ODBC TUTORIAL

How to Build Power BI Reports on MongoDB Data using the DataDirect MongoDB Driver for ODBC

Updated: 19 Aug 2024

Introduction

With the DataDirect suite of ODBC drivers, you can connect to a wide variety of high-value data sources in the market today. Whether you are using a traditional Relational Database Management System or Big Data, Cloud, or REST-based sources, DataDirect has you covered.    

Progress DataDirect ODBC drivers are the industry standard for ODBC drivers, providing the advanced functionality, performance, and reliability developers need to quickly deliver high-quality, database-independent applications.   

Connecting to a Progress DataDirect ODBC driver from Power BI Desktop is very straightforward. In this tutorial, we walk you through connecting Power BI to MongoDB. These same steps can be used to connect Power BI to any DataDirect ODBC driver. 

Prerequisites

This tutorial assumes that you have ODBC drivers installed and a data source configured. If you have not yet done these steps, please follow these instructions: 

 

  1. Download and install the Progress DataDirect MongoDB ODBC driver for your database using the 15-day trial software. In this tutorial, we are connecting to MongoDB. 

 

2. Configure a data source for your database. See the DataDirect documentation for assistance with setting up your data source. The sample below uses a MongoDB datasource. 

 

Configure Connection to MongoDB Driver Using the Configuration Manager

1. After the DataDirect MongoDB ODBC driver has been installed, open ODBC Administrator to configure the connection and click on Add. 

 

 

 

 

2. Choose the “DataDirect X.X MongoDB” driver and click on “Finish.” 

 

 

 

 

3. You should now see the DataDirect MongoDB DSN Configuration Manager launched in your browser. Add your Data Source Name, server name, user, password, and other credentials, and click on “Save.” 

 

 

4. Click on the “Test Connect” button. Now you should see the list of tables available in your MongoDB instance. 

 

Connecting to an ODBC Data Source using DataDirect MongoDB ODBC driver

1. In Power BI, click on Get Data > More > All > ODBC. Click on “Connect.” 

                              

 

2. You should now see the form shown below where it will ask for the DSN name.  Select the “DSN” from the dropdown. Choose the data source previously configured to connect to MongoDB and click on “OK.” 

 

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3. Authenticate using your credentials under Database and click on Connect. 

 

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4. Choose your database, select table, and click on Load to continue.