sql server data

[ayi_discap]

Just gettging started with PowerBI. I have been an SSRS user for about 10 years.

When I choose SQL Server as a data source, I see that it shows me all my tables, views, and functions. But it does not show me stored procedures. However, I do see that under the Advanced options, I can specify a SQL statement and I assume you can do a stored procedure there.

I am wondering if using a stored procedure is an uncommon way to get data in PowerBI. I am inferring this based on the fact that stored procs didn't show up under a common option, but only the advance option where you have to type it in. Should I be looking to prepare a table data to feed PowerBI, rather than stored procedures?

Based on the few tutorial I saw on PowerBI, I am thinking, working with a table data is a more common way in PowerBI.

[V-lianl-msft]

Hi @ayi_discap ,

Data can also be queried and calculated with DAX or power query

https://www.sqlbi.com/topics/from-sql-to-dax/ 

The choice of import or Direct query depends on the specific needs of your project.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/desktop-directquery-about 

Best Regards,
Liang
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[ElenaN]

Hello,

Maybe this article can help, about best practices when importing data: https://www.sqlbi.com/articles/data-import-best-practices-in-power-bi/

Also, it is advisable to import raw data that will then be cleaned, transformed etc in Power BI (what you would have normally done in SP). So, import raw data in the form of views, for the reasons given in the article above, and afterwards, all the steps you would have done in the SP, you do them using PQ & DAX.

If you import already the data processed in a SP then you would mainly use PBI just as a visualization tool (just like SSRS) but that is not the purpose and the whole capabilities of PBI.

Regards,

ElenaN