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Automation Server Introduction

The Power Partners Automation Server is a productized service that allows automating a client's Power BI workflow.

Typical use cases are:

  1. refresh a dataset with a schedule that goes beyond what can be configured in Power BI service (e.g. every 10 min during business hours). We use this for example at #lb

  2. generate Power BI reports at scale, with a batch job. We use this for example at #pwrp and #int to generate monthly project time logs.

  3. generate screenshots of interactive Power BI reports. We use this for example for #azj to generate screenshots of the Power BI reports that are then stored in Sharepoint and made available to team members without Power BI license.

An Automation Server installation always consists of two parts:

  1. the py-powerbi package. This library provides a Python interface to the Power BI REST API. It is used to automate Power BI tasks.

  2. an Azure Function. The Azure Function contains the scripts of the automation workloads. The Azure Function can be triggered at a schedule, from ADF, or manually by calling athe AF URL. The Azure Function is custom-built for each client.