rest-api-automation

name

rest-api-automation

description

Power BI REST API and Fabric REST API automation. PROACTIVELY activate for: (1) calling Power BI REST APIs, (2) embed-token generation (App Owns Data, User Owns Data), (3) service-principal authentication for Power BI, (4) dataset refresh API and refresh status polling, (5) push datasets and streaming, (6) Admin API (workspace/dataset enumeration), (7) Power BI Embedded and the JavaScript SDK (powerbi-client), (8) export-to-file API (PDF/PPTX/PNG), (9) Power BI automation via PowerShell (MicrosoftPowerBIMgmt), (10) Scanner API for tenant inventory, (11) app registration in Microsoft Entra ID. Provides: REST endpoint reference, OAuth/MSAL token recipes, embed-token patterns, refresh automation scripts, JavaScript SDK examples, and PowerShell module recipes.

Power BI REST API and Automation

Overview

The Power BI REST API provides programmatic access for embedding, administration, dataset management, and automation. The base URL is https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/ for user context or https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/ for workspace context.

Authentication

Service Principal (Recommended for Automation)

1. Register app in Azure AD: Azure Portal > App registrations > New registration
2. Create client secret: Certificates & secrets > New client secret
3. Grant Power BI permissions: API permissions > Add > Power BI Service
4. Enable in Power BI Admin: Tenant settings > Allow service principals to use APIs > add security group
5. Add SP to workspace: Workspace > Access > Add the app as Member or Contributor

Get access token:

curl -X POST "https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenantId}/oauth2/v2.0/token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded" \
  -d "grant_type=client_credentials&client_id={clientId}&client_secret={secret}&scope=https://analysis.windows.net/powerbi/api/.default"

PowerShell:

$body = @{
    grant_type    = "client_credentials"
    client_id     = $clientId
    client_secret = $clientSecret
    scope         = "https://analysis.windows.net/powerbi/api/.default"
}
$token = (Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "https://login.microsoftonline.com/$tenantId/oauth2/v2.0/token" `
    -Method Post -Body $body).access_token

Master User (Legacy, Not Recommended)

Uses a real user account with username/password grant. Requires Pro/PPU license. Subject to MFA and Conditional Access issues. Avoid for production.

API Operation Groups

Group	Base Path	Purpose
Datasets	/datasets	Manage semantic models, refresh, parameters
Reports	/reports	Get, clone, export, rebind reports
Dashboards	/dashboards	Get dashboards and tiles
Groups (Workspaces)	/groups	Workspace CRUD, membership
Imports	/imports	Upload PBIX/XLSX files
Pipelines	/pipelines	Deployment pipeline automation
Admin	/admin	Tenant-wide operations (scanner, activity)
EmbedToken	/GenerateToken	Create embed tokens
Gateways	/gateways	Gateway and data source management
Dataflows	/dataflows	Dataflow management
Apps	/apps	App management
Capacities	/capacities	Capacity management
Goals	/goals	Scorecards and goals

Common API Operations

Refresh a Semantic Model

POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/datasets/{datasetId}/refreshes
Authorization: Bearer {token}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "notifyOption": "MailOnFailure",
  "retryCount": 2,
  "type": "Full",
  "commitMode": "transactional",
  "applyRefreshPolicy": true
}

Enhanced refresh (selective tables/partitions):

{
  "type": "Full",
  "commitMode": "transactional",
  "objects": [
    { "table": "Sales", "partition": "Sales_Current" },
    { "table": "Products" }
  ]
}

Get Refresh History

GET https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/datasets/{datasetId}/refreshes?$top=10

Import a PBIX File

POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/imports?datasetDisplayName=SalesReport&nameConflict=CreateOrOverwrite
Authorization: Bearer {token}
Content-Type: multipart/form-data

[PBIX file as form data]

Python:

import requests

url = f"https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspace_id}/imports"
params = {"datasetDisplayName": "SalesReport", "nameConflict": "CreateOrOverwrite"}
headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {token}"}

with open("SalesReport.pbix", "rb") as f:
    response = requests.post(url, params=params, headers=headers,
        files={"file": ("SalesReport.pbix", f, "application/octet-stream")})

Export Report to File

# Initiate export
POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/reports/{reportId}/ExportTo
{
  "format": "PDF",
  "powerBIReportConfiguration": {
    "pages": [
      { "pageName": "ReportSection1" }
    ],
    "defaultBookmark": { "name": "BookmarkName" }
  }
}

# Poll for completion
GET https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/reports/{reportId}/exports/{exportId}

