The type of authentication to use when connecting to Microsoft Power BI XMLA.

Possible Values

Data Type

string

Default Value

"AzureAD"

Remarks

Use this property to select the authentication flow that matches your environment and deployment scenario. This setting determines how the driver acquires OAuth credentials for accessing Microsoft Power BI XMLA.

• AzureAD: Use for interactive, user-based authentication with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). Best for desktop applications, development environments, or any scenario where a user logs in through a browser. Supports embedded and custom OAuth applications. For step-by-step instructions, see Establishing a Connection and Creating a Service Principal App in Entra ID.
• AzureServicePrincipal: Use for non-interactive, automated authentication using a service principal and client credentials (client ID + secret). Recommended for CI/CD, ETL, or server-based deployments. To configure this method, see Creating a Service Principal App in Entra ID.
• AzureServicePrincipalCert: Use for service principal authentication with a certificate, typically in security-sensitive or compliance-focused environments. This method requires a registered Microsoft Entra ID application (formerly Azure AD application) and a valid client certificate. To configure certificate-based auth, see the “Client OAuth Flow With a Certificate” section in Creating a Service Principal App in Entra ID.