Create and share a cloud connection for a semantic model

This article explains how to connect to a semantic model from a plan item. This step is required to work with your semantic model data in a planning sheet.

To connect a plan to a semantic model, a workspace admin or member must create a shareable cloud connection. Other users can use this connection to access the semantic model. The following steps describe how to create and share the connection.

Prerequisites#

Before you can create the semantic model connection, make sure that you have:

• Data in a Power BI semantic model.

Create a semantic model connection#

Use this connection to connect to your semantic models when you create a plan. A workplace admin or member who has access to the semantic model must complete the following steps.

1. On your Microsoft Fabric toolbar, select the Settings icon. Select Manage connections and gateways > New.

2. For the new connection, select Cloud.
3. Enter a connection name.
4. For Connection type, select Power BI Semantic Model.

5. Select an Authentication method.

   • OAuth 2.0: Select Edit credentials, then sign in with your Microsoft account.
   • Service principal: Enter the Tenant ID, Service Principal ID, and Service Principal Key. For service principal-based authentication, enable Service principals can call Fabric public APIs under Developer settings in the admin portal.

   

6. Select Create.

Share the semantic model connection#

1. Next to the name of the semantic model connection in your Fabric workspace, select ..., and then select Manage users.

2. Search for the name or email of the users to share the semantic model connection.
3. Set the access permission to one of the following options: User, User with resharing, or Owner.
4. Select Share to share the connection.

Other users can now use this shared connection to connect to the semantic model.

Connection types supported in a planning sheet#

Planning supports the following connection types.

Connect to a Direct Lake semantic model#

If you use a Direct Lake semantic model, follow these additional steps to make the Direct Lake semantic model compatible with planning. An Admin or Member user can perform these steps.

1. Next to the name of the semantic model in your Fabric workspace, select ... > Settings > Gateway and cloud connections.

2. By default, the connection is set to SSO. You can create and use a new connection.
3. From the connection list, select Create a connection.

4. Enter the new connection name.

5. Select an Authentication method:

   • OAuth 2.0: Select Edit credentials, then sign in with your Microsoft account.
   • Service principal: Enter the Tenant ID, Service Principal ID, and Service Principal Key. For service principal-based authentication, enable Service principals can call Fabric public APIs under Developer settings in the admin portal.

   

6. Select Create.

7. Select the newly created Direct Lake semantic model connection from the list, and then select Apply.

Recommended configuration for Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) #

For optimal Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD), consider the following recommendations:

• Create the semantic model connection using Service Principal authentication.
• Grant the service principal the required access across all environments. This access allows the same semantic model connection to be reused across environments during deployment, simplifying CI/CD workflows.

Related content #

• Now that you created your semantic model connection, you can create a planning sheet that uses this connection. See Create a planning sheet.
• Prerequisites for planning in Fabric.
• Troubleshoot semantic model connections in planning.