# Microsoft Power BI

[Microsoft Power BI][link-powerbi] is a popular business intelligence tool.

Cube Cloud works with both [Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service][link-powerbi-desktop-vs-service].
If you're using Power BI Service, you need to set up an [on-premises data gateway][link-powerbi-gateway].

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## Connect to the DAX API

Cube Cloud provides the [DAX API][ref-dax-api] for the native Power BI connectivity.

<InfoBox>

Previously, [Semantic Layer Sync][ref-sls] was recommended as a way to connect
to Power BI. Since the introduction of the DAX API, it's now the preferred
method.

</InfoBox>

In Power BI Desktop, choose the <Btn>SQL Server Analysis Services database</Btn> option
when connecting to a data source. Then, enter the DAX API credentials and choose
<Btn>Windows</Btn> authentication. It accomodates both [Kerberos][ref-kerberos] and
[NTLM][ref-ntlm] methods.

To find your DAX API credentials, go to the [Integrations][ref-integrations-apis] page,
click <Btn>API credentials</Btn>, and choose the <Btn>DAX API</Btn> tab.

### Authentication methods

Cube Cloud supports the following authentication methods for Power BI:

| Application | Authentication | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Power BI Desktop | [NTLM][ref-ntlm-desktop] | 🟡 Works well for testing purposes |
| Power BI Desktop | [Kerberos][ref-kerberos] | 🟢 Recommended for production |
| Power BI Service | [NTLM][ref-ntlm] + [Kerberos][ref-kerberos] | 🟢 Recommended for production.<br/>Requires [on-premises data gateway][ref-opdg] |

### Connection methods

Power BI provides [three methods][link-powerbi-connection] to connect to data
sources: _live connection_, _DirectQuery_, and _import mode_.

| | Live connection | DirectQuery | <nobr>Import mode</nobr> |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Data location | 🟢 Data source | 🟢 Data source | 🟡 Power BI |
| Data freshness | 🟢 Real-time data | 🟢 Real-time data | 🟡 Stale copy |
| Semantic model | <nobr>🟢 Up-to-date model</nobr> | 🟡 Stale copy | 🟡 Stale copy |
| Queries | <nobr>🟢 Composed in UI</nobr><br/><nobr>🔴 No custom queries</nobr> | <nobr>🟢 Composed in UI</nobr><br/><nobr>🟢 Custom queries</nobr> | <nobr>🟢 Composed in UI</nobr><br/><nobr>🟢 Custom queries</nobr> |

__It's recommended to use a _live connection_ whenever possible.__ Use _DirectQuery_
if you need to write your own DAX queries, but be aware that you must manually
synchronize semantic models as they evolve. _Import mode_ is not recommended, as
it removes the benefits of using a semantic layer.

## Connect to the SQL API

You can connect a Cube deployment to Power BI using the [SQL API][ref-sql-api]
as if Cube is a Postgres database. It would provide much more limited functionality
than the DAX API. However, this is the only option when using Cube Core.


[link-powerbi]: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/power-platform/products/power-bi/
[link-powerbi-desktop-vs-service]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/fundamentals/service-service-vs-desktop
[link-powerbi-gateway]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-gateway-onprem
[ref-dax-api]: /product/apis-integrations/dax-api
[ref-integrations-apis]: /product/workspace/integrations#view-api-credentials
[ref-sql-api]: /product/apis-integrations/sql-api
[ref-sls]: /product/apis-integrations/semantic-layer-sync
[ref-kerberos]: /product/auth/methods/kerberos
[ref-ntlm]: /product/auth/methods/ntlm
[ref-ntlm-desktop]: /product/auth/methods/ntlm#power-bi-desktop
[link-powerbi-connection]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-live-connect-dq-datasets
[ref-opdg]: /product/auth/methods/ntlm#configuration