GET DATA Options

Get Data is the starting point for almost every Power BI report - it is the button on the Home tab that opens the full catalog of connectors Power BI can use to pull in data.

Main GET DATA Categories

  • File - Excel, Text/CSV, XML, JSON, PDF, and folders of files.
  • Database - SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Azure SQL, and many more.
  • Power Platform - Power BI datasets, dataflows, and Microsoft Dataverse.
  • Azure - Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake Storage, and Azure Blob Storage.
  • Online Services - Google Analytics, Salesforce, Dynamics 365, and SharePoint Online.
  • Other - Web pages, OData feeds, ODBC/OLE DB, blank tables, and blank queries.

Using the Get Data Dialog

Home tab -> Get Data -> search or browse a category -> select connector -> enter credentials -> Preview data in Navigator

Load vs Transform Data

  • Load - brings the data in exactly as previewed, ready to use immediately.
  • Transform Data - opens Power Query Editor first, so columns can be cleaned, filtered, or reshaped before loading.
Power BI ships with well over 100 built-in connectors, and the list under Get Data grows with almost every monthly release - it's worth checking "More..." if a source isn't visible in the default list.

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