PBI Report - Windows Authentication "As User Viewing the report" Import mode

[MaxMuster]

Is it possible to configure PBI Reports with "Import Mode" Datasource to use windows authentication "as the user viewing the report"?

I know it's possible with Direct Query Reports but with Import Mode Reports I can only use windows authentication when I explicitly set a windows username and password, which is not what I am trying to achieve.

I tried changing the datasource with Rest API and add "Integrated" to "SupportedAuthTypes" and set "AuthType" to "Integrated" but it returns 400 Bad Request.

[AdEzone · Accepted solution]

Ok, let me explain something:

1.- The image you posted before when connecting to SQL Analisys Services is always "live connection" never imports the data. In this case you have to configure the permissions on the Analisys Sevices model Security tab. 

2.- When your report is used in "import mode" connected to a SQL Database or Excel file or any source that can be used in import mode and the user is not a server (or specific folder) administrator, no other user can see the credentials you are writting down on the scheduled refresh tab. Then there is no risk that anyone can see them. On top of that, if you have created an specific user in the domain with read-only privileges on the database, I see no point so avoin entering user-password on the report refresh.

In other words, when you have an import-mode connection and you want scheduled refreshes you NEED to introduce credentials for this....

Regards,

[AdEzone]

Hi,

It is not possible to refresh without the credentials. 

The server needs to connect to the db. 

Maybe you can create a windows account for this purpose and provide read only credentials to the specific database you need, not all db engine, and use this account in the RServer…..

Regards

[MaxMuster]

So something like this is not possible in import mode even when the users have access to the database?

https://community.powerbi.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/44385iCB22F849ED33A968/

Well I can see why it would be a problem with scheduled refreshs but would be nice if the user viewing the report would have some possibility to refresh the data without adding the credentials.

Cause I try to upload the report and trigger the refresh programmatically (which would work with stored credentials) on pbi report servers from multiple customers.

[AdEzone]

Hi,

With import mode, the best solution will be to use RLS or Row Level Security, that is implemented on the Server.

You will need to configure your .pbix with the necessary "roles" and, later in the server you will have to assign domain users to roles....

You can test in the pbix how every role will behave before implementing.

I suggest you to save the report with a different name or test first in a different folder. 

Roles and user matching shall be a bit tricky at the begining until you get used to it.....

I hope it will help you...

[MaxMuster]

Hi,

thank you, I tried configuring roles and it seems to be a good solution for viewing the report.

Unfortunally I also want to refresh the report with windows authentication but without specifing username and password explicitly.

Do you know if that is even possible for import mode?

Setting the datarole does not seem to be enough, when I try to create a refresh plan I get an error message about missing credentials.