28 April 2023

Connect Microsoft Power BI to Data Engine by setting up the Tribal OData connector. The Tribal OData connector enables you to load data in Power BI desktop for reporting. Optionally, set up the Microsoft on-premises data gateway to upload reports to Power BI services.

To set up the connection between Power BI and Data Engine, you require the following:

• An Edge account with permission to manage settings and view reports for Data Engine.

• A copy of the Tribal OData connector, TribalOData.pqx, from Tribal professional services.

  Attention.

  The Tribal OData connector is a preview version. Future changes to the Tribal OData connector may result in incompatible reports.

• The tenant name for the institution, such as Hessle. If you do not know the tenant name, contact Tribal professional services.

• The thumbprint of the certificate used to sign the Tribal OData connecter, such as A909502DD82AE41433E6F83886B00D4277A32A7B, from Tribal professional services. The certificate thumbprint ensures that the recommended security settings for third-party connectors in Power BI desktop are followed. For more information, go to Power BI desktop third-party connectors

• The latest version of Power BI desktop. If you are setting up the optional connection to Power BI services, you also need the Microsoft on-premises data gateway. For more information, go to Power BI downloads

Set up the Tribal OData connector

Set up the Tribal OData connector as follows:

1. Log into the desktop as a user with the rights to edit the Windows registry.

2. Check that Power BI desktop has the Microsoft recommended security settings for third-party connectors. In Power BI desktop, go to File >and then Options and setting >and then Options >and then Security. Then, check that Data Extensions is set to (Recommended) Only allow Microsoft certified and other trusted third-party extensions to load and close Power BI desktop.

3. Copy the TribalOData.pqx to the directory Documents\Power BI Desktop\Custom Connectors. If the directory does not exist, you must create the directory.

4. Trust the Tribal OData connector using the thumbprint of the certificate used to sign the Tribal OData connector. Open the Registry Editor and then go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Power BI Desktop. If the Power BI Desktop key does not exist, you must create the key.

   In the Power BI Desktop key, go to Edit >and then New, and then select Multi-string value and define the following values:

   • Name: TrustedCertificateThumbprints

   • Data: the thumbprint of the certificate, such as A909502DD82AE41433E6F83886B00D4277A32A7B.

   The image Trusted certificate in Registry Editor shows the key and value for the Tribal OData connector certificate.

   

Connect Power BI desktop to Data Engine

Connect Power BI desktop to Data Engine using the Tribal OData connector as follows:

1. In Power BI desktop, select Get data from another source and then search for the Tribal OData connector. Select the Tribal OData connector and then select Connect.

2. Add the Tribal OData connector configuration values as described in the table Configuration values.

   Configuration values

   Value	Description
   Tenant ID	Tenant ID for the institution, such as Hessle.
   Region	Geographical region that the institution is located in. For example, EMEA.
   Environment	Data Engine environment to connect to, such as Production.
   Product	Must be set to Data Engine.
   Service (optional)	Not used.

   The image Tribal OData connector shows the details for the Hessle institution's production environment.

   

3. On the Authenticate with Tribal Edge ID screen, sign in with the Edge account that has permission to view reports for Data Engine.

4. On the Navigator screen, select the data entities to load. For example, Applicants and Applications as shown in the image Data selection.

   

   Wait for the data to load in Power BI desktop.

5. Build a report in Power BI desktop. For example, the image Power BI report shows a simple chart highlighting the number of applications that required a student visa.

   

Connect to Power BI services

Optionally, set up a connection to Power BI services to upload reports. You must set up the on-premises data gateway and then define the connection settings to connect Power BI services to Data Engine.

Connect to Power BI services as follows:

1. Set up the Microsoft on-premises data gateway on a Windows desktop or server. For more information, go to Install an on-premises data gateway

2. Define the connector in the on-premises data gateway. On the On-premises data gateway, select Connectors and then define the directory containing the TribalOData.pqx connector. For example, Documents\Power BI Desktop\Custom Connectors.

3. Optional, change the on-premises data gateway service account. You must ensure that the service account that the on-premises data gateway uses has permission to access to the folder containing the TribalOData.pqx connector.

   To change the account, go to Service settings >and then Gateway service account, and then select Change account.

4. Enable custom data connectors in Power BI services. Open Power BI services , and then go to Settings >and then Manage connections and gateways >and then More actions, and then select Settings.

   Select the option Allow user's custom data connectors to refresh through this gateway cluster, as shown in the image Custom data connectors.

   

5. Add a new data source to Power BI services. On Power BI services, go to Settings >and then Manage connections and gateways >and then On-premises data gateway >and then Data sources >and then New.

   Add the values for the data source as described in the table Data source values.

   Data source values

   Value	Description
   Gateway cluster name	Name of your on-premises data gateway, such as Hessle-TDE.
   Data source name	Name of the data source, such as Tribal Data Engine.
   Data source type	Data source type, must be set to Tribal OData.
   Tenant ID	Tenant ID for the institution, such as Hessle.
   Region	Geographical region that the institution is located in. For example, EMEA.
   Environment	Data Engine environment that you want to connect to, such as Production.
   Product	Must be set to Data Engine.
   Service (optional)	Not used.
   Authentication	Authentication method must be set to OAuth2. You must also select Edit credentials and sign in using your Edge account.
   General	Privacy level for the on-premises data gateway, such as Organizational.

   The image Data source shows the details for the Hessle institution's production environment.

   

6. Upload a report to Power BI services. In Power BI desktop, open the report and then select Publish to upload the report to Power BI services.

   Wait for the report to be published and then select the link to Power BI services as shown in the image Report published.

   

7. Map the report data set to the data source to ensure that the report is updated with the latest data from Data Engine.

   On Power BI services, go to View dataset >and then File >and then Settings >and then Gateway connection, and then select the Maps to data source. For example, Tribal Data Engine.

8. Refresh the report data set. Go to View dataset and select Refresh now, wait for the refresh to complete and then check that the date and time has updated.