wizard.

8

Integration is ready

You will be redirected back to Datafold and see a message that Power BI is successfully connected.

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Set up the integration

1

Create a Microsoft Entra ID App Registration

1. Go to Microsoft Entra admin center - New Registration
2. Configure the application:
   • Name: Datafold Power BI Integration (or similar)
   • Supported account types: “Accounts in this organizational directory only”
   • Redirect URI: Leave blank (not needed for Service Principal)

3. Click Register
4. Note the Application (client) ID and Directory (tenant) ID from the Overview page

2

Create a Client Secret

1. In the App Registration, go to Certificates & secrets
2. Click New client secret
3. Add a description (e.g., “Datafold integration”) and choose an expiration period
4. Click Add

5. Important: Copy the secret Value immediately—it won’t be shown again

3

Create a Security Group

1. Go to Microsoft Entra admin center - Groups
2. Click New group
3. Configure:
   • Group type: Security
   • Group name: Power BI Service Principals (or similar)
   • Group description: “Service principals allowed to access Power BI APIs”
   • Membership type: Assigned
4. In the Members section, click Add members
5. Search for and add your App Registration (by name or Client ID)

6. Click Create

4

Configure Power BI Admin Portal

1. Go to Power BI Admin Portal
2. Navigate to Tenant settings
3. Enable these settings and apply them to your security group (or to the whole organization, as you see fit):

• Allow service principals to use Power BI APIs
• Allow service principals to use read-only admin APIs
• Enhance admin APIs responses with detailed metadata
• Enhance admin APIs responses with DAX and mashup expressions

5

Grant Workspace Access

You must explicitly grant access to each workspace you want Datafold to sync:

1. Open the Power BI workspace you want to sync
2. Click Access (or the gear icon -> Manage access)

3. Add your App Registration as an Admin or Member
4. Repeat for each workspace you want Datafold to access

6

Configure Datafold

1. Go to Datafold -> Settings -> BI & Data Apps
2. Click + Add new integration -> Power BI
3. Select Service Principal as the authentication type
4. Enter the credentials:
   • Client ID: The Application (client) ID from Step 1
   • Client Secret: The secret value from Step 2
   • Tenant ID: The Directory (tenant) ID from Step 1

5. Click Save

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Verify the integration

1

Power BI integration needs some time to sync

You can check out Jobs -> BI & Data Apps for the status of the sync job.

See Tracking Jobs for more details.

2

Power BI entities are now searchable

When the sync is complete, you will see Power BI entities in Data Explorer.

3

Lineage is now available

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