Import from a Data Feed (SSAS Tabular)

Article
04/01/2012

Data feeds are one or more XML data streams that are generated from an online data source and streamed to a destination document or application. You can import data from a data feed into your model by using the Table Import Wizard.

This topic contains the following sections:

Understanding import from a data feed
Import data from an Azure DataMarket dataset
Import data feeds from public or corporate data sources
Import data feeds from SharePoint lists
Import data feeds from Reporting Services Reports

Understanding import from a data feed

You can import data into a Tabular Model from the following types of data feeds:

Reporting Services Report
You can use a Reporting Services report that has been published to a SharePoint site or a report server as a data source in a model. When importing data from a Reporting Services Report, you must specify a report definition (.rdl) file as a data source.

Azure DataMarket Dataset
Azure DataMarket is a service that provides a single marketplace and delivery channel for information as cloud services. Azure DataMarket datasets require an account key instead of a Windows user account.

Atom feeds
The feed must be an Atom feed. RSS feeds are not supported. The feed must either be publicly available or you must have permission to connect to it under the Windows account with which you are currently logged in.

Data from a data feed is added into a model once during import. To get updated data from the feed, you can either refresh the data from the model designer, or configure a data refresh schedule for the model after it is deployed to a production instance of Analysis Services. For more information, see Process Data (SSAS Tabular).

Import data from an Azure DataMarket dataset

You can import data from an Azure DataMarket as a table in your model.

To import data from an Azure DataMarket dataset

In SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), click the Model menu, and then click Import from Data Source. The Table Import Wizard opens.
On the Connect to a Data Source page, under Data Feeds, select Azure DataMarket Dataset, and then click Next.
On the Connect to an Azure DataMarket dataset page, in Friendly Name, type a descriptive name for the feed you are accessing. If you are importing multiple feeds or data sources, using descriptive names for the connection can help you remember how the connection is used.
In Data Feed URL, type the address for the data feed.
In Security Settings, in Account Key, type an account key. Account keys are used by Analysis Services to access the DataMarket subscriptions.
Click Test Connection to make sure the feed is available. Alternatively, you can also click Advanced to confirm that the Base URL or Service Document URL contains the query or service document that provides the feed.
Click Next to continue with the import.
On the Impersonation Information page, specify the credentials that Analysis Services will use to connect to the data source when refreshing the data, and then click Next. These credentials are different from the Account Key.
In the Select Tables and Views page of the wizard, in the Friendly Name field, type a descriptive name that identifies the table that will contain this data after it is imported
Click Preview and Filter to review the data and change column selections. You cannot restrict the rows that are imported in the report data feed, but you can remove columns by clearing the check boxes. Click OK.
In the Select Tables and Views page, click Finish.

Import data feeds from public or corporate data sources

You can access public feeds or build custom data services that generate Atom feeds from proprietary or legacy database systems.

To import data from public or corporate data feeds

In SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), click the Model menu, and then click Import from Data Source. The Table Import Wizard opens.
On the Connect to a Data Source page, under Data Feeds, select Other Feeds, and then click Next.
On the Connect to a Data Feed page, type a descriptive name for the feed you are accessing. If you are importing multiple feeds or data sources, using descriptive names for the connection can help you remember how the connection is used.
In Data Feed URL, type the address for the data feed. Valid values include the following:
1. An XML document that contains the Atom data. For example, the following URL points to a public feed on the Open Government Data Initiative web site:
```
http://ogdi.cloudapp.net/v1/dc/banklocations/
```
2. An .atomsvc document that specifies one or more feeds. An .atomsvc document points to a service or application that provides one or more feeds. Each feed is specified as a base query that returns the result set.
  
  You can specify a URL address to an .atomsvc document that is on a web server or you can open the file from a shared or local folder on your computer. You might have an .atomsvc document if you saved one to your computer while exporting a Reporting Services report, or you might have .atomsvc documents in a data feed library that someone created for your SharePoint site.
  
