Overview

Azure Analysis Services provides a powerful semantic modeling layer for your business data. This documentation guides you through connecting various Business Intelligence (BI) tools to your Azure Analysis Services models, enabling rich data exploration and interactive reporting.

Connecting BI tools allows users to leverage the performance and scalability of Analysis Services, offering faster query responses and a consistent view of business metrics across the organization.

Supported BI Tools

Azure Analysis Services is designed to work seamlessly with a wide range of popular BI tools. The following table lists some of the most common tools and provides links to specific connection guides:

Power BI Logo

Power BI

The premier visualization tool for Azure Analysis Services.

Excel Logo

Microsoft Excel

Connect using Power Pivot and the Analysis Services data connector.

Tableau Logo

Tableau

Leverage Tableau's powerful analytics with Analysis Services.

TabPy Logo

TabPy

For Python integration and advanced analytics.

QlikView Logo

QlikView/Qlik Sense

Connect to your Analysis Services models from Qlik platforms.

Connecting with Power BI

Power BI offers the most integrated experience with Azure Analysis Services. You can connect in two primary ways:

Live Connection

This method connects directly to your Azure Analysis Services model. Data is not imported into Power BI, ensuring you always see the most up-to-date information directly from the source. This is the recommended approach for most scenarios.

To connect:

  1. Open Power BI Desktop.
  2. Click Get data.
  3. Select Azure Analysis Services.
  4. Enter the server name of your Azure Analysis Services instance (e.g., your-server-name.windows.net).
  5. Choose the Connect live option.
  6. Select your desired table or view from the Navigator.

Import Mode

While less common for Analysis Services, you can also import data into Power BI. This is useful for smaller datasets or when you need to combine Analysis Services data with other sources within Power BI.

When connecting using the Azure Analysis Services connector, select the Import option.

For detailed steps and best practices, refer to the Power BI Documentation on Azure Analysis Services.

Connecting with Excel

Microsoft Excel can connect to Azure Analysis Services using Power Pivot or the built-in Analysis Services data connector.

Using Power Pivot

  1. In Excel, go to the Power Pivot tab.
  2. Click Manage.
  3. In the Power Pivot window, go to the Home tab and click Get External Data.
  4. Select From Other Sources, then Analysis Services.
  5. Enter the server name.
  6. Provide credentials if prompted.
  7. Select your desired tables and relationships.

Using the Data Connector

  1. In Excel, go to the Data tab.
  2. Click Get Data > From Azure > From Azure Analysis Services.
  3. Enter the server name and optionally, the database name.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Choose your connection mode (Live Connection is recommended).
  6. Select your tables in the Navigator.

See Connecting Excel to Azure Analysis Services for more information.

Connecting with TabPy

TabPy (Tableau Python Server) allows you to run Python scripts within Tableau. You can connect Azure Analysis Services data to TabPy for advanced data manipulation and machine learning.

First, ensure TabPy is installed and configured. Then, within Tableau:

  1. Connect to your Azure Analysis Services data source.
  2. In the Data pane, under the Analysis menu, select Create Calculated Field.
  3. Use the SCRIPT_REAL, SCRIPT_STR, etc. functions to call TabPy.

Example of a Python script call (within Tableau's calculated field):

SCRIPT_STR("import pandas as pd\nreturn pd.DataFrame({'col1': [1, 2, 3]})", "argument_for_python")

For in-depth integration, consult the TabPy documentation and Azure Analysis Services integration guides.

Troubleshooting Common Connection Issues

Here are solutions to some common problems you might encounter:

Firewall and Network Issues

  • Ensure that your Azure Analysis Services firewall is configured to allow connections from your IP address or virtual network.
  • Check if any on-premises firewalls or VPNs are blocking access to the Analysis Services endpoint.

Authentication Errors

  • Verify that the credentials you are using are correct and have the necessary permissions on the Azure Analysis Services server.
  • If using Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), ensure the user or service principal is properly configured.
  • For client tools like Excel, ensure you're using the correct authentication method (e.g., Azure AD integrated).

Incorrect Server Name

  • Double-check the server name. It typically follows the format your-server-name.windows.net.
  • Ensure there are no typos or extra spaces.

If you continue to face issues, please refer to the Azure Analysis Services troubleshooting guide.