Get data from SQL database

[simond]

I will be hiring someone to create several reports using BI in the near future.  I know this must be a basic questions but I couldn't find the answer quickly and easily...

When someone uses BI to create reports and connects with a SQL database are they able to change /edit any data in the tables on the server?  Is there a risk that they could change any information contained in the program that uses the SQL database?  Or, are they only able to "get" the data and create a report but not change the existing tables residing on our server?

Hope I asked that correctly,

Thanks,

[Phil_Seamark · Accepted solution]

Power BI cannot change any data in any source system (SQL , CSV, Excel etc.) so you only need to provide read access.

It could potentially place a lock on tables while it is reading data, which may interfere with other read/write operations going on with the table being read from.  So in the unlikely event this becomes a problem, you may want to consider some staging/output tables that are used only by Power BI.  

[kbachova]

Hi Phil, you said thatPower BI cannot change any data in any source system but that it could place a lock on tables while it is reading data. Do you know where I could find any more documentation on this? Is it COULD or IT WILL - I just in a search for a confirmation of the lock on tables which Power BI is reading from.

Any answer will be highly appreciated!

Thanks,

Kristina

[ImkeF]

Actually, you can use a SQL-script to write data back to SQL-server. But because this has a certain live of it's own, it's basically not used in production. But if it gets into the wrong hands, people can actually mess up your data:

https://blog.crossjoin.co.uk/2013/12/09/updating-data-in-sql-server-with-power-query/

So you need to limit the user access rights at server-level in order to prevent data modification.

[itchyeyeballs]

PBI itself cant change data in your database but you will need to be careful how you provide access.

The simplest thing would be to create a read only user in the database and make sure that user only has access to the relevant tables.