SQL Server Database Connection String for Power BI (Business Central SaaS Project)

[alpesh_chauhan]

Dear Team,

As part of our Business Central SaaS–based cloud project, we are currently working on establishing the SQL Server Database Connection String required for integrating Power BI with our environment.

Since Business Central SaaS does not provide direct SQL database access, we are preparing the recommended approach using OData web services / API endpoints for secure and reliable data retrieval into Power BI. This will serve as the foundation for the development of our Power BI reports on the SaaS platform.

I kindly request you to review the proposed setup and share any recommendations or suggestions that could help streamline the development process. Your expertise and feedback will ensure that the Power BI reports are well‑structured, optimized, and aligned with our project goals.

- Alpesh Chauhan

Please let me know if you would like a walkthrough of the configuration or any additional documentation.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Warm regards,
Alpesh Chauhan

[v-kpoloju-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @alpesh_chauhan, 
Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS does not expose the SQL Server layer, so SQL connection strings cannot be generated or used. This is expected behaviour and aligns with Microsoft’s cloud security architecture. The supported and recommended approach is to integrate Microsoft Power BI using Business Central APIs or OData web services, authenticated via Microsoft Entra ID. Power BI reports can be developed in Power BI Desktop using the Dynamics 365 Business Central connector or the OData Feed and then published to Power BI Service. Since both services operate in the cloud, the dataset refresh works through cloud-to-cloud connectivity, and an on-premises data gateway is not required.

For better long-term stability and performance, Microsoft recommends using API pages or API queries instead of standard page-based OData services. This approach provides a more secure, scalable, and supported method for building Power BI reports on top of Business Central SaaS environments.

Please refer to the following documentation for more details:
Enabling Power BI integration with Business Central - Business Central | Microsoft Learn

I hope this helps. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out.
Thank you for participating in the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum.

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @alpesh_chauhan, 

Just checking in to see if the issue has been resolved on your end. If the earlier suggestions helped, that’s great to hear! And if you’re still facing challenges, feel free to share more details happy to assist further.

Thank you.

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @alpesh_chauhan, 

Just wanted to follow up. If the shared guidance worked for you, that’s wonderful hopefully it also helps others looking for similar answers. If there’s anything else you'd like to explore or clarify, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you.