Troubleshooting powerbi service account setup
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Last updated
This guide helps you verify and troubleshoot Power BI service account configurations. If you're experiencing issues with Power BI integration, follow these steps.
Before diving into detailed troubleshooting, verify these common issues:
We provide a Python script that automatically checks your Power BI configuration and permissions.
Python 3.6 or higher installed
Mac: brew install python3
Linux: sudo apt-get install python3
Download the powerbi_workspace_checker.py script
Open Terminal/Command Prompt
Navigate to the script location:
Run the script:
Enter your credentials when prompted:
Tenant ID
Client ID
Client Secret
The script will check:
Authentication status
Accessible workspaces
Permission levels
Security group memberships
If you prefer to check manually, or if the script identified issues, verify these configurations:
Navigate to "App Registrations"
Find your service principal
Verify:
Application (client) ID exists
Client secret is valid and not expired
Required API permissions are granted:
Power BI Service
Microsoft Graph (if needed)
Check "Tenant Settings"
Find "Allow service principals to use Power BI APIs"
Verify:
Setting is enabled
Your security group is listed in allowed groups
Changes were made >30 minutes ago
Go to Azure AD
Find your security group
Check members list
Verify:
Service Principal is a member
Group name matches Power BI settings
No typos in group name
Open Power BI Service
Go to each workspace
Check "Access" settings
Verify:
Security group is added
Correct permission level assigned
Workspace is not personal
Changes were made >30 minutes ago
Issue: Authentication fails
Check: Client secret expiration
Solution: Generate new client secret if expired
Issue: No workspaces visible
Check: Security group membership
Solution: Add service principal to security group
Issue: Permission denied
Check: Admin settings
Solution: Enable "Allow service principals to use Power BI APIs"
Issue: Changes not reflecting
Check: Timing of changes
Solution: Wait 2-4 hours, retry
If you've verified all settings and still experience problems:
Run the verification script and save the output
Check Azure AD audit logs for access attempts
Verify network connectivity/firewall settings
Contact Smaply support with:
Script output
Error messages
Timing of issues
Steps already attempted
Please contact support@smaply.com and we'll try and get you up and running as fast as we can.
Note: Keep your credentials secure and never share client secrets or access tokens. Always follow your organization's security policies when handling service account information.
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