> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bagofwords.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Power BI Report Server

> Connect an on-premises Power BI Report Server and query its reports, datasets, and PBIX models

Bag of words connects to an on-premises **Power BI Report Server (PBIRS)** over its REST API at `/Reports/api/v2.0/` using **NTLM** authentication. It discovers Power BI (`.pbix`) reports, paginated (RDL) reports, shared datasets, KPIs, and the upstream data-source lineage behind them, and lets the agent query the ones that are queryable.

<Note>
  The Power BI Report Server connector is part of the **Enterprise Edition**.
</Note>

## How it works

Bag of words signs in with a Windows account, then enumerates the report server catalog and builds one schema entry per asset. Entries are prefixed by kind so the agent knows what it is looking at:

| Catalog entry            | What it is                                                                                                                         | Queryable           |
| :----------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------ |
| `pbix:<Report>`          | A Power BI report — the umbrella entry, carrying its data sources, upstream lineage, model tables, relationships, and DAX measures | No (metadata only)  |
| `pbix:<Report>/<Table>`  | An internal table inside the report's semantic model                                                                               | Yes, via SQL        |
| `rdl:<Report>/<Dataset>` | A dataset inside a paginated (RDL) report, including its backing SQL (`command_text`)                                              | Yes, via CSV export |
| `dataset:<Name>`         | A shared dataset (`.rsd`)                                                                                                          | Yes                 |
| `kpi:<Name>`             | A KPI tile (current value, goal, status)                                                                                           | No (metadata only)  |

### PBIX semantic models are a cached snapshot

Power BI Report Server has no `executeQueries` endpoint like the cloud service, so DAX cannot be run against an embedded `.pbix` model. Instead, Bag of words downloads the `.pbix`, extracts its Vertipaq tables to **Parquet**, and queries them with **DuckDB**. All tables from the same report are registered in one DuckDB session, so the agent can join them with plain SQL using the internal table names shown in the schema.

<Warning>
  The data you query is a **snapshot of the last PBIX refresh**, not live upstream data. When the answer must be current, connect the report's upstream source (SQL Server, a file share, and so on) as its own data source instead — the `pbix:<Report>` entry lists that source in its metadata.
</Warning>

The Parquet cache is keyed by report ID **and** last-modified date, so editing and re-publishing a report invalidates it automatically. Caches are also warmed on a schedule so the first question about a large report does not stall. Auto-generated internal date tables (`LocalDateTable_*`, `DateTableTemplate_*`) are filtered out. Reports larger than 200 MB, and individual model tables above 5 million rows, are skipped rather than materialized.

DAX **measures** are captured as metadata but cannot be executed — they are expressions, not data. The agent rewrites them as SQL over the extracted columns when you ask for a measure-like aggregate.

## Before you start

* The report server's web portal URL, reachable from Bag of words over HTTP(S).
* A Windows account that can sign in to the report server and browse the folders you want to expose. It may be a domain account (`DOMAIN\user`) or a local machine account.
* If the server uses a certificate issued by an internal CA, the CA bundle file must be readable on the Bag of words host.

## Connect in Bag of words

Go to **Settings → Data Sources → Add data source → Power BI Report Server**. See [Connecting a data source](/data-sources/connecting) for the general flow.

| Field            | Required | Default | Notes                                                                                                                                                                    |
| :--------------- | :------- | :------ | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `server_url`     | Yes      | —       | Base URL of the report server, e.g. `http://pbi.example.com` or `http://pbi.example.com/Reports`. Both forms work — the `/Reports/api/v2.0` API path is derived for you. |
| `verify_ssl`     | No       | `true`  | Verify the TLS certificate. Disable only for self-signed test servers.                                                                                                   |
| `ca_bundle_path` | No       | —       | Path to a custom CA bundle for internal certificates. Use this instead of turning `verify_ssl` off when the server's certificate comes from a private CA.                |

**Test Connection** authenticates, reads `/System`, and counts the catalog. A successful test reports the product name and version along with how many Power BI reports, paginated reports, shared datasets, and KPIs were found.

## Authentication modes

| Mode                           | Scope               | Fields                                                            |
| :----------------------------- | :------------------ | :---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Username / Password (NTLM)** | `system` and `user` | `username` (required), `password` (required), `domain` (optional) |

* `username` — the Windows username. It may already include a domain prefix (`DOMAIN\user`) or be a local machine user.
* `password` — the Windows password.
* `domain` — optional Windows domain (AD domain or workgroup/machine name). If you leave it blank and the username has no domain prefix, NTLM authenticates against the local machine.

Because the mode is available at both scopes, you can either configure **one shared service account** for the whole workspace (`system`) or require **each user to supply their own Windows credentials** (`user`), so the report server applies that person's own permissions. Per-user credentials on a connector like this require Enterprise — see [Authentication](/data-sources/authentication).

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Test Connection reports an authentication failure">
    The server answered but rejected the credentials. Check the username, password, and especially the **domain**: a local machine account needs the machine name as the domain (or a `MACHINE\user` username), while an AD account needs the AD domain.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Test Connection reports the server cannot be reached">
    The `/System` endpoint was not reachable. Verify `server_url` (both `http://host` and `http://host/Reports` are accepted), that the host is routable from Bag of words, and — for HTTPS with an internal CA — that `ca_bundle_path` points at a valid bundle.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="TLS certificate errors on an internal CA">
    Set `ca_bundle_path` to the CA bundle file rather than disabling `verify_ssl`. Turning verification off should be reserved for throwaway test servers.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A PBIX report shows up but has no queryable tables">
    Some reports have nothing to materialize: the report exceeds the 200 MB limit, every model table is above the 5 million row cap, or the file has no embedded semantic model (for example a thin report over a shared dataset). The `pbix:<Report>` entry still carries the upstream data sources — connect one of those directly to query live data.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Query results look stale">
    Expected: PBIX queries run against the Parquet snapshot taken from the last published/refreshed `.pbix`. Republishing or refreshing the report changes its modified date, which invalidates the cache on the next query.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Shared datasets endpoint returns nothing">
    `/Datasets` only lists standalone shared datasets. Models embedded inside a `.pbix` never appear there — they are discovered from the report itself as `pbix:<Report>/<Table>` entries.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

For the cloud service, see [Power BI](/data-sources/connectors/power-bi).