PowerBI Service connection to SAP Datasphere

[KaspJulian]

We have the following setup: We are using SAP Datasphere to connect to our SAP ECC system and utilize it as a data warehouse. Now, we want to leverage Power BI/Power BI Service as our visualization layer.

On my local machine, I can connect to SAP Datasphere and its Hana DB via an ODBC driver. I can import the required data, build my data model, and create reports.

To enable sharing of the dataset via the Power BI Service and set up automated data refresh, what steps are necessary? I am considering installing the same ODBC driver (as on my local machine) on a VM within Azure and also installing a Gateway to connect to the Power BI Service. Is this the recommended approach? Will it work? I have been unable to find precise documentation on this topic, and I believe it would greatly benefit others in the future. Thank you in advance for any insights.

[sujitgec]

Hi Julian and Harald,
Thank you for your posts. I was looking for something similar.

Apart from Import, were you also able to use DirectQuery in PBI using the same HANA ODBC driver for SAP DSP? From this article it seems feasible: Power Query SAP HANA database connector - Power Query | Microsoft Learn

Best regards,

Sujit

[haraldwetzel]

Hi Julian,

I was able to connect to SAP DSP from PBI desktop with ODBC driver on my client and installing an on-premis data gateway. Also the data refresh is working within PBI desktop BUT when I publish the data set into PBI service workplace and want to refresh the data from there, it doesn't work (I did add the data gateway there too etc.).

Were you able to manage that?

Best, Harald

[thomas_rohmann]

did you ever get this up and running? any new insights on the architecture?