Unable to connect to a Sharepoint Online List

[joglidden]

Hoping to get some advice on connecting to an organization sharepoint list. The creator of the list has assured me that I have permissions to view it, and indeed, I can log in to my organization's Office365 site, and then browse to the sharepoint list. 

However, when I try to copy the "Site URL" of the sharepoint list (from my browser) into the Get Data -> Sharepoint Online List -> Connect dialog, I get the following error: 

"The URL isn't valid. Please enter the site's root URL only." 

So, I delete from the path the items with % and .aspx in them, attempting to get at the root, which I think is this:

"https://organization.sharepoint.com/sites/GSCPlanning/Lists/"

And then I get this "unexpected" error:

"The name provided is not a properly formed account name." Which right now, is entirely useless to me. But maybe someone can tell me what a properly formed account name should look like. 

Some general advice on connecting to a SharePoint List would also be most welcome. 

[Anonymous]

Hi @joglidden,

Have you tried without the Lists/ -part, so just "https://organization.sharepoint.com/sites/GSCPlanning/"

Br,

T

[mdszad]

it worked. thank you

[joglidden]

@Anonymous, Thanks for the suggestion. Yes, I've tried that. When I do, I get the following error:

"Unexpected Error

The name provided is not a properly formed account name."

Which makes no sense to me. I wish someone from Microsoft would offer me some suggestions.

I am signed in to my account on Desktop and the Service simultaneously. I have tried every possible combination of paths. I don't know what else to try. Is there something in settings?

[joglidden · Accepted solution]

I think I have found the solution, which I suggested in my reply:  you have to go to 

file -> options & settings -> data source settings

Then find the org sharepoint site you are trying to connect to, then enter your MICROSOFT account credentials. Ignore the fact that you are already signed into Power BI desktop with your organization account. Somehow, these two accounts are not "federated". Then it appears you can connect to things sharepoint within your org. 

PBI Team: you might add a suggestion or two on your error message window. 

[jv12]

Having the same issue.  Still the same error. How in the world is Microsoft deploying software with such rediculous bugs? I mean really. Who makes these decisions? Pure madness.

[wils0nk3]

Didn't work still get the unexpected error even when my data source is signed in and has access to the sharepoint online list.

Advanced options drop down will not allow a View Mode to be selected.

Also attempted 2.0 Beta and neither of those will function either.

Put the root of the site in and it lists all site content. Then it works. Then you can select the list.

So go to File > Options and Settings > Data Source Settings

It will make it globally available in Power BI Desktop and in the Current File once successfully ran. Select the Global Permissions radial button and then select the sharepoint url that has been added and click the Edit Permissions button. Change the URL credentials by clicking edit.

Select Microsoft Account, Sign-In to your Microsoft Online Account and click Save.

Then you can set it to Privacy Level of Organizational so that it is protected if you are not logged in to your Microsoft Online Account.

[aurelien]

Hi, thanks for the solution.

Next step would be to deploy the report on PBI Report Server and schedule a refresh.

However in the data connection authentitications, options are limited and using Windows authentication won't let me connect with a "Log on failed. Ensure the user name and password are correct." error.

how can we schedule a refresh from power Bi report server using Odata on a sharepoint online site?

[wils0nk3]

Refresh a dataset from OneDrive or SharePoint Online - Power BI | Microsoft Docs

[james3k]

Yeah, I still need this - I don't see a 'Microsoft Account' option when scheduling updates on the report server, and I can't connect to sharepoint using my 'Windows' credentials.