Microsoft Lists is an effective way to share information; different customers can view and even edit these lists if the creator provides permission. And for our viewers, it’s essential to know there’s a devoted connector in Microsoft Energy BI for Microsoft Lists.
However for readers, my first suggestion is that this: In the event you’re deciding on whether or not to make use of Microsoft Lists or not and Energy BI is a possible vacation spot for that information, don’t use Microsoft Lists. If attainable, use SharePoint Lists as an alternative. Nevertheless, for those who’re ready the place you can’t use SharePoint Lists, you’ll be able to nonetheless get Energy BI to connect with your Microsoft Lists recordsdata. The answer simply isn’t tremendous apparent.
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On this tutorial, I’ll present you learn how to join Energy BI Desktop to Microsoft Lists through the use of the SharePoint On-line Checklist connector. It isn’t a tough course of, however once more, it won’t be the primary place you look when determining how to connect with Microsoft Lists.
To show this connection, I’ll be utilizing Microsoft Energy BI Desktop and Microsoft Lists with Microsoft 365 on a Home windows 10 64-bit system. In the event you’re not aware of learn how to use Microsoft Lists, you would possibly wish to begin by studying How you can use Microsoft 365 Lists to arrange Excel information you could monitor or share.
Right here, you’ll be able to obtain the Microsoft Energy BI demo file for this tutorial and observe alongside.
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Microsoft Lists vs. Microsoft SharePoint Lists
Technically, Microsoft Lists and SharePoint Lists are the identical factor; Microsoft Lists is just an interface to SharePoint. Nevertheless, it’s attainable so that you can use Microsoft Lists and by no means notice you’re working with SharePoint. Meaning you won’t notice you need to use a SharePoint connector to attach Energy BI and Microsoft Lists.
How you can combine Microsoft Lists recordsdata with SharePoint
If the Microsoft Lists file you’re utilizing is saved to a SharePoint website, you’re in luck as a result of you’ll be able to generate a Energy BI report based mostly on that listing with just a few fast clicks. To learn the way easy this course of is, open the Microsoft Lists file as you usually would, after which, take the next steps:
1. With the listing open, click on Combine on the menu. If this selection isn’t obtainable, unselect all chosen data to cover the contextual menu.
2. Select Energy BI from the ensuing dropdown.
3. From the submenu, select Visualize The Checklist (Determine A).
Determine A
4. When the import is full, click on the ensuing report hyperlink within the top-right nook.
Energy BI imports the listing information into Energy BI (Determine B). The Microsoft Energy BI platform builds visuals based mostly on the listing information and publishes the report. It is a nice start line for a designer who’s working with new information.
Determine B
As talked about, this fast reporting functionality is feasible due to SharePoint. However pretty much as good as this reporting course of is, the report isn’t dynamic — you’ve merely created a brand new .pbix file. If you wish to use listing information in an current file, you’ll must import that information.
How you can import Microsoft Lists information into Energy BI
The mixing characteristic is highly effective and efficient at creating a fast prototype or providing you with, the designer, a fast begin. If you wish to use Microsoft Lists information in an current Energy BI file, you’ll must import the info utilizing a SharePoint connector.
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In the event you personal each the listing and the .pbix file, you need to be capable of join with out issue. In the event you don’t personal the listing, ask the proprietor to grant you permission to entry the file earlier than you do anything.
Copy the SharePoint deal with
Now, let’s suppose you’ve a Microsoft Lists file you wish to use in Energy BI. Typically the chances will be overwhelming, and we completely miss what’s obtainable. This route I’m going to point out you is a kind of surprising options, except what to search for.
Earlier than you are able to do anything, you’ll must seize the URL of the Microsoft Checklist file. To take action, merely open the listing in Microsoft Lists and replica the URL deal with.
Now, this half will get a bit muddy since you don’t want your complete deal with — you wish to use the deal with solely as much as the /Lists part. You may selectively copy it from the URL deal with management, however doing so is a bit awkward. Alternatively, you’ll be able to copy your complete URL right into a textual content doc after which copy solely the a part of the URL you want from there.
Determine C exhibits an inventory deal with. Discover the part /Lists and the whole lot following it aren’t included. You want solely the primary half: the SharePoint deal with.
Determine C
Import the listing information
Now let’s import the listing information into an current Energy BI file. First, open Energy BI Desktop as you usually would after which take the next steps:
1. From the Get Knowledge dropdown, select Extra.
2. From the left pane within the ensuing dialog, select On-line Providers.
3. To the best, choose SharePoint On-line Checklist (Determine D).
Determine D
4. Click on Join.
5. When prompted, paste the URL deal with together with your SharePoint deal with into the Website URL setting.
6. Click on 2.0 underneath Implementation.
7. Develop the Superior Choices part.
8. From the View Mode dropdown, select the default possibility (Determine E). In the event you select the All possibility, you’ll import a variety of metadata you don’t want.
Determine E
9. Click on Join.
10. Within the ensuing dialog, discover the Microsoft Lists file, and test it within the listing to the left (Determine F).
Determine F
11. Click on Load. You may click on Remodel Knowledge, if mandatory, when working with your individual recordsdata. Doing so permits you to set information varieties earlier than loading into Energy BI.
Determine G exhibits the brand new desk within the Fields pane and a Desk visualization, which lets you test the info towards the precise listing.
Determine G
Last suggestions and methods for utilizing Energy BI and Microsoft Lists collectively
When you’ve got issue at any level on this course of, overview permissions for the Microsoft Lists file you’re pulling into Energy BI. If that’s not the issue, test the URL deal with you entered in step 5 of Copy the SharePoint deal with.
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Bear in mind, you want solely your SharePoint deal with. In the event you copy the /Lists part and/or the identify of the open listing, Energy BI will return an error. Getting information into Microsoft Energy BI is straightforward as a result of there are such a lot of devoted connectors and even customized connectors.
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