Analyze Microsoft Planner Data with Power Pivot

👁 The data source modeled as tables.

The ODBC protocol is used by a wide variety of Business Intelligence (BI) and reporting tools to get access to different databases. The CData ODBC Driver for Microsoft Planner brings the same power and ease of use to Microsoft Planner data. This article uses the driver to import Microsoft Planner data into Power Pivot.

Connect to Microsoft Planner as an ODBC Data Source

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

You can connect without setting any connection properties for your user credentials. Below are the minimum connection properties required to connect.

• InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
• Tenant (optional): Set this if you wish to authenticate to a different tenant than your default. This is required to work with an organization not on your default Tenant.

When you connect the Driver opens the MS Planner OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the Driver. The Driver then completes the OAuth process.

1. Extracts the access token from the callback URL and authenticates requests.
2. Obtains a new access token when the old one expires.
3. Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation to be persisted across connections.

Connect from Power Pivot

Follow the steps below to connect to the DSN in Power Pivot.

1. In Excel, click the Power Pivot Window icon on the Power Pivot tab to open Power Pivot.
2. Launch the Table Import Wizard: Click the Get External Data from Other Data Sources button.
3. Select the OLEDB/ODBC source option.
4. Click Build to open the Data Link Properties dialog.
5. In the Provider tab, select the Microsoft OLEDB Provider for ODBC Drivers option.
6. In the Connection tab, select the Use Data Source Name option and then select the Microsoft Planner DSN in the menu.

Select and Filter Tables and Views

Follow the steps below to use the wizard to import Microsoft Planner tables. As you use the wizard to select, filter, and sort columns of Microsoft Planner tables, Power Pivot generates the query to be executed.

1. After selecting the DSN in the Table Import Wizard, select the option to select from a list of tables.

2. Click Preview & Filter to select specific columns, sort data, and visually build filters. To include or exclude columns, select and clear the option next to the column name.

   To filter based on column values, click the down arrow button next to the column name. In the resulting dialog, select or clear the column values you want to filter. Alternatively, click Number Filters or Text Filters and then select a comparison operator. In the resulting dialog, build the filter criteria.

3. Return to the Select Tables and Views page of the wizard. You can access filters by clicking the Applied Filters link in the Filter Details column.

👁 The data source modeled as tables.

Import and Filter with SQL

You can also import with an SQL query. The driver supports the standard SQL, allowing Excel to communicate with Microsoft Planner APIs.

1. After selecting the DSN in the Table Import Wizard, select the option to write a query.

2. In the SQL Statement box, enter the query. Click Validate to check that the syntax of the query is valid. Click Design to preview the results and adjust the query before import.

   👁 The query to be used to import the data.
   
3. Finish the wizard to import the data for your chosen query.

👁 The imported data.

Refresh On Demand

Connectivity to Microsoft Planner APIs enables real-time analysis. To immediately update your workbook with any changes, click Refresh.