Announced at Ignite 2021, data analysts can now speed up and simplify business analytics on more Azure Synapse data sources with the new Azure Synapse Analytics workspace connector for Power Query, available in public preview.
This new connector expands the integration between Power BI and Azure Synapse to include access to all Azure Synapse databases, including data stored in Apache Spark pools, data lakes, linked databases, and data imported by Azure Synapse Link. Analysts can also streamline their analytics with the ability to preview data, including metadata and pre-established table relationships. This means more certainty and less prep time when locating and importing data for analysis in Power BI.
Simplified collaboration to drive business insights
Data teams often face bottlenecks when provisioning data sources for end user analysis. Locating the right data, importing it to the correct business analytics tool, and knowing how to pair up tables and sources to answer business questions has historically been a clunky process requiring multiple rounds of requests. The Azure Synapse Analytics workspace connector streamlines this process, providing analysts working in Power BI direct access to the great work their data colleagues have already put into defining relationships and preparing data in Azure Synapse.
The new Azure Synapse Analytics workspace connector for Power Query automatically detects Azure Synapse workspaces, previews tables, and captures table relationships to empower business users to quickly find insights and to ensure consistency across data teams. This means business analysts can review Azure Synapse data sources, quickly understand the content with imported metadata and table relationships and do light code-free data prep to get the data they need without requiring a technical counterpart.
Limitless analytics with Azure Synapse and Power BI, now easier than ever
To generate meaningful insights, business analysts require reliable data sets that have been transformed, enriched, and prepared for end user analysis. Azure Synapse Analytics provides a limitless analytics platform to accomplish all of these data tasks and to support business analytics at scale, uniting the worlds of structured SQL data warehousing and big data analytics in Apache Spark to empower and connect individuals and teams at every stage of the analytics process.
The Azure Synapse Analytics workspace connector in action
To take advantage of the Azure Synapse workspace connector in public preview, you'll need access to an Azure Synapse workspace and to Power BI Desktop.
1. To get started, open Power BI Desktop and navigate to Get data > Azure Synapse Analytics workspace (Beta)
2. Locate the workspace you'd like to use > select Tables to analyze
3. Perform any additional code-free data transformations with the Power Query editor
4. Review and verify imported data relationships
5. Start reporting on your data in Power BI!
What's next?
- To explore the connector further, review the Ignite 2021 blog post from our Power Query team.
- To learn more about Azure Synapse Analytics, explore our home page.
- To review all of our Azure Synapse updates at Ignite, check out this overview.