With the absentify Power BI custom connector, you can seamlessly analyze absence data, identify trends, and optimize workforce planning. This tool is ideal for IT administrators and business users who need to connect absence data with reporting platforms like Power BI.

The custom connector is available exclusively on the Plus Plan. To unlock this feature, explore our Plans and pricing.

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What is the Power BI custom connector?

The custom connector allows your organization to:

  • Pull absence data directly from absentify into Power BI for advanced reporting.

  • Streamline analytics workflows by eliminating manual data imports.

  • Enable deeper insights by combining absence data with other organizational metrics.

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Key features

  • Direct API access: Retrieve real-time absence data without complex configurations.

  • Custom dashboards: Build tailored dashboards for HR, finance, or team managers.

  • Data export flexibility: Integrate absence data with other tools and processes via Power BI.

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Setting up the custom connector

Follow these steps to install and configure the absentify Power BI custom connector:

1

Download the custom connector

  1. Download the .mez file: Download Link.

  2. Save the file in the Documents\Power BI Desktop\Custom Connectors folder. Create this folder if it doesn’t exist.

2

Enable custom connectors in Power BI

  1. Open Power BI Desktop.

  2. Go to File > Options and settings > Options.

  3. In the menu, select Security.

  4. Under Data Extensions, choose Allow any extension to load without validation or warning.

  5. Click OK and restart Power BI Desktop.

3

Generate an API key in absentify

  1. Log in to absentify.

  2. Navigate to Integrations > API Key.

  3. Create and save your API key. Keep this key secure; you’ll need it in the next step.

4

Connect absentify to Power BI

  1. In Power BI Desktop, go to Home > Get Data.

  2. Select Other > absentify.

  3. Click Connect and enter your API key when prompted.

  4. Start accessing your absence data directly within Power BI.

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Example use cases for M365 admins

  • HR dashboards: Visualize absence trends, identify high absence rates, and plan workforce requirements.

  • Cross-department analytics: Combine absence data with metrics from ERP or finance systems for Comprehensive insights.

  • Scheduled reporting: Automate monthly absence reports for leadership teams, combining multiple data sources.

If your organization requires automation for data refreshes, consider using direct API requests via Power Query as described below.

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Automating data refreshes with Power Query

Currently, scheduled refreshes are not supported by the custom connector in Power BI Service. To automate data updates, use direct API requests in Power Query.

For more information on available endpoints and query parameters, visit our API reference documentation.

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Example: Fetching members data

let
    apiUrl = "https://api.absentify.com/api/v1/members",
    apiKey = "your_api_key_here",
    headers = [#"X-API-KEY" = apiKey],
    response = try Web.Contents(apiUrl, [Headers = headers]),
    jsonResponse = if response[HasError] then error "Error: " & response[Error][Message] else Json.Document(response[Value]),
    responseTable = Table.FromList(jsonResponse, Splitter.SplitByNothing(), null, null, ExtraValues.Error),
    expandedTable = Table.ExpandRecordColumn(responseTable, "Column1", Record.FieldNames(responseTable{0}))
in
    expandedTable

By leveraging the Power BI custom connector, M365 admins can empower their organization with actionable insights and streamline reporting processes. For additional assistance, visit our support page.

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