SharePoint and OneDrive sources in Power BI - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the main difference between SharePoint and OneDrive when used as data sources in Power BI?

SharePoint is designed for team collaboration and stores files in shared sites, while OneDrive is primarily for individual file storage. In Power BI, SharePoint sources often connect to document libraries, whereas OneDrive connects to personal files.

beginner

How do you connect Power BI to a SharePoint document library?

You use the 'SharePoint Folder' connector in Power BI and provide the URL of the SharePoint site. Power BI then lists all files in the document library for you to select and load.

intermediate

Why is it important to use the correct URL format when connecting to SharePoint or OneDrive in Power BI?

Using the correct URL ensures Power BI can authenticate and locate the files properly. For SharePoint, you typically use the site URL without the file path. For OneDrive, you use the root URL of your OneDrive folder.

beginner

What authentication methods are commonly used when connecting Power BI to SharePoint and OneDrive?

Power BI commonly uses OAuth2 authentication for SharePoint and OneDrive connections, allowing secure access with your Microsoft account credentials.

intermediate

Can Power BI refresh data automatically from SharePoint and OneDrive sources? How?

Yes, Power BI can refresh data automatically if the dataset is published to the Power BI Service and the data source credentials are set up correctly. Scheduled refreshes keep reports up to date with changes in SharePoint or OneDrive files.

Which Power BI connector is used to connect to a SharePoint document library?

A SharePoint Folder

B Web

C Excel

D SQL Server

The 'SharePoint Folder' connector is designed to connect to SharePoint document libraries and list all files.

What type of files can you load from OneDrive into Power BI?

A Only Excel files

B Only Power BI files

C Any supported file type like Excel, CSV, or JSON

D Only PDF files

Power BI supports loading many file types from OneDrive, including Excel, CSV, and JSON files.

When connecting to SharePoint in Power BI, which URL should you use?

A The full file path URL

B Any URL from the internet

C The OneDrive root URL

D The SharePoint site URL without file path

You should use the SharePoint site URL without the file path to connect properly.

What authentication method does Power BI use to access SharePoint and OneDrive data?

A OAuth2

B Anonymous access

C Basic authentication

D API key

Power BI uses OAuth2 for secure authentication with Microsoft services like SharePoint and OneDrive.

How can you keep your Power BI reports updated with changes in SharePoint files?

A Manually refresh only

B Use scheduled refresh in Power BI Service

C Re-import files every time

D Power BI cannot refresh SharePoint data

Scheduled refresh in Power BI Service allows automatic updates from SharePoint data sources.

Explain how to connect Power BI to a SharePoint document library and why the URL format matters.

Think about how Power BI finds files in SharePoint.

Describe the difference between SharePoint and OneDrive as data sources in Power BI.

Consider who uses the files and how they are stored.