Power BI connector vs Search & Audit API | Community
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Power BI connector vs Search & Audit API

  • July 17, 2025
  • 1 reply
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J

Hi masters,

 

So… I've used the powerBI connector to grab all tickets currently open and then check all audits for several KPIs and SLA that require that information (and are not available anywhere else…)

 

The think is that with PowerBI connector I always need to get all tickets, even the closed and solved, and only them I can filter them. Even worst, I cannot select the tickets I want the audits for… Basically I take more than 1gb of data and that's just ridiculous.

 

I believe that, using directly the search and audits API's I'm able to directly request just a subset of this data (and even take care of pagination and stuff), but the thing is that it still takes a lot of time pushing the information (although the information retrieved is less than 20%).

 

 Could someone confirm me if this is the best approach? Or I'm missing some extra step? 

 

Edit: Not sure why it was taking so much time the second time I refreshed without the Connector it was  A LOT faster so it seems the way to go will need to be with several power query tailored to my needs…

 

The Zendesk connector at the moment is kind of useless….

    1 reply

    J
    • James147
    • August 4, 2025

    When deciding between using the Power BI connector and the Search & Audit API for accessing Microsoft 365 audit logs, it's important to consider your use case, technical expertise, and scalability needs. Here's a breakdown of the key differences:

     

    Power BI Connector (Microsoft 365 Compliance Connector for Power BI)

    • Best for: Analysts and business users who want to visualize audit logs quickly.
    • Interface: Low-code/no-code experience via Power BI Desktop.
    • Setup: Requires configuration in Power BI and appropriate Microsoft 365 permissions.
    • Performance: Suitable for light-to-moderate data loads; not ideal for large-scale, ongoing ingestion.
    • Limitations:
      • May have latency (audit data is not always real-time).
      • Limited filtering/customization compared to direct API access.
    • Pros:
      • Easy to get started.
      • Seamless integration with Power BI reports and dashboards.
      • No code required.

    Search & Audit API (Office 365 Management Activity API)

    • Best for: Developers and admins who need programmatic access to raw audit data.
    • Interface: REST API – requires coding and handling auth tokens (OAuth).
    • Setup: Requires app registration in Azure AD, API permissions, and possibly background services for data pulling.
    • Performance: Better for automation, real-time or large-volume scenarios.
    • Pros:
      • Full control over queries, filtering, and storage.
      • Enables continuous export or integration with SIEMs or other tools.
      • Can be integrated into pipelines or custom solutions.

    Use Power BI Connector if:

    • You need quick visuals and trends without deep coding.
    • You're exploring audit data interactively in reports.

    Use Search & Audit API if:

    • You need automated, scalable, or real-time data access.
    • You're building custom compliance, monitoring, or alerting solutions.

    Let the complexity of your project and your comfort level with coding guide your choice. You can even use both: prototype with Power BI, then scale with the API.

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