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Connecting to Data · Legacy self-service product

Microsoft Power BI

Import Power BI reports for AI-powered analysis and data blending

You're viewing documentation for the legacy Scoop self-service product. For the current product, see What Is Scoop.

Overview

Microsoft Power BI is one of the most popular business intelligence tools. Scoop can import your Power BI reports to enable AI-powered analysis, natural language queries, and blending with data from other sources. Better yet, Scoop can connect directly to the same data sources Power BI uses—giving you enhanced investigation capabilities on your existing data infrastructure.

Two Ways to Work with Power BI Data

Instead of importing Power BI reports, connect Scoop directly to your underlying databases:

Why this is better:

  • Access the same governed data Power BI uses
  • No export/import cycle needed
  • Real-time data access
  • Leverage your existing data warehouse investments

Supported connections:

  • Azure SQL Database
  • Azure Synapse Analytics
  • SQL Server
  • Snowflake
  • PostgreSQL
  • And many more databases

See Connecting to Databases for setup instructions.

Option 2: Import Power BI Report Exports

For cases where you need the specific transformations in Power BI:

  1. In Power BI, open your report
  2. Click Export → Export to CSV or Export to Excel
  3. Upload to Scoop as a new dataset

What You Can Analyze

Data Type Example Questions
Transformed Data "Leverage Power BI's DAX calculations in Scoop"
Cross-Source "Blend Power BI exports with other data sources"
Historical Trends "Track how metrics change over time with snapshots"
AI Investigation "Why did revenue drop last month?"

When to Use Each Approach

Scenario Recommended Approach
You have a data warehouse Connect Scoop directly to the warehouse
Power BI connects to cloud databases Connect Scoop to the same databases
You need specific DAX calculations Export and import those specific reports
You want ad-hoc AI investigation Direct database connection
You need to blend Power BI with other tools Either approach works

Importing Power BI Reports

Export from Power BI Service

  1. Open your report in Power BI Service
  2. Select the visual or table you want to export
  3. Click More options (...) → Export data
  4. Choose Summarized data or Underlying data
  5. Select CSV or Excel format
  6. Upload to Scoop

Export from Power BI Desktop

  1. Open your report in Power BI Desktop
  2. Right-click on the visual
  3. Select Export data
  4. Save as CSV
  5. Upload to Scoop

Automated Exports via Email

  1. In Power BI Service, subscribe to report emails
  2. Forward to your Scoop ingest email address
  3. Scoop processes attachments automatically

See Email Automated Imports for setup.

Key Benefits of Adding Scoop

Power BI Capability Scoop Enhancement
Static dashboards AI-driven investigation
Scheduled refresh On-demand exploration
Pre-built visuals Natural language queries
Single-source analysis Multi-source blending
Point-in-time views Historical snapshots

Example: Investigative Analysis

In Power BI, you see revenue dropped. In Scoop, ask:

Ask Scoop:
"Why did revenue decrease this month compared to last month?
Break down by region, product, and customer segment."

Scoop investigates the underlying data and surfaces the key drivers.

Blending with Other Data

Source Analysis Enabled
Salesforce CRM data + Power BI metrics
Google Analytics Web traffic + business metrics
Spreadsheets Budget targets + actuals
Other BI Tools Cross-tool comparison

Best Practices

For Direct Database Connections

  • Use the same connection credentials as Power BI
  • Leverage existing data governance
  • Schedule syncs to match Power BI refresh times

For Report Imports

  • Export underlying data, not summarized
  • Include all relevant dimensions
  • Use consistent date ranges

For Snapshots

Power BI shows current state. Use Scoop to:

  • Track KPI changes over time
  • Compare periods
  • Audit data changes

Common Use Cases

Extend Power BI with AI

Use AI to investigate patterns:

"What factors correlate with our highest-performing regions?"

Blend with Non-Microsoft Data

Combine Power BI insights with other sources:

"Show Power BI sales metrics alongside Google Analytics traffic"

Historical Analysis

Track changes over time:

"How has this dashboard's key metric changed over the past 6 months?"

Self-Service Investigation

Empower business users:

"Let me explore this data without waiting for IT to build a new report"

Power BI vs. Scoop: Complementary Tools

Use Power BI For Use Scoop For
Enterprise dashboards Ad-hoc investigation
DAX calculations Natural language queries
Scheduled reports On-demand exploration
Governed datasets Multi-source blending
Microsoft ecosystem Cross-platform analysis

They work best together: Power BI for your standard reporting, Scoop for investigation and exploration.

Troubleshooting

Export Doesn't Include All Data

  • Power BI may limit export rows (30K for visuals)
  • Try exporting underlying data instead of summarized
  • Use Power BI's "Analyze in Excel" for larger exports

Data Types Changed After Import

  • Numbers may export as text in some formats
  • Scoop auto-detects types but verify after import
  • Date formats may need adjustment

Can't Connect to Same Data Source

  • Verify firewall allows Scoop's IP: 44.231.97.118
  • Check credentials have read access
  • Ensure database allows external connections

Updated October 19, 2026