Google Analytics Connector Schedule Refresh Problem in Power BI Cloud

[HoFa]

Hi,

I'm currently experiencing an issue with the Google Analytics connector in Power BI. I had previously published a Power BI report that uses data from Google Analytics 2.0 (Beta) and configured a Cloud Connector to enable scheduled refreshes on a daily basis.

However, about three weeks ago, I began receiving error alerts related to the scheduled refresh. Since then, the scheduled refresh settings have been disabled automatically. When I checked the connector status, I encountered the following error:

"We found an unexpected character in the JSON input."

Despite this, I'm still able to refresh the Google Analytics data manually.

I attempted to create a new Cloud Connector for Google Analytics in Power BI Cloud, but received the following error message:

"Unable to create connection for the following reason: Unable to connect to the data source. Either the data source is inaccessible, a connection timeout occurred, or the data source credentials are invalid. Please verify the data source configuration and contact a data source administrator to troubleshoot this issue."

As a temporary workaround, I created an On-premises Gateway Connector for Google Analytics and selected the “Skip test connection” option. Without skipping the test connection, I received the same error message as above. Using this On-premises Gateway Connector, I'm currently able to run scheduled refreshes successfully.

Could someone please advise on how to resolve the issue with the Cloud Connector?

Thank you,

[rohit1991 · Accepted solution]

Hi @HoFa ,
It looks like the issue with the Power BI Cloud Connector for Google Analytics stems from changes or instability in the Google Analytics 2.0 (Beta) API, which may be returning malformed or unexpected JSON responses during scheduled refresh attempts. The error “We found an unexpected character in the JSON input” usually indicates that Power BI is unable to parse the data being returned—possibly due to formatting issues, an expired or invalid token, or recent changes in the API's structure. Since manual refresh still works, it confirms that the credentials are likely valid but the cloud service is struggling to interpret or handle the data when automating the process.

Your workaround using the On-premises Gateway with the "Skip test connection" option is a valid interim solution and suggests the cloud environment may have stricter validation or less tolerance for minor API inconsistencies. To move toward a permanent fix, consider filing a support ticket with Microsoft, referencing the JSON parsing issue and the error received when attempting to create a new Cloud Connector. Additionally, it may be worth checking if there are any updates or changes announced by Google regarding the GA 2.0 Beta API that could be impacting third-party connectors.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @HoFa,

Thank oyu @Akash_Varuna for your input to the issue.

Based on the consistent error message "unexpected character in the JSON input" and reports from multiple users, it’s highly likely that the root cause is a regression or change in how Power BI Service handles the OAuth 2.0 token response from the Google Analytics connector v2 (Beta). Specifically, the Power BI Service backend appears to be failing to parse a part of the JSON response, leading to the refresh error. This issue does not affect Power BI Desktop, where the OAuth flow is processed locally and works as expected.

Right now, a reliable workaround is to use Google BigQuery as an intermediary, especially for those using Google Analytics 4 (GA4). GA4 natively supports exporting data to BigQuery. Once the data is in BigQuery, you can connect to it from Power BI using the BigQuery connector, which handles OAuth properly in the Power BI Service. You can then set up scheduled refreshes using the BigQuery connection, which avoids the issue entirely.

If you are still unable to solve the issue you can reach out to Microsoft Support by raising a ticket with Microsoft Support.

Please refer below link on how to raise a contact support or support ticket.

How to create a Fabric and Power BI Support ticket - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

I hope this helped! Feel free to ask any further questions. If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accept as Solution" and give us Kudos to assist others.

Thank you.

[Akash_Varuna]

Hi @HoFa You could try by revalidating your credentials and checking for any API changes or deprecated fields in your queries. Clear cached credentials in Power BI Service, then try recreating the connector with updated authentication. Test API responses using tools like Postman to identify unexpected JSON formats causing errors. As a temporary fix, use the On-Premises Gateway and report the problem to Microsoft Support with detailed error logs.