Creating a Tabular Model with SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)

This guide walks you through the process of creating a new tabular model project using SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) and connecting to a data source.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) installed. You can download it from the Microsoft website.
• Access to a SQL Server instance or another supported data source.

Steps to Create a Tabular Model Project

1. Start Visual Studio and Create a New Project

   Open Visual Studio. On the start window, select Create a new project.

   In the "Create a new project" dialog, search for "Analysis Services Tabular Project" and select it. Click Next.

   In the "Configure your new project" dialog, enter a Project name (e.g., "SalesTabularModel") and specify a Location for your project. Click Create.

2. Connect to a Data Source

   Once the project is created, you will be prompted to select a Data source type. Common choices include:

   • SQL Server
   • Azure SQL Database
   • Oracle
   • Excel files
   • Flat files

   For this example, we'll select SQL Server.

   Click Next.

3. Configure the Data Source Connection

   In the "Configure Data Source" dialog:

   • Server name: Enter the name or IP address of your SQL Server instance.
   • Database name: Select or enter the name of the database you want to connect to.
   • Authentication: Choose the appropriate authentication method (e.g., Windows Authentication, SQL Server Authentication). If using SQL Server Authentication, provide credentials.

   Click the Test Connection button to verify the details. If the connection is successful, click Next.

4. Select Tables and Views

   In the "Select Tables and Views" dialog, you can choose which tables and views from your database you want to import into your tabular model. You can also select entire schemas.

   Check the boxes next to the tables and views you need. Click OK.

   Note: For optimal performance, select only the tables and columns that are necessary for your analysis.

5. Review and Finish

   The model designer will now load the selected tables and views. You'll see them represented as tables in the SSDT model designer.

   Congratulations! You have successfully created a tabular model project and connected it to a data source.

Next Steps

After creating the basic model, you can:

• Design your tabular model by creating relationships, calculated columns, measures, and hierarchies.
• Optimize performance for your model.
• Deploy your model to a SQL Server Analysis Services instance or Azure Analysis Services.