Closing the loop: Interactive write-back from Power BI to Azure Databricks

This is a collaborative post from Microsoft and Databricks. We thank Toussaint Webb, Product Manager at Databricks, for his contributions.

We're excited to announce that the Azure Databricks connector for Power Platform is now Generally Available. With this integration, organizations can seamlessly build Power Apps, Power Automate flows, and Copilot Studio agents with secure, governed data and no data duplication.

A key functionality unlocked by this connector is the ability to write data back from Power BI to Azure Databricks. Many organizations want to not only analyze data but also act on insights quickly and efficiently. Power BI users, in particular, have been seeking a straightforward way to “close the loop” by writing data back from Power BI into Azure Databricks. This capability is now here - real-time updates and streamlined operational workflows with the new Azure Databricks connector for Power Platform. 

With this connector, users can now read from and write to Azure Databricks data warehouses in real time, all from within familiar interfaces — no custom connectors, no data duplication, and no loss of governance. 

How It Works: Write-backs from Power BI through Power Apps

Enabling writebacks from Power BI to Azure Databricks is seamless. Follow these steps:

• Open Power Apps and create a connection to Azure Databricks (documentation).
• In Power BI (desktop or service), add a Power Apps visual to your report (purple Power Apps icon).
• Add data to connect to your Power App via the visualization pane.
• Create a new Power App directly from the Power BI interface, or choose an existing app to embed.
• Start writing records to Azure Databricks!

With this integration, users can make real-time updates directly within Power BI using the embedded Power App, instantly writing changes back to Azure Databricks. Think of all the workflows that this can unlock, such as warehouse managers monitoring performance and flagging issues on the spot, or store owners reviewing and adjusting inventory levels as needed. The seamless connection between Azure Databricks, Power Apps, and Power BI lets you close the loop on critical processes by uniting reporting and action in one place.

Try It Out: Get started with Azure Databricks Power Platform Connector

The Power Platform Connector is now Generally Available for all Azure Databricks customers. Explore more in the deep dive blog here and to get started, check out our technical documentation. Coming soon we will add the ability to execute existing Azure Databricks Jobs via Power Automate. 

If your organization is looking for an even more customizable end-to-end solution, check out Databricks Apps in Azure Databricks!  No extra services or licenses required.