Business Intelligence (BI)

Creating a Report from Databricks Tables

Phase 1: Export Connection from Databricks

1. Locate Your Data:

   • Log in to your Databricks workspace.
   • Navigate to the Catalog Explorer (on the left sidebar).
   • Browse through your Catalog and Schema to find the specific table or view you wish to visualize.

2. Generate Connection File:

   • Once the table is open, click the Share button located in the top-right corner of the interface.
   • Select Open in Power BI from the dropdown menu.
   • A dialog box will appear. Click Download connection file. This will download a .pbids (Power BI Data Source) file to your computer.

Phase 2: Configure Power BI Desktop

1. Open the Connection:

   • Open the downloaded .pbids file. This will automatically launch Power BI Desktop.
   • Authentication: When prompted, sign in using your Databricks credentials (usually via Single Sign-On/OAuth) to authorize the connection.

2. Select Data:

   • The Navigator window will open.
   • Ensure the checkbox next to your target table is selected.
   • Click Load.

3. Choose Connectivity Mode:

   • You will likely be prompted to choose a connection mode:
     • Import: Copies the data into the Power BI file (faster for small data, requires scheduled refreshes).
     • DirectQuery: Keeps data in Databricks and queries it live (best for large datasets or real-time needs).
   • Select your preferred mode and click OK.

4. Build Your Visuals:

   • Once loaded, your table fields will appear in the Data pane on the right.
   • Drag and drop fields (e.g., categories, values) onto the report canvas to create visuals (tables, charts, etc.).
   • Save your report (.pbix file) locally to your computer.

Phase 3: Publish to Power BI Service

1. Publish the Report:

   • On the Home ribbon in Power BI Desktop, click the Publish button.
   • If prompted, sign in to your Power BI account.

2. Select Destination:

   • A list of available Workspaces will appear.
   • Select the destination Workspace (e.g., “Marketing”, “My Workspace”) where you want the report to live.
   • Click Select.

3. Verify Deployment:

   • Once the “Success!” message appears, click the link provided or open a web browser.
   • Navigate to app.powerbi.com and open the Workspace you published to.
   • Ensure both the Report (visuals) and the Semantic Model (dataset) are visible and functioning.

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Would you like me to explain the performance differences between DirectQuery and Import mode for Databricks specifically?