# Download when status is "Succeeded"
GET https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/reports/{reportId}/exports/{exportId}/file

Supported formats: PDF, PPTX, PNG, XLSX, CSV, XML, MHTML, IMAGE, ACCESSIBLEPDF

Update Dataset Parameters

POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/datasets/{datasetId}/Default.UpdateParameters
{
  "updateDetails": [
    { "name": "ServerName", "newValue": "prod-server.database.windows.net" },
    { "name": "DatabaseName", "newValue": "ProdDB" }
  ]
}

Take Over a Dataset

POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/datasets/{datasetId}/Default.TakeOver

Update Data Source Credentials

PATCH https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/gateways/{gatewayId}/datasources/{datasourceId}
{
  "credentialDetails": {
    "credentialType": "OAuth2",
    "credentials": "{\"credentialData\":[{\"name\":\"accessToken\",\"value\":\"...\"}]}",
    "encryptedConnection": "Encrypted",
    "encryptionAlgorithm": "None",
    "privacyLevel": "Organizational"
  }
}

Push Datasets (Real-Time)

Create and push data to datasets via API for real-time dashboards:

# Create push dataset
POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/datasets
{
  "name": "RealTimeMetrics",
  "defaultMode": "Push",
  "tables": [
    {
      "name": "Metrics",
      "columns": [
        { "name": "Timestamp", "dataType": "DateTime" },
        { "name": "Sensor", "dataType": "String" },
        { "name": "Value", "dataType": "Double" },
        { "name": "Status", "dataType": "String" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

# Push rows
POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/datasets/{datasetId}/tables/Metrics/rows
{
  "rows": [
    { "Timestamp": "2026-04-03T10:30:00Z", "Sensor": "Temp-01", "Value": 23.5, "Status": "Normal" },
    { "Timestamp": "2026-04-03T10:30:00Z", "Sensor": "Temp-02", "Value": 45.2, "Status": "Warning" }
  ]
}

# Clear table
DELETE https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/datasets/{datasetId}/tables/Metrics/rows

Embed Tokens (Power BI Embedded)

Generate Embed Token for Report

POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspaceId}/reports/{reportId}/GenerateToken
{
  "accessLevel": "View",
  "identities": [
    {
      "username": "[e-mail]",
      "roles": ["RegionManager"],
      "datasets": ["{datasetId}"]
    }
  ]
}

Generate Token for Multiple Items

POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/GenerateToken
{
  "datasets": [
    { "id": "{datasetId}" }
  ],
  "reports": [
    { "id": "{reportId}", "allowEdit": false }
  ],
  "targetWorkspaces": [
    { "id": "{workspaceId}" }
  ],
  "identities": [
    {
      "username": "[e-mail]",
      "roles": ["ViewerRole"],
      "datasets": ["{datasetId}"]
    }
  ]
}

JavaScript SDK Embedding

<div id="reportContainer" style="height:600px;"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/powerbi-client/dist/powerbi.min.js"></script>
<script>
  const embedConfig = {
    type: 'report',
    id: reportId,
    embedUrl: embedUrl,
    accessToken: embedToken,
    tokenType: models.TokenType.Embed,  // Use Embed for app-owns-data
    settings: {
      panes: {
        filters: { visible: false },
        pageNavigation: { visible: true }
      },
      bars: { statusBar: { visible: false } }
    }
  };

  const container = document.getElementById('reportContainer');
  const report = powerbi.embed(container, embedConfig);

  // Token refresh handler
  report.on('tokenExpired', async () => {
    const newToken = await fetchNewToken();  
     report.(newToken);
  });

  
  report.(,  .());
  report.(,  .());
  report.(,  .(event.));

Admin APIs

Scan Workspaces (Inventory)

# Initiate scan
POST https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/admin/workspaces/getInfo
{
  "workspaces": ["{workspaceId1}", "{workspaceId2}"],
  "datasetExpressions": true,
  "datasetSchema": true,
  "datasourceDetails": true,
  "getArtifactUsers": true
}

# Get scan results
GET https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/admin/workspaces/scanResult/{scanId}

Activity Events (Audit)

GET https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/admin/activityevents?startDateTime='2026-04-01T00:00:00Z'&endDateTime='2026-04-02T00:00:00Z'&$filter=Activity eq 'ViewReport'

List All Datasets in Tenant

GET https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/admin/datasets?$top=100

Additional Resources

Reference Files

• references/api-endpoints-complete.md -- Complete API endpoint reference with all parameters, response schemas, and error codes