  Note
  
  Specifying an .atomsvc document that can be accessed through a URL address or shared folder is recommended because it gives you the option of configuring automatic data refresh for the workbook later, after the workbook is published to SharePoint. The server can re-use the same URL address or network folder to refresh data if you specify a location that is not local to your computer.
Click Test Connection to make sure the feed is available. Alternatively, you can also click Advanced to confirm that the Base URL or Service Document URL contains the query or service document that provides the feed.
Click Next to continue with the import.
On the Impersonation Information page, specify the credentials that Analysis Services will use to connect to the data source when refreshing the data, and then click Next.
In the Select Tables and Views page of the wizard, in the Friendly Name field, replace Data Feed Content with a descriptive name that identifies the table that will contain this data after it is imported
Click Preview and Filter to review the data and change column selections. You cannot restrict the rows that are imported in the report data feed, but you can remove columns by clearing the check boxes. Click OK.
In the Select Tables and Views page, click Finish.

Import data feeds from SharePoint lists

You can import any SharePoint list that has an Export as Data Feed button on the (SharePoint) ribbon. You can click this button to export the list as a feed.

To import data feeds from a SharePoint list

In SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), click the Model menu, and then click Import from Data Source.
On the Connect to a Data Source page, under Data Feeds, select Other Data Feeds, and then click Next.
On the Connect to a Data Feed page, type a descriptive name for the feed you are accessing. If you are importing multiple feeds or data sources, using descriptive names for the connection might help you remember how the connection is used.
In Data Feed URL, type an address to the list data service, replacing <server-name> with the actual name of your SharePoint server:
```
http://<server-name>/_vti_bin/listdata.svc
```
Click Test Connection to make sure the feed is available. Alternatively, you can also click Advanced to confirm that the Service Document URL contains an address to the list data service.
Click Next to continue with the import.
On the Impersonation Information page, specify the credentials that Analysis Services will use to connect to the data source when refreshing the data, and then click Next.
In the Select Tables and Views page of the wizard, select the lists you want to import.

Note

You can only import lists that contain columns.
Click Preview and Filter to review the data and change column selections. You cannot restrict the rows that are imported in the report data feed, but you can remove columns by clearing the check boxes. Click OK.
In the Select Tables and Views page, click Finish.

Import data feeds from Reporting Services Reports

If you have a deployment of SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services, you can use the Atom rendering extension to generate a data feed from an existing report.

To import report data from a published Reporting Services report

In SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), click the Model menu, and then click Import from Data Source.
On the Connect to a Data Source page, under Data Feeds, select Report, and then click Next.
On the Connect to a Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Report page, in Friendly Connection Name, type a descriptive name for the feed you are accessing. If you are importing multiple data sources, using descriptive names for the connection might help you remember how the connection is used.
Click Browse and select a report server.

If you regularly use reports on a report server, the server might be listed in Recent Sites and Servers. Otherwise, in Name, type an address to a report server and click Open to browse the folders on the report server site. An example address for a report server might be http://<computername>/reportserver.
Select the report and click Open. Alternatively, you can paste a link to the report, including the full path and report name, in the Name text box. The Table Import wizard connects to the report and renders it in the preview area.

If the report uses parameters, you must specify a parameter or you cannot create the report connection. When you do so, only the rows related to the parameter value are imported in the data feed.
1. Choose a parameter using the list box or combo box provided in the report.
2. Click View Report to update the data.
  
  Note
  
  Viewing the report saves the parameters that you selected together with the data feed definition.
Optionally, click Advanced to set provider-specific properties for the report.
Click Test Connection to make sure the report is available as a data feed. Alternatively, you can also click Advanced to confirm that the Inline Service Document property contains embedded XML that specifies the data feed connection.
Click Next to continue with the import.
On the Impersonation Information page, specify the credentials that Analysis Services will use to connect to the data source when refreshing the data, and then click Next.
In the Select Tables and Views page of the wizard, select the check box next to the report parts that you want to import as data.

Some reports can contain multiple parts, including tables, lists, or graphs.
In the Friendly name box, type the name of the table where you want the data feed to be saved in your model.

The name of the Reporting Service control is used by default if no name has been assigned: for example, Tablix1, Tablix2. We recommend that you change this name during import so that you can more easily identify the origin of the imported data feed.
Click Preview and Filter to review the data and change column selections. You cannot restrict the rows that are imported in the report data feed, but you can remove columns by clearing the check boxes. Click OK.
In the Select Tables and Views page, click Finish.