This guide provides step-by-step instructions to configure Microsoft Power BI and Microsoft Azure for PADS4 integration. It assumes familiarity with Power BI administration, App Registration in Azure, and the service principal authentication method.

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1. Considerations and Limitations

Before proceeding, take note of the following:
  • “My Workspace” is not supported when using a service principal.
  • Only embedding of reports and dashboards is supported.
  • Users cannot sign in to the Power BI portal using a service principal.
  • Power BI Admin rights are required to enable the service principal in Developer settings.
  • Dataflows management is not supported.
  • Minimum browser versions required:
    • Chrome: 61
    • Firefox: 60
    • Edge: 88
  • Workspaces require capacities, which may incur additional costs.
For further details, visit:
Power BI Embedded Documentation Failure to set a capacity can result in a warning above your reports/dashboards or prevent them from displaying in the PADS4 Viewer.

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2. Register an App in Microsoft Azure

To integrate Power BI with PADS4, a new App Registration is required in Microsoft Azure.

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Step 1: Create a New App Registration

  1. Open the Azure Portal.
  2. Navigate to Azure Active Directory > App Registrations.
  3. Click New Registration.
  4. Enter the following values:
    • Name: Any reference name.
    • Supported Account Types:
      Select Single-tenant or Multi-tenant as per your requirements.
      Do not enable personal Microsoft accounts.
    • Redirect URI:
      This is not required for Power BI integration.
  5. Click Register.

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Step 2: Create a Client Secret

  1. Go to Certificates & Secrets in the left menu.
  2. Select Client Secrets.
  3. Click New Client Secret.
  4. Enter a description and select an expiration duration.
    • Ensure a new Client Secret is created before expiration.
  5. Click Add.
  6. Copy the generated Client Secret Value immediately, as it will not be visible later.

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Step 3: Gather Required Information

PADS4 requires the following values for Power BI integration:
Required ValueWhere to Find It?
Application (Client) IDApp Registration Overview
Directory (Tenant) IDApp Registration Overview
Client SecretCertificates & Secrets

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3. Enable Power BI Service Admin Settings

To use the service principal for Power BI integration, follow these steps:
  1. Log in to the Power BI Admin portal.
  2. Navigate to Tenant Settings.
  3. Scroll down to Developer Settings.
  4. Expand Embed Content in Apps.
  5. Enable Embed Content in Apps.
  6. Choose the scope:
    • Entire organization (default).
    • Specific security groups (if a security group was created).
  7. Expand Allow Service Principals to Use Power BI APIs.
  8. Enable Allow Service Principals to Use Power BI APIs.
  9. Click Save.

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4. Add the Service Principal to a Power BI Workspace

To allow PADS4 to access Power BI reports and dashboards, the service principal must be added to a Power BI Workspace.

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Steps:

  1. Log in to Power BI Home.
  2. Click on Workspaces in the left menu.
  3. Find the Workspace you want to use and open More Options.
  4. Select Workspace Access.
  1. Click Add People or Groups.
  2. Search for the App Registration name (created in Azure).
  3. Add it as Member or Admin.
  1. Click Save.

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5. Retrieve Power BI Workspace and Report/Dashboard IDs

To display Power BI content in PADS4, you need the Workspace ID and Report/Dashboard ID.

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Find the IDs in the Power BI URL

  1. Open the Power BI report or dashboard.
  2. Check the URL format:

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Reports Example:

https://app.powerbi.com/groups/2a72e361-1e1a-43ed-a048-b44b8d2baaae/reports/d4a2c463-c469-4a58-906c-74a7bbe158ba/ReportSectiond8ab5d035cceb8586528?experience=power-bi
  • Workspace ID: Found between groups/ and /reports.
  • Report ID: Found between /reports/ and /ReportSection.

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Dashboards Example:

https://app.powerbi.com/groups/947c4e75-b0c4-4488-aab9-ffc2b67285db/dashboards/ed6ae326-b545-44ec-8524-f951f94a0fd2?experience=power-bi
  • Workspace ID: Found between groups/ and /dashboards.
  • Dashboard ID: Found after /dashboards/.

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6. Add Power BI Integration in PADS4 CTRL Center

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Step 1: Register the App in PADS4 Credential Manager

  1. Log in to PADS4 CTRL Center.
  2. Open Credentials under the Administration menu.
  3. Click Providers.
  4. Click New and select Microsoft Power BI.
  5. Enter the following values:
    • App name.
    • Application (Client) ID.
    • Directory (Tenant) ID.
    • Client Secret.
  1. Click Create.

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Step 2: Register Power BI Report/Dashboard in PADS4

  1. Go to Overview in Credential Manager.
  2. Find the App Registration you added.
  3. Click Connect.
  1. Enter the following details:
    • Workspace ID.
    • Type (Report or Dashboard).
    • Report/Dashboard ID.
  1. Click Create.
This generates a Token ID, which will be used in PADS4 Web elements.

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7. Show Power BI Reports/Dashboards in PADS4 Viewers

To display Power BI content on PADS4 Viewers, use the following URL format: 
<protocol>://<host>:<port>/PowerBI/<token id>

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URL Breakdown:

  • Protocol: http or https (use https if using a valid public SSL certificate).
  • Host: DNS name or IP address of the PADS4 Server.
  • Port: Optional (specify only if not using default HTTP/HTTPS ports).
  • Token ID: Generated in Credential Manager.

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Example:

https://test.pads4.com/PowerBI/fb709440-5904-4931-962e-a02c1ab4af39

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8. Final Steps

  • Ensure the Power BI Service Principal is added to Workspaces.
  • Verify all API permissions are enabled in Power BI Admin settings.
  • Check that the Power BI capacities are set to avoid access warnings.
Once completed, PADS4 is now successfully integrated with Power BI and ready to display Power BI Reports/Dashboards.