How Many Data Sources Can Power BI Connect To?

If you're asking how many data sources Power BI can connect to, the short answer is: hundreds, and the number is always growing. Power BI is designed to be a central hub for your business data, no matter where it lives. This article will break down the vast landscape of Power BI’s connectivity, covering its different data source categories and what to do when a direct connector isn't available.

The Short Answer: Hundreds of Native Connectors

Microsoft doesn't publish a single, static number of data sources, because the list is constantly expanding with each monthly Power BI update. As of today, there are well over 300 unique, native connectors built directly into Power BI. A "native connector" is essentially a pre-built integration that makes connecting to a specific data source as easy as entering your login credentials.

However, the number of native connectors only tells part of the story. Power BI’s real power lies in its underlying data engine, Power Query, which can connect to virtually any data source that has an accessible API or can export to a standard file type. So, while there are hundreds of one-click native connectors, the number of potential sources is effectively unlimited.

Breaking Down Power BI's Data Source Categories

Power BI organizes its massive list of connectors into a few logical categories. Understanding these helps you quickly identify how you'll connect to your own data, whether it's in a simple spreadsheet or a complex cloud database.

1. File-Based Sources

This is the most common starting point for many users. File-based sources are static documents that live on your local machine, a network drive, or a cloud service like SharePoint or OneDrive. They’re perfect for one-off analyses or when you need to incorporate data that isn't stored in a formal database.

• Excel Workbooks (.xlsx, .xlsm): By far the most popular data source. Power BI can pull data from individual Excel tables or entire sheets.
• Text/CSV (.csv, .txt): The universal standard for raw data exports.
• XML and JSON (.xml, .json): Common formats for data exported from web applications and APIs.
• PDF (.pdf): Power BI can actually extract tables of data directly from PDF documents.
• SharePoint Folder: A powerful feature that allows you to connect to an entire folder of files (like a dozen monthly sales reports in Excel) and combine them into a single dataset.

2. Database Sources

For more robust and scalable analytics, you'll want to connect directly to databases. This live connection ensures your reports are always up-to-date with the latest information without requiring manual file exports. Power BI supports a huge range of SQL and NoSQL databases.

• SQL Server: Microsoft's own database system, with the tightest integration.
• MySQL: A popular open-source database used by millions of web applications.
• PostgreSQL: Another major open-source database known for its stability.
• Oracle Database: A leading enterprise-level database system.
• Google BigQuery & Amazon Redshift: Major cloud data warehouses.
• And many others, including Teradata, SAP HANA, IBM Db2, and more.

3. Power Platform & Azure Services

As you'd expect, Power BI integrates flawlessly with Microsoft’s own ecosystem of data and cloud services. These connectors are highly optimized for performance and security.

• Microsoft Dataverse: The data backbone of the Dynamics 365 and Power Apps family.
• Power BI Datasets & Dataflows: Allows you to build new reports based on existing datasets you’ve already created and cleaned in Power BI, promoting reusability.
• Azure SQL Database / Synapse Analytics: Microsoft's cloud-based database and analytics platforms.
• Azure Blob Storage / Data Lake Storage: For connecting to massive amounts of unstructured and semi-structured data stored in the cloud.

4. Online Services (SaaS Applications)

This category is essential for getting a complete view of business performance, especially for marketing, sales, and operations teams. These connectors let you pull data directly from popular cloud-based applications.

• Salesforce: Connect to your CRM data, including objects for opportunities, accounts, and leads.
• Dynamics 365: Deep integration with Microsoft's own suite of business applications.
• Google Analytics: Pull website traffic, user behavior, and conversion data.
• Adobe Analytics: Another key web analytics platform.
• GitHub: Analyze repository activity, commits, and issues.
• Mailchimp: Access data on email campaign performance, subscriber lists, and engagement.
• Many more, including Zendesk, QuickBooks Online, and Smartsheet.

How to Connect to a New Data Source: A Simple Example

Connecting to a source is straightforward. Let’s walk through the most common example: connecting a local Excel file.

1. Open the Power BI Desktop application.
2. On the Home ribbon, click the Get Data button.
3. A new window will appear showcasing all popular data sources. Select Excel Workbook and click Connect.
4. Navigate to your Excel file on your computer and select it.
5. The Navigator window will open, showing you all the available tables and sheets within that workbook.
6. Check the box next to the tables you want to import. A preview will appear on the right.
7. Click Load to bring the data directly into your Power BI model, or click Transform Data to open the Power Query Editor for cleaning and shaping before loading.

The process is similar for almost every other source. For a database, you'll provide a server address and credentials. For an online service like Salesforce, you'll be prompted to log in to your account to grant Power BI access.

What If There Isn't a Native Connector?

Even with hundreds of options, you might be using a niche SaaS tool or an internal system that doesn't have a dedicated Power BI connector. Don't worry, you still have several excellent options for getting that data into your dashboard.

1. Use a Generic Web Connector for APIs

Most modern applications have a REST API that allows you to request data. Power BI has a generic Web connector that can access these APIs. It works like this:

• You get an API key from your application (e.g., a project management tool or a social media analytics platform).
• In Power BI, you select Get Data > Web.
• You paste in the API endpoint URL provided by the application's documentation.
• You'll likely need to access the "Advanced" options to enter your API key in the HTTP headers for authentication.
• Power BI then pulls the data, often in JSON format, which you can easily navigate and transform into tables using the Power Query editor.

This method requires a little more technical know-how but opens the door to connecting to thousands of platforms that aren't on the native connector list.

2. The Good Old-Fashioned Export

The simplest method is often the best. If your app can export data as a CSV, Excel, or JSON file, you can just manually download the file and connect Power BI to it directly. The main downside is that the process isn't automated. To update your report, you'll need to re-download the file and refresh your Power BI model. This is the common "download CSVs on a Monday" workflow that many teams still use, but it's a perfectly valid way to analyze data from sources without direct connectors.

3. Use Middleware or ETL Tools

For automated, real-time connections to sources without native connectors, you can use a middleman service. Tools like Zapier, Make.com, or specialized ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) platforms can connect to thousands of apps. You can set up a workflow that automatically pulls data from your source app and places it into a location Power BI can read, such as a Google Sheet, an Azure SQL database, or even a SharePoint folder. This gives you an automated, updated dashboard feed from practically any data source.

Final Thoughts

Power BI’s true strength is its incredible versatility. With hundreds of native connectors and flexible options like API and web queries, it can centralize data from nearly any source imaginable. While this power comes with a considerable learning curve, it enables you to build comprehensive reports that reflect every aspect of your business operations.

While mastering Power BI to configure dozens of sources is incredibly powerful, we found that most marketers and sales leaders simply need instant, clear answers from their core platforms without a steep learning curve. We created Graphed to do just that, giving you an AI data analyst that connects to sources like Google Analytics, Shopify, Facebook Ads, and Salesforce in seconds. Instead of navigating complex interfaces, you can just ask questions in plain English, and Graphed builds real-time dashboards for you automatically.