Connecting to web api

Anonymous · ‎08-25-2019

Hi

I am very new to using Power bi, so this might be a very basic question, but hope someone can help me.

Until now I have only created dashboards based on data from our local server. However now I would like to connect to data from one of our online services.

They have provided the following:

https://speca.io/SimonOnlinePOS/external-api-v2?key=41502b8375f30e56b210877ef797b7e4

How would I easiest set a connect up? I have look though the many connects in Power bi, but only got more confused. So maybe someone, could guide me on where to start 😊

Cheers

Jesper Miles

Jayendran · ‎08-25-2019

Hi @Anonymous

You can use the Web Connector

let
    Source = Json.Document(Web.Contents("http://https://speca.io/SimonOnlinePOS/external-api-v2"))
in
    Source

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/desktop-tutorial-importing-and-analyzing-data-from-a-web-page

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/36685463/how-to-connect-my-web-api-wtih-power-bi-reports

Anonymous · ‎08-26-2019

Thansk Jayendran!

I have been provieded with a token form the web service, where does that fit in ?

If you open the link, then i though i shoul build a Url like this:

Web.Contents("https://api.onlinepos.dk/api/getCardsList/{debtor}/{type}/{offset}")

Jayendran · ‎08-26-2019

Hi @Anonymous

As @SteveCampbell mentioned you can pass the token in the Headers,

In Power Query this will be like

Web.Contents("https://api.powerbi.com/v2.0/",[Headers=[Authorization=Bearer 412sdsx1....]])

Making much simpler you can also provide your query parameters lilke the below

Web.Contents(
    "https://data.gov.uk/api", 
    [
        RelativePath="3/action/package_search", 
        Query=
        [
            q="cows", 
            rows="20"
        ]
    ]
)

Some References:

https://blog.crossjoin.co.uk/2016/08/16/using-the-relativepath-and-query-options-with-web-contents-in-power-query-and-power-bi-m-code/

https://eriksvensen.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/specifying-json-query-in-power-query-example-statistics-sweden/

https://blog.crossjoin.co.uk/2014/03/26/working-with-web-services-in-power-query/